Page 104 of Shadow Wings

The blue tendrils still held us together, and I understood then they also served as channels. He’d shown me how to pull my energy away from him when we were flying to Zivost, how to lock it deep within my core and block him with mental barricades. I imagined the fortifications I’d constructed, the tall and thick walls of stone meant to keep us separate—and I dropped them, crumbling them to dust to forever disappear in the darkness. I instantly felt the change. Nothing remained between Tyrrik andme.

Princess.

His pain tore at me, and I wanted to tear the world apart for his suffering.I’mcoming.

I couldnotdo otherwise; it would be against everything I was, betraying my very existence, to not aid him. But, more than that, I did notwantto dootherwise.

Tyrrik wasmine. Mine alone. He was mineforever.

With a roar, I pushed my energy through the blue channels, willing them to thicken, to expand, to burn brighter as I fed him with the strength of my Drae. My Phaetyn powers had prepared me in part for this, but I didn’t merely wish to increase his energy or heal him. I thought of the risks Tyrrik had taken as Ty and Tyr to make sure I was fed, his generosity and patience. I imagined his hands scooping nectar over my body in the cave after turning Drae, and I gathered the power of those moments inside the center of my body where the most vibrant blue resided just underneath my ribs. I pulled and scraped armfuls of that force and heaved it out through the now thick bonds, and I did it over and overagain.

I shoved my very essence into my mate, panting as the lapis-blue glowed between us.Stronger, thicker, more, more, more.I saw the flicker of blue deep within him surge andbrighten.

I feel you. Tyrrik’s awe pulsed throughme.

Mistress butt-Moons!He wasn’t allowed to feel awe.Fight! You need to win!I shouted at him through our bond.Fight and survive. Fight for me, Tyrrik. Please. I . . . I needyou.

My vision tunneled until all I could see was our bond. I staggered to the side and collapsed to the ground, but even then, I didn’t stop. I wouldn’t stop. Not until I knew he was safe. I shoved everything I could into those tendrils, triumph swelling in my breast as thin gray strands darkened and widened. Our colors danced and intertwined, and my heartsoared.

Even in the darkness of my mind, I could hear his roar. I could feel him moving through our bond, the coil of his muscles as he tore through the ropes, the searing heat as he hurled white-hot liquid death on our enemies. I felt his power ricochet back to me, and still I pushed. I could see everything he did now though my eyes were closed. I watched with pride as TyrrikdemolishedtheDruman.

And still, I didn’t stop sharing my power tohim.

I couldn’tstop.

I wouldn’tstop.

I wouldneverstop.

37

“Ryn.”

I knew that voice; it made warm embers spark in my chest, washing away all residual doubt. I moaned and rolled onto my back so my face met thesky.

A hand touched my shoulder.Hishand.

I opened my eyes and looked up into Tyrrik’sface.

I’d shifted back to my human form, and so hadTyrrik.

“You can stop now,” he saidhoarsely.

I blinked. Now that I’d started shoving energy into him, I found it difficult to reign in the flow. “Do I haveto?”

Tyrrik chuckled and gathered me in his arms, pulling me close. “MyKhosana.”

With arms like lead, I reached up around his neck and hugged him close so our hearts beat against eachother.

“You’re okay,” I said, my voice trembling. My entire body quaked withexhaustion.

He nodded, burying his face in my hair. “The Druman are dead.” He kissed me and whispered, “You’ll get your energy back faster if you stop feeding it all tome.”

All of them?I asked, not willing to pull back until Iknew.

“All of them,” he promised, inhalingdeeply.

I relaxed, letting the focus I’d held on our bonds go so I was no longer shoving my power at him. Vitality recoiled and pulsed through me. I inhaled, and my chest expanded so easily it almost hurt. I lifted my head from his shoulder and gasped. “Tyrrik!”