Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 77293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77293 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
“Avery?” I gasped and then grabbed him and hugged him hard.
“Easy…Katydid,” he gasped. “Can’t…breathe.”
I pulled back and looked down at him, almost afraid to hope. But sure enough, he seemed to have come back to life, though he still looked extremely weak.
“It was the Curse Breaker—it was draining his life-force,” Ari said. “Once we pried it from his fingers, his life returned.”
I didn’t know if he was right or not and I didn’t care. I was just so happy that my friend and coven mate was all right. But I was afraid he wouldn’t be for long if we didn’t get him some help.
“We need to take him home—to the Healer at Nocturne right away,” I told Ari. “I’ll Shift and you put him on my back.”
“That’s probably for the best, since you are naked in front of a male who is not your Blood-bonded mate,” Ari remarked, frowning.
I looked down at myself.
“Don’t be ridiculous—Avery doesn’t care.”
“Katydid’s right—I don’t,” Avery said weakly. “But I would appreciate a ride back home.” He looked around. “Where’s Saint? Did I break the curse? I thought I did.”
“His father’s men took him,” Ari said grimly. “We couldn’t get him back—there were too many of them.”
“Besides, we were worried about you,” I told him.
“But Saint…” he said faintly and I saw that there were tears in his eyes.
“Don’t worry about him,” Ari said quickly. “I promise to go check on him once we have you safely back at the Academy.”
“You swear it?” Avery’s eyes were already closing again. I was worried but I felt his pulse and it seemed strong. He’d lost a lot of blood, though. I would have to fly as fast as I could.
“I swear it,” Ari promised. “Shift, Kaitlyn. We must be getting him home.”
I nodded and laid Avery’s head down gently. Then I took several large steps back and then a few more, just to be safe. Just because I was a girl didn’t mean my Drake was a small one. Once I Shifted into that form, I took up a lot of space.
As I let the scales flow over me and felt my wings burst from my back, I prayed that I would be able to get Avery back home in time.
I didn’t know what I would do if I was too late to save him.
37
AVERY
“There he is, he’s coming around,” I heard a familiar voice say. “Thank goodness you got him here in time, Kaitlyn.”
“Just in time,” another voice said. “It was touch and go for a while, to hear the Healer tell it. She had to work several blood transfusion charms on him.”
“But he seems okay now—don’t you think?” a third voice asked anxiously.
I opened my eyes and saw three familiar faces hanging over me like a trio of pretty moons. Megan, Kaitlyn, and Emma were all looking down at me with anxious expressions.
“Girls,” I said groggily. “What are you all doing here?”
“We’re here to make sure you didn’t kill yourself doing Blood Magic,” Megan said tartly, but I could see how worried she was. “Goodness, Avery—don’t you know you’re only supposed to shed a drop or two? Not drain yourself dry!”
“We’ve been scared to death for you!” Emma added. “You’re lucky Kaitlyn and Ari followed you to the Sky Lands and pried that awful Curse Breaker out of your hand or you really might have died.”
“Well, I knew that was a possibility,” I admitted.
“What?” all three of them exclaimed at the same time.
I winced. It’s all very well to have a like-minded coven until it’s turned on you.
“Take it easy, you three! Yes, I knew—there was a warning in the family Grimoire about it. The Curse Breaker was listed under the Forbidden Magic section of the book. But I also knew that this was the only way to free Saint’s Drake of his curse—which I’m reasonably sure I did.” I looked around hopefully. “Er, is he here?”
“I’m afraid not.” Kaitlyn looked troubled. “His father’s men came and took him away, like we told you.” She shook her head. “I don’t understand why he didn’t Shift into his Drake form and fight them. Maybe he was too upset—I’m pretty sure he thought you were…” She hesitated but I knew what she meant.
“Goddess, he thought I was dead, didn’t he?” I demanded. “I have to go to him—I have to let him know I’m alive!”
I tried to get up but all three of them pushed me back down on the healing bed I was laying on. Honestly, they didn’t have to push very hard—I was still weak as a kitten.
“Not so fast!” Megan said bossily. “You might be alive but you nearly died not that long ago. You’re not going anywhere for the foreseeable future, Mister.”
“But I have to let him know I’m alive and I still love him!” I pleaded with them. “Where is he?”