Rootbound

Apparently it was true: I wasn’t the only one blocked from using their elemental powers. At least Talan was fair in his own twisted way.

Raven’s body trembled under me, and for the first time I saw fear in his eyes. Without his powers behind him, he was no safer than any other low-level elemental.

He shifted back to his elemental form, clothes intact, but I clung to him, my teeth bared. Still on his back, my claws were buried in his pale belly, blood bubbling up around the punctures from the three-inch-long daggers attached to me.

“The stone,” Peta bit out. “Or she’ll gut you right now.”

A part of me wondered how far he’d push things, the other part wondered that Samara didn’t help him. Then again, the Sylphs had stood by and let Cassava and me wreak havoc on their home without interference. He lifted one hand and slid it into his pants.

Just as slowly, he pulled his hand out and from it dangled the necklace. I leaned forward and grabbed it with my teeth. But I didn’t take my claws from Raven.

His eyes widened. “You made a deal.”

I tightened my claws on him, my thoughts raging. He’d been the cause of so much death, so much destruction. He was the reason I’d broken Keeda’s mind, the reason I’d had to kill Vetch. He’d forced my hand to kill our father.

I glanced at Peta and nodded, the bond between us tighter than ever. She spoke for me. “You are hereby sentenced to death, Raven, as is Larkspur’s right as an Ender and protector of the Rim.”

I braced myself. He closed his eyes. “I know, Lark. I know.”

Electricity blasted through me, sent me flying off Raven in a burst of light and pain.

I tumbled through the air and slammed into the ground next to where Shazer lay. Stunned, I lay unable to move as I processed what had happened.

“Samara, she stopped you,” Shazer said. I glanced at him, saw the agony in his eyes. I could heal him.

“Get your shit done, fix my legs later.” He grunted and closed his eyes. “Damn this body; you keep having to heal me and my fragile bits.”

Raven stood, though he was far from steady and the blood ran freely from several wounds. He wobbled. “You surprise me, sister. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

I thought about standing on two feet and the shift slid through me as if I’d been doing it all my life. A feeling of desperation rolled through me as I reached once more for my connection to Spirit and Earth. They sang through me, hot and wild. A sigh of relief slipped from me.

Raven smiled at me, but it was weak. “Before this goes any further, I think you should meet someone.”

He took a few limping steps toward Samara. She backed up, holding a hand out to him. “Stay where you are. I saved you only for the sake of our child.” Wind powered between them, blowing his hair back and out of its perfect slicked coif.

“Samara, please.” Lines of power coursed up his arms, a vibrant pink that gave him away. “You love me.”

Her eyes softened and she relaxed once more. “I do love you. You’re the father of my baby.”

My gag reflex lurched at the sickeningly sweet words.

“Raven, your mommy dearest, Cassava to be clear, can’t be too happy you’ve left her for someone younger.” I took a step, beckoning Peta to come to me. I didn’t want her any closer to him than she had to be.

Raven shrugged, but his eyes were far from worried. In fact, they looked downright happy with the way they sparkled. Happy.

This did not bode well.

“You have the stone, but I have something to show you. Something I have on loan from my mother.” He held one fist up over his head and let out a long, high-pitched whistle. There were no lines of power on his arms, no indication that he did anything but whistle. And yet, something in his stance, the look in his eyes told me I wasn’t going to like what he had to show me.

The whoosh of wings drew my eyes upward. A bird rushed downward, a huge big bird. What the hell was Raven’s game now?

The bird, an eagle I could easily see now that it was close, landing on Raven’s arm.

“Do you like him? I must say Mother was rather clever when she captured him.”

I glanced at Peta, who shrugged.

Shazer gave a low groan. “Lark, don’t give him the stone.”

“I’m not.” I clutched the smoky diamond tighter as if it would otherwise slip from my fingers.

Raven grinned, the blood on his face and belly still dripping, but he acted like it meant nothing. “No, I think you’ll give me the stone. I think you’ll give me all the stones you have.”

None of this made sense. None of it.

I took a step. “You are sentenced to death, Raven. This ends.”

“You aren’t strong enough to kill me. You had your chance.” His free hand touched his belly gingerly. “And you let it slip by.”

He patted the eagle on top of his head, rather roughly. More like hitting than patting. “A nice, golden eagle. Lovely. Much better than he was before, wouldn’t you agree?”

Golden eagle.

When it is done, I will help you find your golden eagle.

The mother goddess’s words went off like a bomb inside my head. Not possible, this was not possible.

“No.”

“You can say no all you want.” Raven continued to smack the eagle I refused to think of as Ash. “But the truth is the truth.”

The eagle turned honey gold eyes to me. I would know those eyes and the feel of them on mine if I were blind.