The Last Shifter (a Loki romance)

Chapter 45

Arista's POV

The last blast knocked the wind out of me, sending me spiralling out of control. My wings flailed as I tried to regain control and altitude but I was simply unable to. I was spinning out of control.

"Arista, what's happening to me!?" Only then did I realize that Loki was able to feel the pain of my dragon body.

"Close the link. Close the link and it'll be ok."

"But what about you?"

"I'll be fine but I don't have the power to close the link now."

"Watch out!" That was my only warning before I plowed into the Fire Demon. Even my heat resistant scales were no protection against the molten skin of the Fire Demon. Pain of such high heat it felt freezing overwhelmed me, paralyzing me. So I fell. I had lost what little control I had left so I fell straight down. In my mind, I could hear Loki crying my name, asking if I was alright, but I just couldn't answer. I was in too much pain.

I met my landing much sooner than I expected. Not to mention it was much softer and colder than I thought. Steam rose from where I was touching the surface but I didn't have time to think about that because a foreign presence was poking at my mind.

Loki's POV

Somehow, I managed to close my mental link to her pain. A pair of soldiers helped me back to my feet just in time for me to see her crash into the Fire Demon. There were no words to describe the fear that coursed through my veins when she roared in extreme pain but I nearly had a heart attack when the Fire Demon lifted its clawed forefoot and caught her. Father was a little more than furious when the Fire Demon lifted her up to its eye and seemed to commune with her telepathically.

Arista's POV

"Why are you doing this?"

"The cursed living flames!"

"The fire giants? What about them?"

"They raided my nest and stole my baby!"

"Had it hatched?"

"No! And they're going to kill it!"

"Ok. I'll see if I can do anything. Who took it?"

"Diggers." Miners. Miners must've mistaken the egg for a valuable stone.

"Put me down. Allow me to speak to Odin and make him stop the attacks."

"You mean the flameless beings?"

"Yes." I felt myself being lowered and placed on the ground in front of the army.

"Arista!" Loki ran up to me, placing a hand on my snout and looking me in the eye, "Are you alright?" There were tears in his eyes, "When I saw you fall..." I shifted back, drawing upon Loki's energy to do so. As soon as he could, Loki swept me into his lap and began inspecting me for injuries.

"Loki, I'll be fine."

"What did you find out?"

"We need to talk to the miners and inspect any very remarkable rocks, stones, or minerals that were found the day of the first attack."

"I take it you're onto something." We halted our conversation abruptly when Odin came into view.

"Shifter, you're insane."

"You're welcome." I sassed, "Miners stole her egg and she wants it back."

"Then I will contact them and request it back."