It was a familiar’s job to protect the fae who had conjured it. And Clove clearly sensed Aflora’s unease, just as Zimney had likely sensed mine. Or perhaps he’d followed Clove. The two were bonded in a unique manner since it’d technically been my magic that Aflora had tapped into to create her familiar. It meant Clove responded to me, too. Which she would have anyway as Aflora’s mate.
I eyed the two creatures and frowned. “They sense something.” I couldn’t quite hear it, but I felt the knowledge of it traversing through my connection to Zimney. “They’re here for the first trial.”
A bat entered next, settling on Shade’s shoulder.
Followed by the hiss of a three-headed snake that magically manifested around Zephyrus’s neck. Three sets of creepy eyes went to my wolf, the slithering creature clearly agitated by my much larger familiar. Zephyrus muttered something to the reptile, ending with the name Raph.
I glanced at Kolstov, curious to see what animal would appear for him. But none did.
Because Kolstov had died.
Which meant his familiar had perished as well.
Shit.
“That’s the test,” I realized out loud, my heart skipping a beat. “Something with your familiar.” Would Aflora have to bring the being back from the dead? Conjure a new one? Work through a puzzle involving his fallen familiar? There were so many options. Too many options.
I ran my fingers through my hair, the ash-blond strands falling into my face for just a moment and hiding my reaction from the males around me. A reaction underlined in momentary uncertainty.
Had we all bonded enough for Aflora to successfully pass this test?
Because I didn’t trust any of them. Not really. Only my little star.
However, what if the test wasn’t just for her, but all her mates as well?
Would I be forced to rely on the others? To put my faith in those who had mated Aflora? Saving Kolstov from death had been trial enough. Except that I hadn’t even hesitated in helping him. Once I saw what it would do to Aflora to lose him, I knew he had to live. Would this be all that different? How much was I prepared to sacrifice to ensure Aflora’s survival?
I wasn’t given a moment to consider the answer to that because in the next breath, Aflora started to shake.
I pressed my palm to her breastbone in an attempt to hold her down, only to have my skin burned by the power radiating off her.
Zephyrus cursed.
Shade winced.
And Kolstov collapsed beside her on a violent shudder.
Clove released an agonized caw, making Zimney growl. Then magic spilled in through the room, fracturing the paradigm around us. Shade jumped to his feet, spells spewing from his lips as he tried to hold the enchantment in place. I immediately bolstered the edges, giving him the leverage he needed to repair the breaks, and Zephyrus underlined it all with his Warrior Magic.
A natural team effort.
One being threatened with every passing second.
The trial had begun. Aflora’s first task was to wake up.
And the only one who could help guide her through the test was the fallen royal beside her.
If they failed… she’d die.
Another thunderous hit against the paradigm sent a shiver through my being. “Constantine knows where we are.” Because he’d used all of this as a distraction to locate us, knowing we’d be weakened while Aflora attempted to pass her first trial.
Clever bastard, I seethed, sending up a massive wave of power to rewrite all the spells surrounding the exterior of the makeshift dome. It wasn’t visible, just an alternate use of space that Constantine had clearly located by using Aflora as a beacon of sorts.
Thatwas what I’d felt last night; why I hadn’t been able to rest.
He’d been close by, his power a fiery blade against my senses that had alerted me to his nefarious whims without providing the finite details.
And then he’d distracted me by forcing Aflora’s ascension.