Four days later, we waited in the forest outside of Oak Ambler, among the bowed trees. When the last of the sun reached us, and stars came to life in the night sky, I slipped the horse into the pouch and rose from where I’d been sitting on the raised, flat surface of a rock.

“You should’ve slept some,” Delano murmured as he came over to me.

“I did.”

Concern seeped from every one of his pores. I hadn’t lied. Not really. I had slept for an hour or so, and then I was awake and spent those hours like I spent all the hours when we took breaks to rest or eat.

I practiced fighting like a god.

Picking up the short sword, I sheathed it as I looked around with a slight frown. “Where are…?”

“The draken?” Delano’s eyes glimmered with amusement as he nodded to where the cluster of trees still stood straight and proud. “Reaver is over there, currently engaged in an epic stare down with Kieran.”

A faint grin tugged at my lips as I squinted. I could just make out the form of Kieran, lying low on his belly. Several feet from him, a relatively large-sized draken, idly picked at its front teeth with its claws. The draken wasn’t as big as Nektas, but he was the length of five Settis and about three times the width.

Reaver was the one who’d almost bitten Kieran.

I arched a brow. I hadn’t even seen Reaver in his mortal form. Nektas, who’d remained behind in Iliseeum, was the only one I’d seen for any length of time in their mortal form. I’d only learned Reaver’s name because another, a female draken called Aurelia who’d been in her mortal form briefly, had given me their names. She and another were the only two females who’d awakened. Apparently, female draken were rare.

“It’s time,” I called out, securing the hook on my cloak. “Remember the plan.”

A huffing sound came from Reaver as he rose, stretching his large, purplish-black body as he lifted his wings. That made me a wee bit concerned that he would not follow said plan. Kieran rose, and I half-expected him to flounce away from the draken, but he managed a rather sedate prance over to me.

I turned to where Vonetta and the remaining wolven waited with Naill and Emil. “Be safe.”

Steely determination rose from them as I turned and began walking toward the city with Delano at my side, in his mortal form. If things went the way I hoped, there would be no risk to most of the wolven. The crunch of dried leaves alerted me to the progress Kieran made and the rattle of branches above told me that Reaver had taken flight.

Traces of moonlight cut through the bent trees as I glanced down at my left palm. The marriage imprint glowed softly. Closing my hand, I lifted the hood on the cloak just enough that the crown was hidden. I slid my right hand inside my cloak as I saw a row of torches through the bowed limbs.