Bird of a Flock (Bow 2)

Chapter 24

"Rescue?" Aw'endo furrowed his eyebrows confused at the news. "But Eyeri' is safe here! Why would Fetmar worry about him?" he asked, looking at Nel'os with big eyes. He would have understood if Fetmar was coming to save Eyeri from a prisoner camp but this was Navat and Fetmar knew Aw'endo would protect Eyeri.

"Aw'endo, we are D'mar, technically," Nel'os reminded sweetly. "For all we know, Fetmar was told Eyeri was expected to be sent on to a camp," Nel'os reasoned. Both Aw'endo and Ryraso shuddered at the idea. D'mar prisoner camps were harsh things that could break even warriors. The idea of Eyeri, who was already halfway broken, was almost horrific. Any spirit the slavers hadn't stole from him would disappear.

"Maybe we should have sent him a message or something to reassure him," Aw'endo wondered softly, regret in his voice. Aw'endo couldn't help but wonder if Fetmar would blame him personally for this somehow. He was k'nairi after all. Thinking on it, Aw'endo felt a sense of shame and guilt. Maybe he had failed in protecting his little brother.

"Young one, I doubt that would have deterred him," Nel'os drew Aw'endo close for a hug. Ryraso just watched on silently, standing to the side and clutching his arm. Ryraso didn't know what to do.

Dyn'ad slammed the door as he entered the rooms. Eyes almost black with rage and his wings moving aggressively behind him. He barely looked at the people gathered in the common room and stormed into Eyeri's room. The boy's bag was gone and there was a note on the desk. Dyn'ad read it and let out an angry snarl. "Eyeri!" He roared before stomping out of the room. He looked directly at Ryraso and walked towards him with enough violence in his air that Nel'os actually got in the way.

"Dyn'ad," Nel'os said warningly, touching Dyn'ad left arm. "Breathe." Dyn'ad was not Tai'ray, he did not lose himself in the heat of battle but he was dominant. Anger could trigger a berserker mindset if too strong and someone was trying to take away one of Dyn'ad's younglings.

"I'm in control, Nel'os," Dyn'ad hissed through his teeth, leaning down to kiss Nel'os roughly on the lips. "Go, round up the caw who do not know yet," he ordered seriously. Nel'os glanced over at Ryraso and Aw'endo hesitantly but nodded. He disappeared and Dyn'ad stormed over to Ryraso.

Ryraso was only vaguely surprised to receive his own rough kiss. Dyn'ad's lips feeling like fire against his. Dyn'ad passed the piece of paper into his hand before he pressed his forehead to Ryraso's and murmured something Ryraso barely heard. "Do not leave this room unless you have to, my love."

"I won't," Ryraso promised back, head spinning slightly from the ferociousness of the kiss. Not yet entirely recovered from fending off Tai'ray's advances either. Fending off being a loose term indeed. Dyn'ad's arm wrapped around him to keep him up. "I'm sorry about this."

"Don't be sorry. This isn't your fault. It's ours," Dyn'ad growled through gritted teeth. "You warned us his brother would come. We just didn't take the threat seriously enough. Fetmar Zamen. Somehow we never made the connection."

"How is the Regent?" Ryraso asked softly. "Nel'os said Fetmar knocked him out?"

"He will heal," Dyn'ad said stiffly, not missing the subject change. The Royals had not made the connection but Ryraso had done nothing to join up the loose threads either. Something that made Dyn'ad want to growl angrily at Ryraso but even in his rage he could not. Ryraso wanted Eyeri to go home with his brother. It was the rest of them who wanted Eyeri to stay put. "One of Po'lar's underlings fixed any damage done."

"What will happen to Fetmar when Pa catches him?" Aw'endo asked quietly.

Dyn'ad looked over at Aw'endo. His youngling who was smelling of fear and upset at the moment. He reached over to Aw'endo and the boy quickly moved over. Dyn'ad hugging both Aw'endo and Ryraso close for a moment.  "He will not die," Dyn'ad swore softly. "I will not let Tai'ray kill him. I won't either. It is just a matter of timing and how Fetmar responds too. If he is polite, I imagine Tai'ray will simply keep him prisoner. If he is not, Tai'ray may get more inventive."