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No sooner did he finish speaking and they came into view. Eliza huffed out an annoyed breath, but then she paused.
“Why is Maliq with them?”
The giant black wolf was the spirit animal of Celeste, goddess of the moon. He had also been bonded to Talwyn. Eliza wasn’t sure if the wolf still was or not, but she had not expected to see him at Azrael’s side. The Earth Prince had his own spirit animal already bonded to him.
“He was sent by Scarlett,” Ashtine answered, her magic disappearing as they approached. Azrael went straight to her, brown eyes looking the princess over from head to toe.
“You appear a little better,” he said, folding his arms over his chest.
Ashtine smiled faintly. Maliq had moved to her, nudging her hand with his nose. She slid her fingers into his thick fur, scratching behind an ear. “I am feeling well,” she answered. Then her head tilted. “You have much to share.”
Azrael gave a sharp nod, but it was Razik who spoke next.
“You can get his report after I take my leave,” he said. “I don’t need to be here for it.”
“Then whyareyou here?” Eliza asked in irritation.
His gaze slid past her. Hardly a glance. “I need to refill my reserves.” He was already walking away from them.
“Right now?” she demanded.
He didn’t stop. Didn’t acknowledge her. Simply kept walking.
“He has been in a mood since we left. Not much different from his usual temperament, but a mood nonetheless,” Azrael supplied.
Great. Broody dragon attitude was not what Eliza wanted to deal with right now.
Flames flared, taking her sword to a pocket realm. “I will find you all after I take care of this,” she gritted out.
She had half a mind to make him wait. To not follow him and let him brood alone while she got a report from Azrael, but she knew Stellan could be back any moment. When the Alpha returned, she wanted to speak with him immediately and without interruption. It appeared her best option was to get Razik out of here as quickly as possible, even if it did feed into this mindset he seemed to have that she was at his beck and call.
Forcing herself not to stomp as she followed him, Eliza made her way into the palace. He had already disappeared inside, but she caught a glimpse of him rounding a corner. Heading to the guest suites then. Her room, she assumed.
Her irritation climbed higher with every step she took, and by the time she made it to her rooms—her door wide open—the leash on her temper was taut. Taking a deep breath to try to dispel some of the simmering fury, she stepped into her room. She hadn’t even turned back from closing the door when Razik was crowding her against it and reaching for her arm.
“What are you doing?” she snapped. She tried to yank her arm back, but he held firm, pulling a dagger from his side.
“I told you,” he growled, sounding as irritated as she felt. “I need to refill my magic reserves.”
“How did you drain them so quickly?” she asked, still trying to wrench her arm away from him.
“Does it matter?” he countered, tossing that question from a few nights ago back at her yet again. “Hold still so I don’t cut too deep.”
Eliza cursed him up and down, but she stilled. There was something off about him. Not his mood. He was usually pissy and surly, but now he was almost frantic, his sapphire eyes wild. Even though he was clearly in some kind of heightened agitated state, he was still as gentle and quick as possible when he sliced the dagger across the Source Mark on her forearm. He made quick work of his own palm, placing it over the Mark. His fingers dug into her skin. He gripped her so tight she almost winced as she felt her magic flow into him. His dragon fire called to it, and her flames went without hesitation.
He was rigid, his jaw tight, as he wordlessly drew from her. Without conscious thought, her other hand drifted up, landing on the side of his torso. Her fingers curled slightly into his tunic, and she realized his skin was cooler. Not cold by any means, but not the blazing inferno he usually was. She could usually feel heat emanating off of him through his clothing.
“Don’t,” he snarled, shifting slightly so her hand fell away from him. His fingers dug in more, his hold on her arm becoming bruising, and there was a vicious yank on her power. She couldn’t hide her wince this time, but he still wouldn’t look at her, so he didn’t see it.
But apparently he felt it.
His grip instantly loosened, and he tipped his head back, exhaling sharply through his nose as if trying to get control of himself.
“Tell me why your power is so low,” Eliza said quietly.
“It’s not low. It’s nonexistent,” he gritted out. “The Earth Prince Traveled me here.”
“What happened?”
