Page 1 of Forged By Heart and Claws
CHAPTER 1
Briar
The floor of the sanctuary-like hall shook so hard that my teeth rattled, despite Vad’s arms and dark, leathery wings surrounding me. My stomach roiled, and my pulse hammered.
You don’t know what you’ve done. The words my Many-Greats-Grandfather had spoken moments ago rang in my ears, along with the screams of the guests who had joined us for Vad’s coronation and our wedding.
What had I done? He’d never told me why I couldn’t marry Vad and become his Shadow Queen, so what the fuck did that even mean?
A rumbling crack rocked my body, and I placed my hands on Vad’s chest and pushed back from him to get a better look.
Briar, no,Vad linked through our new fated-mate bond, trying to pull me to his chest once more, though I fought him, the strange added weight of the crown atop my head pressing down hard. Blood trickled down my cheek from where the sharp tips of the crown had dug into my scalp just moments before the earthquake happened.
The discomfort vanished when I saw why he’d said that.
The palace was falling apart. Shattered glass and slick oil streaked the floor. Most of the guests were flying away through a massive hole that had formed in the ceiling. Other people were trying and failing to use magic against the fire that had broken out where the massive chandelier had fallen. Their panic increased as their magic continued not working.
What was this? Why had it happened when Vad placed the crown on my head?
As if Fate had a wicked sense of humor, the earthquake stopped as quickly as it had started, and the fires extinguished for no apparent reason. Thick coils of smoke rose from the singed red carpet and charred benches.
My lungs ached, and Vad’s worry and distress pulsed through our bond, adding to my own panic.
Eerie silence settled over the room, and my wolf nudged for my attention. Something silver glimmered out of the corner of my eye, and I turned toward the dais where the wedding and coronation were supposed to take place and looked up. On the back wall above it, a shining silver stag shone on a black banner with the black shadow-furred wolf banner below it.
I inhaled, and Vad followed my gaze.
For a moment, everything seemed to still.
The stag gleamed as if lit from behind the banner. A lump formed in my throat. Were my eyes playing tricks on me?
Its multi-pronged antlers shifted, and the woven silver lines lifted off the fabric like thread becoming flesh. My breath caught, and nerves prickled down my arm. Something about it called to me.
My right hand tingled, and I tore my gaze from the stag to the fiery butterfly tattoo on top of my hand and wrist. It pulsed and flared, the wings fluttering within my flesh, their gentle rhythm rippling despite my body feeling weighted down. “Vad,” I gasped and pulled my hand closer to me.
His arms flexed, keeping me tight against him, but when he saw my hand, his body somehow became more rigid. Something sharp pricked against my lower back and the nape of my neck where his hands sat.
The stag’s hooves struck the marble floor of the wrecked hall with a resounding echo. Its black eyes focused on me, and it walked in our direction, its hooves clicking as the air thickened until it was hard to breathe.
Its silver form radiated soft light, and my wolf stirred, hackles rising in caution. She wasn’t sure what to make of this creature any more than I was, but she wasn’t hunkering down or surging forward like it was an actual threat… at least, not yet.
The hoofbeats resonated through me as it approached, the stag’s eyes glistening like liquid night as it stared into my soul. Vad’s arms remained around me, but I pulled out of his grip, taking a step toward the stag.
What the feck, Briar?Vad stepped in front of me and spread his wings, cutting off my view of the animal.
Don’t fight it unless it gives us a reason to,I linked with Vad. It feels as if it’s calling me.
Vad's wings extended a little farther, and he inhaled.I won’t allow anyone or anything to harm you again.
I need you to trust me. It’s coming toward us anyway.
For a moment, he remained in position, but when I touched his back, he lowered his wings.
The stag was ten feet away.
My heart pounded, and Vad’s hands clenched at his sides as the massive stag stepped in front of me. I tipped my head to meet its gaze, and my stomach clenched. This magical animal had to be at least twenty feet tall.
It lowered its head toward me, and my entire body tightened.
