Her Elemental Dragons: The Complete Series
Her Elemental Dragons: Shake the Earth: Chapter 31

I rushed through the cave after Kira, my heart pounding and my chest tight. I couldn’t lose her, not when I’d only just bonded with her. She was everything to me, even if it had taken me far too long to realize it, and I’d be damned if I was going to let the Dragons steal her away.

When I reached the cave’s entrance, scalding hot air burned my skin. Steam, I realized, as I stumbled back. Created by Sark and Doran together, no doubt as a way to slow me down. Through the foggy haze I saw the two Dragons flying high, up into the clouds, already a good distance away—taking Kira with them.

I let out a guttural roar as my body began to shift and change, growing larger and forming scales, forming wings and a tail. Power and strength filled me like nothing before, and I felt as though I could take on anything and survive. Like two other Dragons.

I forced my way back out into the burning steam, my scales offering some protection from the scalding heat, and when I reached the edge I stretched out my wings. I pictured Jasin and Auric flying and tried to copy what they’d done, but couldn’t lift off the ground. I drew in another boiling breath of hot, humid air, and tried again. Why wasn’t this working? Auric had been able to fly immediately, and Jasin had picked it up almost as fast. I didn’t understand what I was doing wrong. And with every second, Kira got farther away.

I tried everything I could think of to fly, moving my wings in all sorts of different ways, but the best I got was a foot or two up before my huge body dragged me back down. It was like my wings weren’t strong enough to carry me. Frustration made me growl and roar, my tail slamming into the earth and sending rocks flying, but it was useless. I’d never catch her at this rate.

The mountain began to cave in behind me, the ground under me quaking, and then a hole burst open in the side of it. The Jade Dragon flew out of it, soaring over me, and then headed up into the clouds. I tried once more to follow him, with no success. And behind me, the mountain continued to collapse—with Reven still inside it.

I’d left him behind, knowing it might mean his doom, and I hadn’t even been able to go after Kira. Indecision and frustration tore at me. I hated giving up on Kira, but I had no way of following after her. My wings were useless, and I knew this failure would haunt me forever, but there was still something I could do to save Kira’s last mate.

I let out one final, angry roar and turned back toward the mountain to save Reven.

Auric and Jasin arrived while I was using my last reserves of magic to uncover the rubble that had crushed Reven. By now I didn’t hold onto any hope that he was still alive, but I had to do something. Especially since Kira was gone, and my dragon form had failed me when I’d tried to go after her. Parin was dead too, his skin blackened and charred from Sark’s flames. I’d held no love for the man, especially after he’d taken the first woman I’d loved, but I’d respected him and his cause. None of that mattered now though. I’d failed him too.

“What happened to you?” Jasin asked, noticing my burnt skin, a gift from the steam Sark and Doran had left behind. Jasin didn’t look much better though—he clutched his arm and walked stiffly, as if he was injured. “And where’s Kira?”

Auric was only a step behind Jasin. “Is she all right? Did you complete the bonding?”

I sat back on my heels and wiped dirty sweat off my brow. “She’s gone. The Dragons took her.”

Jasin’s eyes practically bulged out of his head. “What do you mean, gone?”

I bowed my head, the shame and guilt overpowering me. “I couldn’t stop them.”

The others were silent as my words sank in. Jasin began to pace, tearing at his auburn hair like he was possessed, while Auric stared at the wall for so long it started to worry me.

“If they kidnapped her then they want her alive,” Auric finally said. “We still have time to rescue her.”

Jasin stopped pacing. “Right. We’ll be able to replace her through the bond. Although I don’t feel anything right now.”

I sat back on my heels. “They did something to Kira. Knocked her out with something. Maybe that’s why.”

“Maybe,” Auric said, and then glanced around. “Where’s Reven?”

I gestured to the rubble in front of me. “I’ve been trying to dig him out for the last few minutes.”

Auric stared at the huge pile of rocks in horror. “He’s under there?”

I nodded. Guilt tore me apart once again. “He saved my life, and then he told me to go, knowing it would likely mean his death. Why would he do that?”

“Because we’re brothers,” Jasin said, resting a hand on my shoulder. “Come on, we’ll help you dig him out. And then we’ll replace Kira.”

Auric offered me some water, which I gladly chugged, and then I returned to the task at hand. I used my magic to pull the rubble away, while Auric used air to help lift the smaller rocks. Jasin explained that he’d been injured during his battle with the Dragons and couldn’t do much in the way of lifting, but he created a fire in the middle of the room, preventing us from freezing as the night grew colder.

I rolled away a large boulder, and spotted a strand of black hair. “He’s here!”

The three of us worked together to carefully remove the rest of the rocks covering Reven’s body, worried if we moved them too fast it would cause another collapse in the tunnel and possibly hurt him more. It took us a long time, and we worked solemnly, knowing we would likely replace only a corpse.

When we dragged Reven’s body out, it was rock hard and bitterly cold. His clothes were torn and his side was charred, his skin burnt off where he’d been hit by the lava. He’d given his life to protect me and Kira. Gods, how was I going to break it to her that one of her mates was dead and it was all my fault?

But as I sat back, I noticed something odd. Reven’s body was encased in a layer of ice, which covered him like armor from head to toe, protecting him from the world around him. The others crouched beside us, staring at him.

Auric pressed his head to Reven’s frosty chest and listened. “He’s still alive. Barely.”

Jasin rubbed his hands together and reached for Reven. “Perfect. I’ll warm him up, while you see if you can get more air into his lungs.”

“No!” Auric said, shoving Jasin’s hands away. “The ice is the only thing keeping him alive. If we warm him up, he’ll die.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, frowning at the ice-covered body. Keeping him in such a state seemed unnatural, but what did I know?

Auric nodded. “He’s too badly injured. I’m shocked he’s still alive as it is, but he must have summoned the ice to protect himself as the cave collapsed. But now the only one who can heal him is Kira.”

I clenched my fists. “We have to rescue her.”

“Yes, you do,” a male voice said from the shadows. “But you can’t do it alone.”

We turned toward the sound, reaching for our weapons and our magic, and saw a man standing in front of us, though he stayed out of the light. Something about the way he stood was familiar, but I couldn’t see his face, only that he had longer hair.

“Stay back!” Jasin yelled, drawing his sword.

“Who are you?” Auric asked.

The man’s deep voice echoed through the cave. “I’m the Azure Dragon, and I’m here to help you rescue Kira.”

Anger leaped into my throat and the ground quaked under my feet in response. “You were the one who took her,” I growled. “Why would you help us?”

The man stepped forward and the light from the fire illuminated his face, revealing hazel eyes. Kira’s eyes. “Because I’m her father.”