Reborn (Shadow Beast Shifter, #3)(94)

“Is it really weakening her?” That had been the original goal, after all. The only goal, because if it wasn’t successful, we’d never get that stone from her.

Lucien let out a low laugh. “It feels like it is, but we haven’t been able to properly check with all the shadow creature guards.”

Oh, right. My creatures. The ones I yanked out of the prison rooms in my dying moments.

Come to me.

The call was effortless, breaking them from their formation as they strolled toward me on two and four and many more legs. None of them fought as the wild ones did; instead, they moved like a solid unit of trained soldiers.

Leading them from the clearing, I directed them toward a large open field, one that still contained pockets of forest. Untouched by an angry Danamain. A sanctuary until we could end the dangers in this world for them.

My protective instinct toward the creatures was stronger than ever, and I hoped that I’d find other survivors from the Grey Lands as well when we were done with Dannie.

I had to believe she wouldn’t have killed them all, even as corrupted as she was, and that meant they were out there waiting for me to find and save them. When that happened, they could join their brethren here.

Safe at last.





52





By the time I’d loved on my creatures and returned to the main group, the others had done a thorough investigation into Dannie and the fortress’s current effect on her.

“She’s weaker.” Shadow confirmed. “Much weaker if what we’re sensing from her is correct.”

“That’s great news,” I said in a rush.

Moving closer, I reached out, stopping myself just before I made contact with the gold, just in case I broke it somehow.

“You can touch it.” Reece chuckled. “The spell is locked on now until we release it or she breaks free.”

I returned his smile with a shrug. “Yeah, I don’t always follow the rules with that sort of shit, so best to be safe.”

There was no argument from anyone. Apparently, my run of interesting luck was the one thing we could all agree on. Lifting my hands, I ran them across her, tracing the humanoid shape of the golden cage.

She did feel weaker. The only spot that I got a decided flare of power was right near her chest.

“The stone has not weakened,” I said. “What’s the plan to extract it from her?”

Everyone here looked a hell of a lot better than when they’d been all but sprawled on the ground, but they also didn’t appear to be back at full power. Would we have enough energy to finish the second part of this plan?

“I say we allow Dannie to break free because it’s costing her extra energy to do so,” Angel said, her warrior mind engaged. “When that happens, we must pin her down so that one of us can cut the stone free.”

“I vote we move the final part of this battle off the outliers,” I said before anyone else could speak up. “The locals and creatures don’t need to become collateral damage in this war.”

Of course, if we failed, no one would be safe, but that was something for future Mera to worry about. As far as I was concerned, we had a more-than-decent shot at beating her now.

Weaker Dannie; stronger me; recipe for success. Right?

“I agree on both fronts,” Shadow said. “And with that in mind, link hands. I will get us back to Trinity, and to the castle.”

The moment we joined up—Shadow keeping one hand on Dannie—he zapped us through to the side of the building near the chasm. The others broke apart as soon as we landed, Reece and Angel most noticeably, moving to opposite sides of the large open area.

Inky and Midnight flew up above us, still choosing to stay close together.

“You all recharge,” I said, “because we’ll need all the power we can get to hold Dannie, even in her weaker form.”

“Where do you think you’re going while we recharge?” Shadow asked, sounding casual, but no one was fooled.

“I’m going to search for my creatures,” I said. “The ones from the prison realm are reasonably safe in that outlier island, and if any more of their kind are trapped here, I want to send them through as well. Preferably before an angry bitch of the Nexus breaks free.”

“The outliers are advanced in their treatment of the creatures,” Angel confirmed. “I think that’s a great plan.”

It really did feel like that was the safest place to leave them.

“You will not go without me,” Shadow said shortly, his tone brooking no argument.

Midnight wrapped around me as I smiled at my stubborn mate. “I know you’re exhausted, Shadow. You can recharge; I’m just going to have a sneaky look around. I’ll be fine.”

Leaving us to it, the others settled in around the Dannie-fortress, doing their best to recharge and boost their energy in the short amount of time allowed for it. Len pulled out some gems, while Lucien drank down small vials of… let’s call it wine. Wine was good.

I wished I had wine.

“Mera,” Shadow rumbled, drawing my full attention back to him. “The last fucking time I left you alone, you were stolen out from under me. Then you died. It’s cute that you think I’m ever letting you out of my sight again.”

He wasn’t joking. There was no ounce of give in his voice or tilt to his lips to indicate that he was mostly kidding. Now normally, that sort of attitude would freak me out and I’d start a fight for a little distance. I’d never craved a codependent style of relationship, valuing my independence above all else. But it wasn’t the same with Shadow. I wanted to be around him all the time. I wanted us to be a team and protect each other. Eventually, no matter his stance today, we wouldn’t always be literally attached, but maybe a small part of me wouldn’t mind if we were. Until death stole us or whatever.