Page 139 of The Demon Tide

“All right, then,” Sage rejoins, a stubborn light in her eyes, “then we veil her. For as long as we can. And jointly drive the Forest off if it comes to that.”

“Will you be able to locate my fastmate when you’re finished?” I press Rivyr’el. Yvan’s power contracts, my throat tensing in response to his flash of distress.

“You’ll be able to locate him yourself,” Rivyr’el amends, “via a tracking rune I’m going to place on you.”

“How long until Elloren is freed?” Diana asks from where she stands with Rafe and the other Lupines.

“A day,” he answers without hesitation. “At the most.”

My breath tightens, Yvan’s fire flashing through mine, perhaps reading my upending sense of destiny bearing down.Freed.In a day’s time. With access to Black Witch power.

“I’ll fly to the Vojuun base to the northeast of here,” Yvan says to me. “I can send word to Vang Troi that we want an alliance.” I hold his intent gaze as he fans his wings out more expansively. “I’ll let her know that we won’t obey the Prophecy, Elloren. We’re wresting hold of it to fight Vogel. And the Vu Trin can either align with usbothor get the hell out of our way.”

A fiery riptide of love for him rushes through my power, suffusing me with warmth and the desire to join with him, meld our fires and incinerate every evil in the world.

“I’m ready to subvert the Prophecy,” I agree, steely branches rising through my core as I hold his riveting gaze.

The Noi runes marked on his chest give a bright flash.

Everyone’s focus darts to the rune markings, concern sparking through everyone’s magic.

“You need to leave,” Ra’Ven says firmly. He gestures toward Yvan’s runes, looking to Rivyr’el. “The Vu Trin must have charged a tracking spell. I’m surprised by their speed.”

“How long until they find me?” Yvan asks.

“Not long,” Sage answers, narrowing her gaze at Yvan. “They can hook a lead into your runes in less than an hour’s time.”

“Elloren...” Yvan says, a conflicted flare of heat in his gaze.

“Can we have a moment?” I ask Sage and Ra’Ven, displaying the still uncharged rune on my palm.

“Be quick,” Ra’Ven cautions. He gestures toward a slim corridor at the cavern’s end. “Follow that upward,” he says to Yvan. “There’s an opening to the sky. Send rune hawks to let us know of Commander Vang Troi’s decision.” He withdraws a rune hawk medallion from his tunic’s pocket and tosses it to Yvan. “We’ll converge on the meeting place of her choice after Xishlon.”

“And if she won’t align with us?” I ask.

“Then we’ll break with the Vu Trin,” Rafe says, my brother’s amber eyes hardening with resolve, “and form our own army. Elloren, it’s important that you don’t fight Vogel alone.”

“Where will you take Elloren?” Yvan asks them all, his fire whipping around me with burgeoning intensity. “Vogel’s tracking her and the Vu Trin are aggressively hunting for her.”

“When we unbind her,” Or’myr interjects, “we’re going to orient her lightlines toward purple and glamour her that same hue. Which will enable her to enter my Vonor in Voloi.” My cousin’s tone doesn’t budge from the coolly reasonable, and I find myself admiring his unflappable calm. “It’s warded and glamoured to be accessible only to those with an intrinsic line of purple magic. The Vu Trin and Vogel cannot reach her there. She’ll be safe until she regains control of her power.”

Yvan’s gaze slides back to me, rebellious emotion firing in it, but I can sense a shift in him.

“I’m not the helpless girl I was in Verpacia,” I assure him, patting my Ash’rion. “If Vogel comes after me, I’ll do what I did to his scorpios and kraken. I’ll decimate him.”

Yvan’s eyes burn into mine. “I’ll be back for you, Elloren,” he vows. “Themomentyou gain control of your power.” His fire gives a hot, pained flare. “And then I’ll portal west with you and help you free your fastmate.”

Yvan and I step out of a sloping tunnel and into a huge black-opal cavern that spirals up to impossible heights. Its faraway pinnacle reveals a tiny patch of starlit sky. A varg rune affixed to the wall casts soft green light over us, Yvan’s luminous eyes suffusing his face in a golden glow. He fans out his wings and meets my gaze, and it’s like a shock of pure flame, tension charging the air between us.

“It’s hard to leave you again,” he says, his voice coarse with feeling. “If something happens to you when they unbind your power...it’s dangerous.”

“And you can do nothing to prevent that,” I remind him, feeling equally engulfed by conflict over our impending separation. “Theycan.”

None of his rigidity softens. “The last time we were parted,nothingwent as planned. You were almost killed by the Vu Trin. And then you were sent back to Gardneria.Twoassassination attempts made on your life...and then...” He rakes his fingers through his crimson hair and gives me a scorching look.

Lukas. And then Lukas, I think, agony rising.

“Safety is never a permanent state of affairs,” I manage, a knot clenching hold of my throat. “I’m realizing that more and more.”

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