Destroyer (The Elemental Series #7)(52)

       
         
       
        

I closed my eyes. "Viv can find us through you. We need to break the bond between the two of you."

He snorted. "Well, that is just plain shitty. You sure about that?"

"That is why I kept you penned up and sedated as I did," Talan said.

Well, there was that question answered at least. I let out a breath. "Meghan, I will be the one helping you do this. Do you have any words of advice?" I needed to learn how to do this if I was going to save Ash. If I was going to bring him back from being a golden eagle.

"You feed me your power. No witch is strong enough to truly do this on her own, but with an elemental backing them, the theory is it will work." Her eyes were on mine. "The only question is, will you be strong enough?"

I gave her a smile, not taking offense at all. She did not know me. "I think I'll manage."

She glanced over her shoulder and then leaned into me. "A word of caution. What has been done for too long, cannot be undone without a cost. Remember that."

I gave her a nod, and brushed her words aside.

I wished later that I'd taken more care with her advice.

I moved up beside her and Shazer took a step toward us. "I'd like a minute alone with Lark before we do this."

That surprised me, but Meghan backed as did the others. He dropped his head so his nose rested against the skin of my collarbone, his lips moving across it as he spoke. "I do not know what will happen when you turn me back to my former self, Lark. I …  I am afraid that I was cast into this shape as punishment. I don't remember who I was and it took me many, many years to find the ability to speak." His lips tickled me, but I kept still.

"You will still be my friend, Shazer. Though I suppose you may recall your real name and I must learn to call you by it." I smiled. "This isn't goodbye. If you pissed off Viv then, you were her enemy, and I am her enemy so we'll be all good."

His dark eyes were still worried. "What if it kills me?"

I swallowed hard. "Talan would have said something, wouldn't he?"

Peta trotted forward. "I overheard him, and he has a point."

He dropped his nose to her. "I knew I liked you from time to time, pussy."

She batted a paw at his nose. "The shift after this long could kill him. We aren't talking about a few years, or even only ten or fifteen. We're talking about a few thousand. I heard what Meghan said."

"This isn't helping," I said. I swallowed hard, thinking. "Talan, tell me we can do this safely."

"It can be done safely," he answered, smooth as butter. 

Peta put a paw against Shazer's lower leg. "This needs to be Shazer's choice, not Talan's. Or even yours."

I nodded, reached out and touched Shazer just behind his ear. "It is your choice; she is right about that. Do you want to return to your previous shape if we can do that?"

He was quiet a long time. "I don't know. Alive and stuck like this, I am still alive at least." A flicker of fear flashed through his big dark eyes. I pressed my head to his.

"I understand." I would miss him, but if Talan was right, then Shazer would have to go. Much as I hated it.

I stepped back from him and turned around. "It's not happening."

Meghan lifted an eyebrow. "The wee pony is right to be scared."

Shazer stomped a foot behind me and I held an arm out to stop him from charging her. "Not without reason. He's held this shape for thousands of years; no one truly knows what will happen if it's taken from him. Or if he'd even survive it."

Talan stood a solid twenty feet from us and even at that distance I could see the irritation in his face, the flick of muscles along his jaw.

Talan stalked forward. "He is a liability that you cannot see because he is your friend!"

We were nose to nose, neither of us backing down. I refused to give up on Shazer.

Behind me, he butted his nose into my lower back.

"Lark. Let them try then."

"No, you said you didn't want to." I didn't look back at him.

"Let them try." The resignation in his voice cut through my heart.

Talan shook his head. "She will never forgive me, but I will hold you to those words, Shazer."

My eyes widened and the power of Spirit whirled around him.

I went to my knees, frozen in place. "Talan, don't you dare!"

Raven ran across the beach. I heard the first pulse of wings, but I knew it wasn't enough.

Seconds later, Shazer followed Talan to a place in front of me. Raven was on his knees, too, and Peta sat as if frozen.