The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 42

Thank you to KatieMayBloomfield for pointing out that this chapter was missing!
Arista's POV
The ground trembled beneath my body, jolting me awake. Kayerith's mate had arrived. I felt Loki shaking me, pleading with me to wake up but I couldn't find the strength to do anything but open my eyes. Then I heard him pleading with the dragon but from his increasingly loud tone, he wasn't getting the reaction he wanted.
"Loki. Stop yelling."
"You're awake!"
"Tell him you mean no harm." I felt him pick me up, sitting me on his lap so I could see just what was threatening us. The beast was enormous, and at least twice Kayerith's adult size, not too mention probably triple the power! The cats were long gone, those that were still alive anyway, I could see the smoking bodies of at least four behind him. Some of the trees had new chars on them as well but they weren't smoking. Instead, they looked...wet? That had to be from two different breath weapons. I tried to contact the dragon mentally but either I was too weak or he didn't want to talk. He was still advancing, mouth wide open. I thought he was going to either blast us or run us over but he stopped, millimeters in front of us. The gaping mouth closed and I found myself face to face with a pair of glowing, fierce, bright blue eyes that were quickly returning to the colors of a regular male dragon.
"I don't eat mortals. Now get out of here before I change my mind." He hadn't exactly forced himself into our minds, but I certainly hadn't invited him. It was as if my barrier wasn't there.
"Wait! I have an offer for you."
"I don't interact with mortals."
"Less than two weeks ago, there was more than one dragon living here." His eyes narrowed.
"Have you been spying on me?"
"No. Anyway, two dragons and three eggs. Now, one day, you fatally wounded your mate–" The dragon roared and began shouted.
"IT WAS A MISTAKE! I FORGOT HOW WEAK SHE WAS COMPARED TO ME."
"And you came back only to find the eggs gone." He roared again, ripping me from Loki and pinning me to the ground, popping both of my scabs.
"THIEF!" His jaws opened once more and the back of his throat began to glow blue but he stopped at the last seconds. The light died down and he backed off from me. His demeanor changed completely, going from dark and sinister to surprised and sorrowful.
"You're her."
"I'm who?"
"Kayerith's sister." My brow furrowed and I let Loki in on the conversation.
"How could you possibly know that?"
"Your necklace. It bears one of her scales."
"Yes. It does."
"Forgive me. There is no way I can ever make up for or repay you for what I have done."
"No. There is not."
"Arista!"
"But there are little things you can do for me that may slowly make up for your crime."
"What is it you want from me?"
"The first thing I need to know is where you kept the gems that were in the nest and are there more?"
"I have a cave at the top of the closest mountain where many treasures I have collected over my long years reside."
"And how easy would it be to hide an object about a third of the size of a dragon egg there?"
"Very. Why do you ask?"
"I have a very dangerous weapon in my possession and I do not wish for it to fall into the wrong hands. I want you to hide it in your treasure trove and protect it for me"
"Will it pose a danger to me? I only ask because I wish to one day lay eyes on the hatchlings I am certain have hatched by now."
"I'll see what I can do. Are you willing?"
"I have no choice. I am bound to serve you until you release me."
"Now, it's not that severe."
"But I feel that in fact it is. I took the life of an intelligent being."
"As have I. Many times. And I have also lost those close to me before Kayerith. I'm used to it by now. It used to really phase me but everything dies at some point or another, we just have to learn to move on and trust that they are in a better place."
"Perhaps you are right. I have searched for my hatchlings ever since I discovered them missing but nowhere can I find them. I feared the worst."
"You need not. I took them. Kayerith willed them to me."
"And have they hatched?"
"Two males and a female alive and well."
"And what did they bond to? I assume Kayerith explained it to you."
"The first and last to me and the second to Loki."
"The male who protected you."
"I can hear you two, you know."
"Yes. Him."
"What is your connection to him?"
"How much did Kayerith tell you about me?"
"Not much. I didn't even get a name."
"He's basically my mate."
"And you trust him?"
"With my life."
"I can hear you." We ignored him again.
"And I promise I will try to find the time to bring your hatchlings out here so you can see them but I may not be able to find the time for awhile, as there is great conflict in Vanaheim."
"I would wait decades." I handed the package holding the stone to him.
"Be very careful with this, we must return to the palace before we are missed."
"Very well but there is one more thing I wish to do for you."
"And what might that be?"
"Turn around." I obeyed, "Mate of the sister of my mate, it would be wise to support her."
"What are you going to do?" He didn't answer and Loki rushed forward, grabbing my hips and bracing my upper body with his. I couldn't see what Kayerith's mate was doing and it was really bugging me. All I felt was the strangest sensation I had ever experienced I fell into Loki's strong embrace.
"Easy, dove." When the sensation went away, I found that I could stand again but this time, I felt no pain. He had healed me!
"I wish you a safe return to your palace, sister of my mate." With that, the giant dragon snagged my bag with his talons and used his powerful hind legs combined with his wings to propel himself into the air and soar towards the peak of the nearest mountain with speed and agility I had never seen in a dragon before. Loki was the one to finally break the silence that the dragon left behind.
"We should go."
"The speeder isn't far, it is?"
"It's a ways. I had to estimate where the clearing was. Are you afraid that we will run into more cats?"
"Partly. I am also afraid that our clones have failed us."
"You doubt my magic?"
"No, but there is only so much a clone is capable of, they can't come into contact with anything they weren't touching when they were created and they will undoubtedly act...not like us, but more...automated is the word. As much as I would like it to be so, your father is not stupid. He'll figure it out. And plus, if my perception of time is correct, then he and the others should've been back there by now and my clone will be expected to give orders. It is the nature of clones to be completely mindless and devoid of creativity."
"I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Now come." Following Loki's lead, we set off into the woods. The speeder wasn't far, Loki probably misjudged the distance between it and the clearing because he was so frantic to get to me. For only being here once, he had done very well. It was located a mere five minute walk away and even then, we didn't take a direct path. When we finally arrived, I went to the back to drive but Loki stopped me.
"Your wounds may be healed but your blood must still replenish itself. Lay down and sleep." He guided me over to the bench at the front while he said this, "Besides, you have done more than enough today. You risked your life and nearly paid the price."
"It would've been worth it. One less weapon in the Enemy's possession and a spy still in his upper ranks." Loki put the speeder on autopilot and came over to me.
"Arista, listen to me. Nothing and I repeat, nothing, is worth giving your life for."
"You don't understand."
"Then make me understand."
"I can't. You need to live in my shoes, to see things from my perspective."
"Then show me."
"It is not that simple, it takes more energy to show memories than I have right now."
"Perhaps I can help with that–"
"No. The magic has changed, not the method, but the magic itself. Showing memories now is different."
"How?"
"When you share a memory the way you are used to, it is shown from a third person point of view, only seeing and hearing the bare minimum."
"And how is your way different?"
"Both the person sharing and the person viewing are put into the perspective of the person sharing. So that both not only watch it, they live it."
"What is so difficult about that?"
"My body and mind must remember every single little detail about that day. The background noise, the thoughts, and even the slightest brush of the wind against the skin. I myself have only done it a few times and none of them were as long as what I'm going to have to show you."
"Then show them to me in tiny little bits."
"I cannot risk wasting strength on that now. Soon we will arrive back at the palace and we may have to deal with your father's wrath. Even if we don't, we will soon head into battle."