“Calexa.” Esania stepped forward rather awkwardly and gave the mercenary a hug. She wasn’t used to hugging people, but what the hell, she was learning how to be human. Funny how this sort of physical contact made her uneasy, and yet with Imril, it was all so natural. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Calexa’s eyes widened, but she didn’t say anything. Instead, the mercenary returned the hug, her bionically enhanced arms feeling equally stiff and awkward, the curved swords strapped to her back shifting slightly.

But it was the gesture that counted. Calexa had saved her ass more than once, and now she was placing a lot of trust in Esania by coming into a Drakhin’s domain.

“You finally found an outpost of civilization in this crazy place, S.” Calexa called her by her nickname, the one Esania had given at first, when they’d left the Fiveways and she was still trying to hide her identity. “That’s a damn fine looking fortress.” She glanced up at the stronghold’s smooth dark grey walls. “We sure could use nice thick walls like those to hide behind. The Vradhu are super competent in their natural environment, but they’ve been cut off from their tribe, and they’re not set up to look after a bunch of city-dwellers like us in the wild.”

“I know.” Ever since she’d sampled the comforts offered by Rau—warm bath, sheets, soft clothes—things she used to take for granted, she’d felt guilty at the thought of leaving her people out in the forest.

The Vradhu took good care of them, but the Vradhu couldn’t quite grasp that apart from the merc girls, who were as tough as nails, none of them were accustomed to living in the wild—Esania included.

The forest terrified her.

She wasn’t a nature person, and she would never be, no matter how hard she tried.

Calexa smiled. “Proud of you, S. You’ve turned water into wine.”

“Well, let’s see.” She’d managed to convince Imril to extend his protection to her people, but there was still the small matter of the marauding Naaga. “There’s a war on the horizon.”

“The Naaga, right? They’re making more and more incursions into Vradhu territory. The Vradhu don’t know why. I think something’s going down in Naaga land. I don’t really know much about Vradhu-Naaga-Drakhin politics other than that what Ares told me… that the Naaga went rogue at some point during their history. The last thing I want is for us to get drawn into someone else’s war. If Imril’s going to use his godlike powers to put this whole thing to bed, then I’m right behind him… just as long as he doesn’t turn into an absolute tyrant.”

“He won’t. Not while I’m around.” Esania remembered something. “Where’s Rachel?”

Calexa’s expression hardened, and Esania’s heart sank. “She disappeared into the forest while we were fighting off the Naaga. Ares followed the tracks. It looks like she was dragged off, but at some point, the tracks just disappeared. We think someone might have flown in and picked them up. Whether Drakhin or ship, I don’t know. Fuck. There’s nothing we can even do about it right now. It’s so frustrating. I wish the Medusa was up and running so we could go and search for her, but the left thruster is completely shot.” She shook her head. “Monroe’s tried—hasn’t slept in three days—but he hasn’t been able to fix it, and there isn’t much that Monroe can’t fix.” A worried look passed over her face, quickly concealed. “We had no choice but to leave the Medusa under mountains of camouflage. Supplies are almost all gone, anyway. The boys will go back there at some point and try to salvage the old girl, but I’m not so sure we’ll get her off the ground again. I hate to say this, but I’m at a loss over what we can do for Rachel…”

Esania knew what she was thinking.

If she’s still alive.

Neither of them dared to voice the thought.

“If Imril succeeds,” she said quietly, “we might have a chance of getting her back. I told him about Rachel. He’s the only one who can rescue her.”

Calexa let out a deep sigh. “One hell of an ally you’ve got there, S. I really hope your guy is the real deal. Let’s just pray to the nonexistent gods of this planet that he can get her back.” Calexa flicked her mahogany braid over her shoulder and flashed her a devil-may-care grin. “From what I’ve seen of him, I think it’s possible. Just gotta keep hoping. You really lucked out with Imril, S.”

Typical mercenary. Even in this fraught situation, Calexa managed to find her swagger. And with her deadly combat skills and highly modified physique, why shouldn’t she?

But her confidence did nothing to quell Esania’s growing unease. She knew Imril was strong, but she didn’t know what dangers lay in wait for him out there.

The uncertainty… that was the worst part about it all. When Imril returned, she was going to demand to pick his brains until she knew everything about this crazy place.

Several more Vradhu boats slid up onto the shore, the violet-skinned warriors accompanying the girls of Esania’s retinue.

Only they weren’t her retinue anymore.

They were free.

Her heart swelled as she caught sight of familiar faces. There was quiet Talia, and Sam, the funny one. Clever Aneesa and blunt, outspoken Mirielle.

As they stepped onto the shore, helped out of the boats by the Vradhu, they looked at Esania, then up at Imril’s stone-walled fortress with wide eyes.

The first four. Sixteen more to come. Esania saw several Vradhu in the distance, standing tall on their sleek canoes. They sliced across the water, making powerful strokes with a long paddle.

The humans sat in the middle, looking apprehensive. Curious eyes darted around, searching for any sign of danger.

Imril had elected to stay out of sight, predicting that he might antagonize the Vradhu and scare the humans. After their intense encounter, he’d quickly become scarce, leaving her in a mess of tangled sheets and rumpled clothes, suffused with the most heady afterglow.

She couldn’t forget the way he’d looked at her as he left.

“I’m going to go now,” he growled, his eyes giving off the most unearthly glow. There was a tension about him that hadn’t been there before. “You won’t see me for a while, but just know that once your people set foot on this island, they will be under my protection.”

“What are you going—”

“Esania. Rest.” He cut her off with a look.

The air around him crackled with power.

Somehow, she understood. Maybe it was her subconscious logic kicking in. Maybe it was the mysterious bond that had formed between them.

She understood that he was on the brink of losing it. If he stayed just a little longer… he would lose it, and he could kill her.

So she just nodded. Go.

And he disappeared in a blur of dark wings and shimmering skin and golden light.

Leaving her with a completely different perspective on the Universe.

“To be honest, once the Drakhin had you in his arms, I… I didn’t know what to do.” The sound of Calexa’s voice brought her out of her reverie. “I thought about shooting him, but he was moving too fast. It was too risky. Just couldn’t afford to accidentally hit you or make him drop you.” Calexa placed her hand on Esania’s shoulder. “I was praying for a miracle. I’m sorry.”

“For what?” With the memory of Imril’s touch still lingering on her skin, with the elgida snaking across her hand and up her wrist, throbbing slightly, painful but warm, she could only smile faintly. “We’re all here, aren’t we?”

“Yeah. I knew you were tough. Smart. That’s why I held out hope that you’d survive. When Maki told us that you came back to the forest with the Drakhin, and that you were totally fine, I knew you’d figured out a way to communicate with him.”

I’ve done more than just communicate. Feeling liberated, she kept that particular secret to herself. “What made you change your mind about him?”

“A few things Ares told me.” Strange, how she still spoke of Ares as if he were a single person. “It seems the Hythra unwittingly planted a few seeds of memory in his head. He’s totally adamant that even if they are what the legends say they are, Imril and Mael don’t pose a threat to us. My mate can be stubborn sometimes, and he’s pretty fixed on this one.”

“Even though he attacked Imril with his venomous barb?”

“Well…” Calexa offered an apologetic shrug. “That was before the memories surfaced. He’s convinced now that we need to create an alliance with the Drakhin twins.” Her eyes narrowed. “Where is the Lightbringer, by the way?”

“Lightbringer?” Esania blinked.

“Imril the Lightbringer. That’s what the Vradhu call him. They seem to think all sorts of superstitious things about him. That he’s immortal, some sort of demigod. Huh.”

“Imril is busy.” Esania wondered at the truth behind the Vradhu’s beliefs. At some point, she and Imril were going to have to sit down and have a big long chat… when he was back in control of his lust.

She couldn’t imagine the torture he was going through right now… denied the chance to seek his release. All Esania wanted to do was go to him and give him what he needed, but she would have to wait.

She had the feeling something massive was about to happen. Imril was quiet, dangerous, and with untold power coursing through his veins. He was preparing to take back his world, whatever that meant.

And Mael was about to return.

“I hate to break it to you, Calexa, but there’s two of them.”

“Oh yeah, he supposedly has a twin. Ares told me about Mael. They call him The One Who Brings Shadows. The Chaos.” Calexa made a face. “It all sounds very dramatic. I hope you’ve convinced Mael that we don’t want to fight him.”

Not quite.

But she had to trust Imril.

A shrill whistle split the air, coming from the other side of the lake. Calexa’s head snapped in the direction of the noise. “Gotta go. Mai and Zahra should be here any minute. Any trouble happens, they can sort you out.”

“Wait, where are you goi—”

But Calexa was already striding away, gesturing to a Vradhu called Kumo, who stood in an empty boat.

“Ares is dealing with a little… uh, problem right now. He needs my help,” she called over her shoulder, jumping into the boat. “Be back later.”

In the distance, Esania heard the faint rumble of thunder. Towering black clouds were starting to gather. A sudden gust of wind whipped at her braids, bringing a chill with it.

Mael’s coming.

Ares is going to take back his empire.

Calexa rode away in the direction of the storm, leaving Esania back where she’d started.

With her people.

Only now they were standing on the shore of a rocky island, a crumbling eyrie rising above her, its new lord watching them from one of the high parapets above.

And a storm was brewing.

A sense of dread filled her, until a pair of arms wrapped around her, squeezing her from behind. The faint smell of jasmine surrounded her.

“Hey, ma’am!” It was Alessia, her former aesthetics manager. Loud, generous, larger-than-life Alessia, with her thousand-watt smile. “Thank god you’re alive. I thought I never cry, but… god, we were all so worried about you!”

“Th-thanks.” Secretly, she felt a little awkward at being hugged, but she turned and returned it anyway, because she was truly glad to see Alessia again. She blinked away unexpected tears. “We have a fortress now, Alessia. That’s something, isn’t it?”

“Sure is, ma’am, sure is.” Alessia stared up at the imposing high towers of the eyrie. “My design colleagues in Milan would have a fit if they saw this place… in a good way, of course. So dark. So moody. I don’t know how you pulled this off, but I’m not complaining. As much as I adore those Vradhu boys, the jungle life just isn’t for me.”

Esania was about to say something reassuring, but the words died in her throat as a wall of shadow rose up around them, absolute darkness that blocked out their view of the lake.

A chill entered the air, and in some deep, primal part of her soul, she felt the urge to run and hide.

She pushed that very human instinct aside and stared up at the tall towers of the eyrie. The strangest feeling came over her, raising goosebumps on her arms, sending a ripple down her spine.

The elgida on her hand throbbed, and a torrent of emotion washed over her as her skin tingled with the memory of Imril’s touch.

He was watching.

A feeling of protectiveness radiated through their bond, and suddenly, she was no longer afraid.