Destroyer (The Elemental Series #7)(36)

The question popped out of me before I could catch it. Raven didn’t look irritated at all. “No, I understood the need to have more elementals with multiple powers. Elementals who weren’t only from one bloodline. And Cassava, for all that you hate her, is the only Terraling with nearly as much strength as you. If she’d been able to have a child of mine, we’d have another elemental with strength at our backs now.”

We walked toward where Shazer stood waiting. “You mean it was purely a breeding program.”

He nodded, and again there was no shame in him. “Yes, but she never conceived. After the twins, it seemed her body was done with making babies.” The twins, he meant Briar and Keeda, our youngest siblings. Or, I supposed, now that I knew the truth about Raven, my youngest siblings.

“So you went on to Samara.” A part of me wasn’t surprised he’d made the rounds as he had. Elementals were not always monogamous; my father was proof enough of that. But they didn’t like crossing bloodlines as it was considered taboo. While Raven may have been willing, I was surprised so many women of the other families had been. “Consent,” I said, “it’s a thing, you know.”

“I never took them to my bed without consent,” he said. “They were always willing.”

I leapt onto Shazer’s back, Raven right behind me. “I mean without the use of Spirit helping you out.”

“So do I.” He reached around my waist and held on tightly. “I’m quite charming when I want to be.”

I snorted, not sure if I believed him or not. Charming he was, but to get Samara to bend to him? She was strong-willed, and not exactly the trusting type. At some point, she had to have suspected him as not being genuine in his affection for her. Before or after he’d knocked her up, though, that was the question.

Peta had been quiet through the exchange and she jumped onto Shazer’s back last. “Where to, nag?”

Shazer blew out a blast of air through his nostrils and flipped his head once, his long mane flicking back through the air. “Give me a minute. I haven’t searched for her for so long, I don’t know if I can.” Shazer ran through the field of oats, picking up steam until he spread his wings and launched into the air.

He worked hard to gain altitude, and once we were high enough, he coasted along the currents, circling slowly.

“Anything?” I pressed a hand to his neck.

“Not yet,” he muttered, shaking his head.

“So much for him helping,” Peta said.

The Pegasus flexed his back as if he’d like to throw Peta off. I pressed my hand harder against his withers. “Can I help?”

“You mean with a power boost?” He shook his head. “No, this isn’t about strength but the fact I am tied to her. She created me out of spite, you know, and it’s been so long, I can barely recall why.”

It was Peta’s turn to snort. “Call me cynical, but I doubt you don’t remember why.”

Another grunt from him, but then he was quiet as we continued to coast on a current of cool air. The bond between Shazer and me was not that of familiar and elemental. More like a companion who chose to stay with me, rather than go back to the one who’d made him. His friendship was in its own way as integral to my life as Peta’s. He did what he did out of choice, not a forced bond.

Peta fidgeted, twisted partway around and narrowed one eye at me, almost as if she’d picked up on my thoughts. But no, her emotion came through loud and clear and had nothing to do with competition for me. She didn’t think Shazer could help us. Finally, she turned all the way around and put her paws on my chest, tipping her head to beckon me. I leaned forward so she could whisper in my ear.

“I can find you because I am your familiar, Lark. He isn’t her familiar. More like he is a child trying to find his mother.” Peta shook her head.

I blew out a breath. “It’s all we’ve got. Otherwise, how do we find Viv?”

Peta slid down. “Don’t be surprised when—”

“I got something,” Shazer cut her off, “though I think we are headed to a place that hasn’t gone well for you the last few times you’ve visited, Lark.”

I wanted to groan but I bit it back. “Do I want to guess?”

Raven grunted. “I’ll bite. Are we headed to the Eyrie?”

Shazer shrugged and stretched his wings out wide. “Close enough to call it that. We’re headed to the mountains near enough to the Eyrie that there is no way the Sylphs won’t know we are there.”

“Except there are no Sylphs there,” I said.

“What?” Raven grabbed my arms and I turned my head.

“Talan didn’t show you?”

The worry in his eyes softened me. Samara was still there. “There are no Sylphs left, none but Samara and her child.”

Behind me, Raven stiffened.

“Talan showed me what was happening in the elemental families.” I drew a slow breath before I went on, thinking about the Rim and the chaos there, and the Deep with Finley facing down the human warships. “The Sylphs have deserted the Eyrie, leaving Samara and her child alone.”

Raven’s hold on me loosened and I turned to him. “You going to leave?”

His blue eyes met mine. “You may not believe it, but I do care for her, and all my children.”