Rise of the Phoenix (Return To Avalore #2) (13 page)

“You’re doing great. I know I’m not Herla, but I’ll help in whatever way I can.” They had all expected the pack healer to deliver the cub, but there was no point in dwelling on that now. “First, we have to get you to the cave and out of the cold.”

Brienne helped Miga stand and brought her to the cavern’s entrance. “It’s going to be a tight fit getting in, but it’ll widen once we’re inside.”

Miga followed, moaning again as she squeezed her large body through the opening. By the time they reached the cave, Miga leaned heavily on Brienne and a deep rumble resonated almost non-stop from her throat.

“If Kendra were here, she’d know what to do.” She would give anything to have her there with them. “You’ll have to guide me. I don’t know how your people deliver cubs. Do you want to lie down?” Brienne tossed her gridom stone down, allowing her energy to flow. She took only a quick moment to light a few torches, casting the room in a dim glow. As much as she loved the brightness, Miga would be uncomfortable with it.

“Yes. Lying down.” The panting quickened.

Grabbing the bedroll they had left behind, Brienne unrolled it for Miga.

“All right then, let’s welcome this little one into the world.”

Tears rolled unrestrained down Brienne’s cheeks. She had never seen anything more beautiful in all her life. The cub, if she could call him that, was perfect in every way. Light tan-colored fur shimmered in the pale light. It was so thin she could see the pink baby skin beneath. Sharp little claws tipped ten little fingers and ten little toes, but they were clear, like those of a newborn child, rather than an Erritrol. But what struck her most was the chocolate brown eyes, huge and round as they stared back up at her.

“He’s perfect, Miga.” She hugged her friend once more. “You were amazing. May I hold him?” When Miga smiled and held her new babe out to her, Brienne took him and snuggled him close. His warm, sweet scent clung to him, and she couldn’t help taking a good long whiff. Babies, regardless of species, always smelled so nice. This was what she was fighting for, why her mission was so important. The Erritrols were capable of such love, yet it was secreted away. Yes, they were volatile and easy to anger, but they were loyal to a fault and protective of their own. How could those exist without sentiment backing them? No, it was there. She just had to figure out how to uncover them so the beasts could recognize them again.

Humming a song she could hardly remember, Brienne rocked back and forth, smiling as the infant yawned and closed his eyes. It was all too easy to imagine herself rocking another baby, one with clear blue eyes and a mischievous grin.

“Have you spoken to your mate?” Miga broke into her thoughts, her voice tight.

Brienne heard the unasked question. “Give me a moment. I’ll see what’s keeping them.”

“Evan, are you on your way yet?”
She could only hope the battle was over and that she wouldn’t distract him, putting him in danger. The longer the moment stretched without his response, the faster her heart galloped.

“Soon. You are both safe?”
Distracted, Evan’s words barely registered in her mind before he pulled away again.

“What’s wrong? Are you injured?”
Her heart pounded. She never should have left him behind.

Miga’s eyes trained onto hers, worry furrowing her brow.

“I’m in one piece. The battle is over, but many of the pack have suffered injury.”

Closing her eyes, she sent a silent prayer to the Goddess for her to be wrong.
“Argram?”

“His injuries are severe. I’m doing what I can.”

The weariness in his words tore at her. He had already been exhausted when the battle began, they all had been, yet there he was expending his energy healing a creature he thought vile—for her.
“Thank you.”
He would never know just how much she appreciated his selflessness.
“Please tell him he has a strong and healthy son waiting for him.”

There was a long pause, and she could only assume he was relaying the message.

“Tell Miga not to fret. He says he will be with them soon.”

Smiling, she squeezed Miga’s hand. There was no way Argram would make such a promise if he couldn’t keep it.

“They’ll be joining us soon. Rest while you can.”

Miga glanced toward the cavern entrance. “I shouldn’t sleep. Not until Argram arrives.”

“We’re safe here. I’ll keep guard at the entrance.”

Miga lay on her side with her head propped on the bedroll. Her eyelids drooped and she stifled a yawn.

Brienne waited for Miga to settle before returning her son to her. “Here, snuggle him close to your body for warmth. I’ll keep watch at the cavern door until Evan and Argram arrive.” She knew the cave to be safe, but if Miga needed the reassurance, she’d provide it. The poor woman was beat.

Brienne breathed in Evan’s lingering scent. It wasn’t strong, but her dragon’s nose picked it up on everything he had brought to the cave. It took all of her will to keep from getting a shirt he had left behind just to have more of his intoxicating aroma around her. Two weeks ago, she would never have imagined sitting around awaiting her mate’s return. So long had she been without hope, even thinking she could have a future with her mate had her heart racing and a small grin she couldn’t contain breaking free.

Brienne didn’t know how long she’d been waiting when the tiny hairs at the back of her neck stood on end, taking her out of her reverie. There was no way the enemy had made their way up the mountain so fast. Pushing away from where she leaned against the tunnel wall, she squared herself to block the cave entrance. Nothing and no one would make it past to harm either occupant.

A deep, menacing growl rumbled from around the bend. Inside, the dragon spit and dug her claws, ready to leap to her master’s defense. A vaguely familiar scent curled around her. This was no dark creature. It was an Avalorian, one she had met a couple of times before. Using the scarcely used telepathic link formed months ago, she reached out to the approaching man.
“Announce yourself and stand down, or face the consequence.”

The abrupt stop of the rumbling noise proved her right. What in Goddess’s name was Drake Sperwell doing in the caves?

“Would you really attack a poor defenseless man, Brienne?”
His words slid into her mind with ease. Very few Avalorians were capable of mind-to-mind speak with her anymore. Not since her family had died, but she had connected with him when he’d brought their queen through the Dark Lands.

“Defenseless.”
She sent the equivalent to a snort back at him.
“Now, release your energy or leave.”

“The scent of the Erritrol is thick in these caves. It is not safe.”
Drake was close, his very presence vibrated in the air.

“The only Erritrols in these caves are with me, and pose no threat.”
She wasn’t about to let her guard down until he did.

“This is hardly reassuring. Why don’t you come away from there and let me speak with them?”
He had stopped just beyond the bend, she could only guess, to assess the situation.

“Drop your energy and come forward. I don’t enjoy speaking to walls made of stone, though I suspect I was doing just that.”

“Ouch. You’ll have to forgive me. It’s my job to keep the people of Avalore safe, even those who have gone from our lands.” He came forward, his hands laid out before him. He had allowed the energy to dissipate, but still it hung around him, ready to be drawn and used if needed. His gaze drifted over her into the cave. “Who’s in the cave, Brienne?”

His relaxed posture didn’t fool her for a second. She had seen him in battle. He could move with lightning speed and deadly intent. “A friend of mine. She just delivered her cub and needs rest. You can ask Evan if—”

“You’ve spoken to Evan? Where is he?” Drake’s full attention swung to her.

“Yes, I have. He’s been here in the Dark Lands for at least a week.”

His brows furrowed. “We’ve tried reaching him day and night, yet he won’t answer our call. Where is he now?”

“He’s on his way to us. He is wearing a gridom stone, so unless you are close, the communication will be lost. I spoke to him a short while ago.”

His eyes darted from her to the cave and back again before he shook his head. “I encounter nothing but dead silence, like he’s ceased to exist.”

Blood rushed from her head, making it spin.
“Evan, are you well?”
Her breath caught in her throat, making it burn. He was fine when she had spoken to him, but something could have gone wrong.

“I am. Is everything all right?”

Her breath hissed out and her knees all but gave out as her muscles loosened again. She hadn’t realized how tense she’d become in those short moments.
“Thank goodness. Drake’s here. When he said he couldn’t reach you, I… I didn’t…”

His deep chuckle slid into her mind, further easing her frazzled nerves.
“I’m coming back now, in one piece I might add. We’re at the base of the mountain. I’m taking the stone off to carry your massive friend here. Tell him to try again.”

“Evan says to try again. He’s taking the stone off to bring Argram up.”

“Who’s Argram?” Drake’s nostrils flared as he scented the approaching beast.

“He’s my pack’s Alpha, and the father of the cub inside the cave. You saw him when I helped you heal Queen Rhiannon. He didn’t harm anyone then, and he won’t now. You are not to engage him.” Stepping forward, she tilted her chin up to maintain eye contact as she poked him in the chest with her finger.

His eyebrows rose and something sounding a lot like a snicker came from his throat. “Evan’s going to have his hands full with you, isn’t he?”

“Never mind what he’ll have his hands full of. If you harm my pack in any way, you will deal with me. Understood?” She poked him again for good measure.

“You’d better be careful. She’s lethal when she’s angry.” Evan stepped around the bend, smiling at his friend before his gaze came to meet hers.
“See? No harm.”
He held his arms open at his sides, inviting her inspection
.

As much as she hated to admit it, relief flooded her at seeing him in one piece, but she would keep that little bit of information to herself. His ego was big enough ego as it was. “Where’s Argram?”

“On his way. He doesn’t fit well through the smaller passages.” He didn’t break her stare, even when Drake cleared his throat, twice.

“Fine. Tell dragon boy to calm down before someone gets hurt.” If anyone could keep the situation from escalating, it was Evan.

Rather than be insulted, Drake’s laughter roared out, filling the tunnels and waking the sleeping babe inside. Soon, his soft cry turned into a loud wail.

“See what you’ve done?” Without thinking, she smacked Drake’s arm, which only made him howl harder. It wasn’t until the pounding echo of footsteps bounced off the stone walls that the two men became silent.

“Argram, cease. There is no threat.” Brienne’s voice carried loud. One minute she stood between the tunnel and the two men, the next, she faced a solid wall of back and muscle, trapped.

Neither her growl, nor the shove she gave budged either of them, but it made her feel better. “He’s not going to harm me, you big oafs.”

Arms at their sides, both men waited for the beast to appear. Argram’s loud, angry snarls made the infant cry louder.

Softer grunting sounded behind them just as the beast rounded the corner, energy swirling in a furious ball before him. When Argram saw the men, his jaw snapped shut, his low, menacing growl challenging them.

“Don’t start something you have no hope of winning.” Evan didn’t move a muscle. “Are you willing to risk the lives of your child and both of our mates to battle in this cave?”

Argram’s chest rose and fell with laboured breaths. His lip curled up as he nodded toward Drake. “Stand down and tell your man to release his energy.”

“I can’t do that. You’re endangering my mate, when everything we’ve done has been to protect yours.” Pale yellow flames licked at Evan’s hands. He restrained himself, but only just.

“Argram, Miga is anxious to see you again. Your son needs you. Please do not do this. You have trusted me until now. I ask that you continue to do so.” She wouldn’t beg. It wouldn’t work. Argram had to decide for himself and take the right course of action.

Within the cave, the babe’s loud wails subsided to its mother’s soft rumbles. “Mate, come meet our son. I haven’t the energy to endure more of this foolishness. I’ve come to no harm,” Miga called out, the hint of a tremble making the last words quiver. “I wish to look upon you and see for myself that you truly are alive and well.”

Grunting, Argram uncurled his fists and released the black energy, allowing it to dissipate and disappear. “I’ve disarmed.” He spoke to Evan. “I would not willingly put either of our mates at risk, and do not wish to do so now.”

Brienne held her breath. That was as close to an apology as they were going to get from the Alpha.
“He’s done his part, now drop your energies.”
She sent the words to both Avalorians.

Evan didn’t hesitate. The flames vanished from his hands and he started to turn toward her.
“You’re very bossy for such a little thing.”