“And you have a bonded mate.”
These were not questions, but I answered anyway.
Placing my hand on Xander’s shoulder, I met Inferna’s fiery bright embers as they stared at me. “This is Elyxander of the House of Ignis.”
Xander straightened, and a look of what could only be described as delight entered Inferna’s eyes. She grinned, clapping her hands in the strangest, most mortal movement I’d ever seen a Spirit do.
“A dragon shifter.” A laugh that sounded like embers popping in a fire erupted from her mouth. “Well, this is a treat. I have been waiting for so long; I never thought this day would come.”
Before anyone could react, Inferna vanished in a flash of gold. I stared at the space where she had stood, only to hear Kethryllian chuckling.
“She’ll be back,” the Guardian of the Appointed Ones said confidently.
“Do you trust her, Kethryllian?” I asked. After Myhhena’s betrayal, I wasn’t certain I could trust any Spirits again. At least, not fully. But Kethryllian, I trusted. A deep part of me resonated with the Guardian, and I knew he was trustworthy.
The deer nodded. “With my life,” he said. “Inferna is one of the Ancients. She hails the time before the Four Kingdoms were created. The Spirits existed long ago, even before the Dynasty of Roses. You are in good hands with her.”
My brows furrowed. “Does that mean you’re leaving?”
“Unless you need me?”
I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head. “No, thank you.”
“You know how to call me, High Lady of Life. Never hesitate to summon me; I am always available.”
I thanked him, and Kethryllian’s form dissolved into shards of bark. Moments later, golden ribbons sparked in the air on the other side of the bridge.
Inferna was back, but this time, she wasn’t alone. Two other Spirits had joined her. They were slightly smaller than Inferna, their forms equally made of flame, but unlike the first Spirit these newcomers appeared more… real. Less ethereal, somehow. It was their eyes; I realized after a moment. The other Spirits had life in their gazes, whereas Inferna’s were deep pits of fire.
She stepped forward, hovering above the bridge. “It has been many years since a dragon shifter has laid eyes upon this place of old.” Her words rang out, echoing with ancient power. “Even more since they were mated with an Earth Elf.”
Had this happened before? My brows furrowed, and a question rose to the tip of my tongue, but before I could ask it, Xander moved.
My dragon shifter withdrew the map from its hiding place, holding it in his fist. “We were led here,” he said.
“The dragon carries the map,” Inferna whispered loudly to the others, as if they couldn’t see the evidence with their own eyes.
A snarky remark bubbled up within me, but a sharp glance from my mate had me swallowing it.
Inferna raised a fiery brow, stepping forward. “We know the balance is broken.”
This time it was Xander who groaned. We were all tired of hearing about the balance.
The female made of radiant flames continued, ignoring him. “All the Spirits are crying out for the restoration of the way things were.”
The second Spirit moved. “My name is Pyro,” he said, bowing as if we were in a ballroom and not standing in the middle of Ithenmyr, separated by a bridge running over molten, hissing lava. “We have been waiting many years for you.”
This was becoming more and more intriguing with every passing second.
“Kydona herself appointed us knowing that one day, there would be great strife in the Four Kingdoms.” The third Spirit swept her flaming arms to either side of her. “I am called Ember. Welcome to Shadowfell Mountain. This is the final leg of your quest, but in order to complete the tasks set upon you, each of you must pass the trials of old.”
“What?” Xander snapped. “We’ve already survived multiple trials.”
Inferna raised her brows. “Did you expect this quest to be easy, dragon?”
“Nothing is ever easy,” he snarled, his fist curling at his side. “I’ve spent a gods-damned century piecing together this map, and now you’re telling me we are still not done?”
His anger pounded through the bond, hot and fiery, just like the male beside me. Shifting ever so slightly, I slipped my hand into his before addressing the trio of Spirits.