Reclaimed (Shadow Beast Shifters, #2)(84)

Midnight had shown me bits and pieces of this world, and now I was seeing that the images had been from here. A lot of them must have been from before the greed of the royals had stripped it bare.

“It used to be called Paldeena. The land of plenty,” Shadow said sadly. “Long before my time, of course. I’ve only known it as ‘The Grey Lands,’ but once upon a time, this was our haven.”

It could be that again. I sensed the truth of that deep inside. This could be the land of plenty again. In my moment of realization, envisioning the potential here, I felt better. My creatures would have paradise once again.

I’d be so focused on looking ahead that I hadn’t noticed just how freaking tall Shadow had grown until I looked down. “Holy shit,” I exclaimed, staring at the ground at least twenty feet below us. “Do you have a height limit?”

Shadow laughed, but I was seated so comfortably on his massive shoulder that I barely moved. “I’ve gone a hundred before.”

“A hundred feet?” I screeched.

Another laugh.

“I really can’t picture that, and please don’t decide to show me right now.”

“I’ve never seen anyone shape change like Shadow,” Angel said, still flying beside us, her stunning and powerful wings flapping between glides. “It’s definitely a unique power.”

He shrugged, lifting me momentarily even higher before his shoulders settled. “I developed the ability when I was thrust from the realm. Inky and I surmise that when I was scrambling to stay here, I gathered energy into myself that I should never have had. Like Inky itself, whom I drew with me, these other gifts were not mine by birthright.”

“They’re yours now,” Angel said. “Power is funny like that. Once it has been commanded, it adapts to the commander. You’ve become so much more than you would have if you’d stayed here and taken your mantle. You’ll be the most powerful Supreme Being to ever rule the realm.”

I expected Shadow to be pleased by this observation, but there was no smug twist of his lips. No acknowledgement or sign of excitement. He almost looked… resigned.

Was this one of those the grass isn’t always greener on the other side things? Shadow had wanted this for so long that I expected some aspect of being so close to his goals was overwhelming. But once it was all said and done, and he sat on his throne, the ground below decorated with chunks of his sister, he’d finally feel content. Right?

Since this might be my last chance to speak to Shadow without his mate hanging on to us, I had to ask. “Was getting back to Ixana always part of your plan?”

Even Angel was watching him closely, waiting to hear his response. “At first, yes,” he finally said. His eyes drifting to where his mate marched along below us, his face set in cold lines, looking fierce and very…

“She’s beautiful,” I said because she was. Beautiful and evil.

He didn’t acknowledge that. “Ixana has not been a priority of mine for a long time.” He lifted his gaze from her. “We knew each other for a few scattered years, lifetimes ago. We did have a bond, but as more time passed, the less I thought of her. I’m not really onboard with the way we’re assigned mates here. It’s why I didn’t plan for the same with shifters. A soul connection is always going to be stronger.” He trailed off, muttering something that sounded like at least I used to prefer it before he changed the subject.

“We should reach the Nexus soon. Are you ready to find out where your power comes from?”

I snorted. “Good try, dude. But I’m not done with my last topic. If you weren’t waiting for your true mate, wanting to return to her and cement the final bond, then why didn’t you kiss anyone before me?”

He released a deep breath. “For some reason, it was the one thing I held on to, until…”

Me. “Why?” I breathed.

Shadow was tense, his shoulders hardening under my ass. “You know why, Sunshine.”

Now I was tense, but I did know why.

Our demons matched.

Our souls matched.

We were more than just a random hookup. We’d been more the first moment I’d touched the Shadow Realm and drawn him into my world. But why were we more?

Why did we match?

And what did it mean for our future?





41





Shadow set me on my feet eventually, and I was a little sad to see him return to his regular height. There was a commanding and captivating presence about him when he really let loose with his power.

Ixana appeared much happier when we were apart, as she sidled toward him, and I had to look away because I apparently wasn’t quite ready to handle that sight. Not when I was a tiny bit in love with my devilish beast.

My creatures perked up when we reached the start of an incline, the first real elevation in The Grey Lands so far. It appeared the Nexus was at the top of a small hill, but due to the color of the landscape, none of us knew that until we were basically right on top of it.

I wondered if there used to be mountains and valleys and other unique landscape here before the royals had sapped this land of its energy. What else had been lost due to the royal’s greed?

As we ascended toward the stone arches, the connection circling between my creatures and me increased. It was a fascinating view, looking back down the massive line of gangly, burly, occasionally scary creatures. There was no way this many of them would fit on the top of the hill, unless the size of the Nexus was also deceptive from where we stood, but they were going to get as close as possible.