Page 44 of Bound to Three Fae Beasts

Some instinct told me I couldn’t release this form while the crowds above could see. This was impossible, which meant it was wrong. If I let go of it, it would disappear in the wrong way, and they’d know I was an imposter. They’d know I was human, and then I’d be the one getting ripped apart.

The trees. I stumbled toward them. The trees were thick here. If I could hide myself in them…

A strangled shout came from the other side of the meadow just as I reached the grove. As I pushed myself among the trunks, Robert came tearing into the meadow. He raced for the spear half-stuck in the ground. My heart came to a stop and I braced myself, praying I could hold this form long enough to hold him off.

But when he snatched up the spear, he whirled around. I followed his gaze to find Jasper trotting out of the forest. He was unarmed, his tunic torn and bloody. A massive bruise rose up along one jaw, but he moved as though he was not in pain at all.

Jasper grinned at Robert, rolling his shoulders. “Oh, good. You’ve just made this fun.”

His form changed then. What emerged was a dragon with glittering golden scales. Four legs ended in massive clawed hands. A long snake-like tail whipped back and forth, and he lifted two huge wings behind him. Fully extended, they would touch either side of the meadow. Two horns twisted out from his head, behind which was a frill with a brightly colored pattern which looked like a jeweled crown.

He was beautiful and terrifying all at once.

Robert stumbled backward, his grip on his spear increasing. My gaze flicked to Penry’s unconscious form still in the meadow. Did I have the chance to rush out there and grab her?

Even as I started steeling my strength, Jasper went for Robert. His head shot forward on a long, sinewy neck, fangs sharp and needle-like as they flashed at Robert. Robert twisted to one side, thrusting the spear at Jasper, but his aim was off and he stabbed harmlessly into the air. A scream echoed in the clearing as Jasper caught him in his jaws and flung him upward.

The spear flipped through the air, landing next to Penry. Robert also flipped through the air. He kicked and screamed, but Jasper caught him again. His sharp teeth sliced through Robert’s body. As he shook his head, bits of Robert’s body flew every which way.

A snap echoed through me and the wolf I inhabited disappeared. I dropped to the ground, on my hands and knees, and wretched. My body felt strangely disconnected from my mind. Jasper tossed the remnants of Robert’s body onto the ground and he tore the corpse in half. Blood gleamed red against his golden scales.

With unsteady hands, I grabbed the last of my healing potions and drank them. The nausea made me wretch again, but I kept the potion down.

My arms shook, but movement caught my eye. Penry was starting to stir. She rolled over to her side and lifted her head. No! Jasper twisted toward her, then glanced over his shoulder. A large silver-gray wolf trotted from the forest, tongue lolling out of its mouth. Seb. I knew him instantly.

Would they fight? Would they try to take this opportunity to kill each other? They’d nearly mutually died during the duel, choking each other out. But they also acted almost like friends most of the time.

Seb cocked his head to one side as he sniffed the air. His tail swished low from one side to the other. His silver-gray fur glistened in the sunlight, matted here and there with blood.

I didn’t want to admit it, but the wolf I’d seen, the one that I’d snapped into—it looked exactly the same as Seb.

I didn’t have time to dwell on that. Penry pushed herself to a sitting position, groaning as she held her head. Both Jasper and Seb’s attention turned to her. Their gazes sharpened. I shoved myself to my feet, racing forward. I didn’t stand a chance against them, but I would not just sit there, watching Penry get ripped apart like Robert had.

My lungs burned and sharp pain kept shooting up my ribs. I stumbled to stand near Penry as Jasper and Seb both oriented themselves toward us. Penry gasped when she saw them. She stumbled to her feet, patting herself.

I snatched up the spear and planted myself between the two high fae and Penry.

“Run,” I told her as Jasper and Seb glanced at each other.

“Z—”

“Go!”

Penry started to stumble away, but from the sounds of her movement, I knew she couldn’t go far. Seb’s tail started to swish again, and Jasper shook his massive shoulders, sending droplets of blood flying all over. Both of their attention was solely on me, and I gritted my teeth.

My hands tightened on the spear as I braced myself, preparing for their attack.

Seb and Jasper both growled. They crouched, and I prepared myself to be torn to shreds. But just at that moment, a signal blasted through the air. Fireworks exploded above us. Jasper and Seb both backed off, looking upward.

Seb shook himself and took his human form. Jasper waited a moment longer before he took his human form, too. I didn’t loosen my grip on the spear, even as Penry let out a whimper of relief. A quick glance over my shoulder showed she’d sunk back to the ground, her arms around her head.

“You can put that away,” Seb said, flicking his hand toward my spear. “The trial is over.”

Over. It was over. Just in the nick of time. Two more minutes and…

My legs felt wobbly. I planted the spear into the ground and leaned against it, struggling to remain upright. The adrenaline, the fear, and the increased pain from my broken ribs made it difficult for me to keep standing.

Jasper gave me one swift look, his expression unreadable, before he turned and sauntered over to Seb as they headed back toward the trees. Seb kicked aside part of Robert’s body and nudged Jasper’s shoulder.