Page 145 of Queen's Crusade

Plus, my arms were still fucking sore. Even though I’d healed the bites Vore and Mehen gave me, the skin was tender and pulled over the missing chunks of the underlying muscle.

:Dragon bites leave a nasty scar,: Sekh said.

:So do sphinxes, motherfucker,: Mehen retorted.

Though I did feel the ever so slight twinge of guilt in his bond. :I guess I’m going to have to feed a lot to make sure it heals up properly.:

:Bet,: all of my Blood swore in our bonds.

All fourteen of them. I think. Though I’d have to count them again when I wasn’t so tired.

Rik grumbled. “Very funny.” But then he jerked to a halt, jostling me.

I lifted my head, blinking sleepily. “What’s wrong?”

“Look up.”

I turned my head and looked up into the branches of my heart tree. Branches laden with roses, always fragrant and blooming, dropping petals into the hot spring beneath. Covered in thorns and spikes. Full of my blood.

I died to grow this tree.

So it shouldn’t surprise me to see a white-headed blue bird staring back at me with long red tail feathers.

Tears flooded my eyes.

Thierry.

“You were supposed to fly to Esetta,” I whispered, lifting my hand.

He dropped off the branch and landed on my palm.

Chirp, chirp, coo.

Love.

No matter the fucking cost.

* * *