Page 52 of Tempest

“It’s a long story, but Azaiah loved him and asked him to be his companion before the empire fell. But Nyx had responsibilities to his family and chose to stay with them, and then they were betrayed and he swore vengeance instead. He bound himself not to Azaiah, but to Death … and it was hundreds of years before he and Azaiah found each other again.”

“I thought your brotherwasDeath,” Iason said. “This is giving me a headache.”

“Trust me, it gave usallheadaches. Nyx became immortal because he was bound to Death—he became acompanionwhen he made that bond with Azaiah. Which he couldn’t do until he found his compassion again. Which was what drew Azaiah to him in the first place.”

“How does this have anything to do with me? With us? I didn’t even know you existed when I took your power to save Sophie.”

“No, you didn’t. So you bound yourself to the dragon. Even now, when you take my power, you take it from the core of my godhood. A storm, when the world was newly made. A dragon, now. That’s who you bonded with in the water.”

“So to break our bond—”

“You misunderstand me, wizard,” Levi interrupted, an echo of the storm in his voice, a low rumble that he could see made Iason shiver. “I don’t think we can break it. I think if I want my dragon back, we have to make a bond betweenus. Not a dragon and a wizard, but a god who walks as a man and a—how did you say it—amoody, repressed asshole.”

Iason didn’t laugh. “So, what you’re saying,” Iason said, carefully, “is that if we make a bond betweenus,you might regain your dragon form, but I’ll endure until the seas boil and the planet is nothing but a husk. And if we don’t, you’ll remain a man, but I may cross the river and have my soul return?”

“I think so. My power isn’t over my brother’s realm, so we’ll need to ask him to know for sure. But, yes. That’s why I don’t think you’ll find this in any of your books.” Levi stood up. “Let me go and send word to Azaiah. He isn’t always easy to reach, but he always responds eventually.”

“I suppose Death does take his time,” Iason said. He stood, too, and followed Levi toward the door. “Is this process too mystical for mere mortals to see?”

“You’re not a mere mortal. We might only be half bound, and you might still be partly mortal, but I’d never make even an accidental bond with amereone.” Levi pulled the door open, smiling as he walked into the cool rain, turning his face up to the sky.

“I’m not sure I can put up with your ego until the sun dies, dragon.”

“And I can’t promise that if I regain my dragon form, I won’t bite you after too many self-deprecating comments.”

“You tried eating me already, remember? It didn’t work. Where are we going?”

Levi turned to him, brow raised. “I didn’t sayeat,did I? I saidbite. And we’re going to summon my brother.”

Levi stood at the water’s edge, Iason beside him. He felt the storm on the horizon, knew exactly how to call it forth in hopes of catching Azaiah’s attention, but something stopped him. If he did this, it could be someone they knew whose life was lost. The rebels patrolled by boat at night, to keep mages from trying to approach the camp by water. Levi knew everyone in the camp, now. He didn’t want to be surprised in the morning when he learned who was no longer with them. It would likely make Iason angry, and Sophie would be sad if it was someone she knew. Which it would be, of course.

How strange. He’d never been in this position before.

“You just… stare out at the water? Literally waiting for Death?”

Levi smiled. “No. But I… I don’t think I can summon Azaiah the way I did when I was a dragon. But maybeyoucan. Use my power. See if you can see the threads that connect me to my siblings.”

“How do you usually summon him?” Iason winced as the obvious answer occurred to him. “Ah. Thank you for not doing that. I’ll try, though I’m not sure I can see any bond but ours.”

Levi felt the air around them go electric, smelled ozone as Iason drew on his power. He shivered and felt his cock stir, lifting the sarong that he wore around the house and in public since Iason was so concerned about “modesty, dragon.”His toes curled into the wet sand.

“Is this getting you— Levi, really?”

“Yes. Why does that bother you?” Levi asked, amused, remembering Iason fucking him wildly, here on this very beach. “You are attracted to my godhood; why can’t I enjoy how it feels when you take the power I’ve allowed you to siphon?”

Iason must have thought that was a rhetorical question, because he didn’t answer. The lightning grew in his eyes, and he went still as a statue, gaze going unfocused as his magic grew and grew. “I— There’s ours.” He reached up and plucked at the air, and Levi felt the caress like a hand on his cock.

“Ah. Yes. Keep going, if you want to summon my brother and not have me fuckyouin the surf.”

Iason sucked in a sharp breath, and the air between them wavered, just slightly, before he reached out again. It looked as if he were trying to pluck strings on an invisible lyre. “Who is this?”

Levi smiled. “Laughter, soap bubbles, and surfing wax. Guess.”

“Sophie,” Iason said. He glanced over at Levi. “It’s strong, your bond with her.”

“It was your magic, butmypower, that saved her,” Levi pointed out, oddly defensive.

“Yes.” Iason’s mouth ticked up in a small smile. “And she has some magic all her own that I can’t explain, the kind that makes her friends with amnesiac assassins and egotistical dragon gods.”

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