can withstand this amount of power without it warping your mind and soul. That is why you are Nestor’s exception. That is why you are the Solus.”
Kiora smiled. “Thank you,” she whispered, feeling hopeful for the first time in a long time.
Emane leaned back. “You’re welcome. Although I still don’t like the idea of you going off alone again.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “I know.”
He stood to go. Kiora locked her magic up and reached for his hand, gently wrapping her fingers around his. He looked down at her touch with a bit of wonder.
“Thank you for still being here for me,” she said.
He squeezed her hand. “Until the end.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Recruiting Shifters
KIORA WAS WAITING FOR Drustan to finish up his third helping of breakfast. He returned from the kitchens looking satisfied. “Ready?” he asked.
“Did Alcander give you directions?” she asked as they walked.
“More or less. He got me to the right river. I’m not sure how far downstream we are headed.”
As they approached Emane and Alcander at the end of the tunnel, Emane handed his sword to Alcander. “Try to take it easy with the weapons. I won’t be here to heal anyone.”
“I understand.”
“Don’t break my sword. Or ding it. Or—”
“I’ve got it, Emane,” Alcander said, interrupting his lecture. “What if you need it?”
Emane shrugged. “We only have two swords. It has to stay.”
“We will be fine,” Kiora said. “If the sword vanishes out of your hand during training, you’ll know we needed it.”
Emane immediately looked more comfortable.
“Make sure someone is at the door to let the rebels and the Guardians in,” Kiora reminded Alcander.
“Yes, I know,” Alcander said dryly.
Kiora used her magic to pull back the stone door. “Anything else I need to know about the camp where Lomay hid the Shifters? Any magical traps I should be aware of?”
“I don’t think so,” Alcander said. “Given the circumstances, I doubt he would have had the time to put any up.”
“Let’s be honest, Alcander,” Drustan said. “He wouldn’t have bothered with any.”
Alcander shrugged. “Probably correct.”
“Before I go and appeal to my people to join us, I need your word on something,” Drustan said, looking at Alcander. “I need you to promise that you will treat them as equals. Once they pass through this magic,” he pointed to the protection sheeting down, “they are one of us. Not Shifters, not the enemy, and certainly not below you. It will be difficult for all of you to let go of the past, but it must be done or everything will fall apart.”
Alcander evaluated him before giving him a curt nod. “You have my word.”
“As the king of Tavea?”
One corner of Alcander’s mouth turned up. “As the king of Tavea.”
“Excellent. Let’s be on our way then, shall we?” Drustan grabbed Emane’s arm and dragged him out the door, throwing a bubble for the pair of them.
Alcander shook his head with a smile. “He’s not so bad at times.”
“I wasn’t sure you would like his ultimatum.”
“I wasn’t referring to that.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “I like it that he made sure I could say good-bye to you . . . alone.”
Kiora turned red. “Oh.”
Leaning down, he kissed her, allowing his magic to pour through her. She gasped and felt his lips curl into a smile against hers.
Pulling back, he ran his finger down her cheek. “Be safe.”
“Always.” She turned to go.
Alcander held on to her hand and gently pulled her back, clutching her tightly to his chest. “Emane told me what you talked about last night—about you holding back.”
Kiora jerked in surprise. “He did?”
“He did, and I have a question for you.” He looked down at her, his eyes glinting mischievously. “Do you hold back when we are together?”
Kiora went from red to beet red. Her cheeks flamed and her stomach twisted. “I . . . well . . .”
Alcander
Kiora smiled. “Thank you,” she whispered, feeling hopeful for the first time in a long time.
Emane leaned back. “You’re welcome. Although I still don’t like the idea of you going off alone again.”
She laughed, shaking her head. “I know.”
He stood to go. Kiora locked her magic up and reached for his hand, gently wrapping her fingers around his. He looked down at her touch with a bit of wonder.
“Thank you for still being here for me,” she said.
He squeezed her hand. “Until the end.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Recruiting Shifters
KIORA WAS WAITING FOR Drustan to finish up his third helping of breakfast. He returned from the kitchens looking satisfied. “Ready?” he asked.
“Did Alcander give you directions?” she asked as they walked.
“More or less. He got me to the right river. I’m not sure how far downstream we are headed.”
As they approached Emane and Alcander at the end of the tunnel, Emane handed his sword to Alcander. “Try to take it easy with the weapons. I won’t be here to heal anyone.”
“I understand.”
“Don’t break my sword. Or ding it. Or—”
“I’ve got it, Emane,” Alcander said, interrupting his lecture. “What if you need it?”
Emane shrugged. “We only have two swords. It has to stay.”
“We will be fine,” Kiora said. “If the sword vanishes out of your hand during training, you’ll know we needed it.”
Emane immediately looked more comfortable.
“Make sure someone is at the door to let the rebels and the Guardians in,” Kiora reminded Alcander.
“Yes, I know,” Alcander said dryly.
Kiora used her magic to pull back the stone door. “Anything else I need to know about the camp where Lomay hid the Shifters? Any magical traps I should be aware of?”
“I don’t think so,” Alcander said. “Given the circumstances, I doubt he would have had the time to put any up.”
“Let’s be honest, Alcander,” Drustan said. “He wouldn’t have bothered with any.”
Alcander shrugged. “Probably correct.”
“Before I go and appeal to my people to join us, I need your word on something,” Drustan said, looking at Alcander. “I need you to promise that you will treat them as equals. Once they pass through this magic,” he pointed to the protection sheeting down, “they are one of us. Not Shifters, not the enemy, and certainly not below you. It will be difficult for all of you to let go of the past, but it must be done or everything will fall apart.”
Alcander evaluated him before giving him a curt nod. “You have my word.”
“As the king of Tavea?”
One corner of Alcander’s mouth turned up. “As the king of Tavea.”
“Excellent. Let’s be on our way then, shall we?” Drustan grabbed Emane’s arm and dragged him out the door, throwing a bubble for the pair of them.
Alcander shook his head with a smile. “He’s not so bad at times.”
“I wasn’t sure you would like his ultimatum.”
“I wasn’t referring to that.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him. “I like it that he made sure I could say good-bye to you . . . alone.”
Kiora turned red. “Oh.”
Leaning down, he kissed her, allowing his magic to pour through her. She gasped and felt his lips curl into a smile against hers.
Pulling back, he ran his finger down her cheek. “Be safe.”
“Always.” She turned to go.
Alcander held on to her hand and gently pulled her back, clutching her tightly to his chest. “Emane told me what you talked about last night—about you holding back.”
Kiora jerked in surprise. “He did?”
“He did, and I have a question for you.” He looked down at her, his eyes glinting mischievously. “Do you hold back when we are together?”
Kiora went from red to beet red. Her cheeks flamed and her stomach twisted. “I . . . well . . .”
Alcander
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