“Sorry,” I mumbled and scrambled to my feet. “I...” my head swam and I wobbled. “I think I need a break. I'm dehydrated.”
I dropped my practice sword before Zimri-dagan could say another word and trudged toward Pride Palace, feet heavy and limbs weak. Trevor, Kirill, Re, and Viper chased after me. Odin was training with the Valkyries, Azrael with the Demons, and Arach was still in Faerie, overseeing the production of fire weapons.
“But, Vervain,” Zimri-dagan called after me.
“Give her a minute, Jinn!” Re snapped.
Zimri-dagan sighed and went to sit in the shade of a nearby tree.
As I walked, I grew more tired until I was dragging my feet toward the kitchen. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it.
“Sit down.” Kirill altered my path toward a chair beside the fireplace. “I'll get you vater.”
“Thank you,” I whispered and fell into the seat.
“Are you okay, Minn Elska?” Trevor took the chair across from me and leaned forward on his knees, staring at me in concern. “You look pale.”
“Of course, she's not okay,” Re grumbled. “That damn jinn is pushing her too hard. La-la, I think you've trained enough for today.”
“Me too,” I murmured as I laid my head back against the chair. “I'm so tired. But it felt good to use a sword again.”
“What you really need to practice is decapitating someone.” Viper leaned against the back of my chair and stroked my hair. “That takes skill.”
“Viper, she's the Godhunter,” Re said dryly.
“Yeah.” Viper frowned.
“He's like four months old,” Trevor reminded Re.
“Here.” Kirill set a glass of water in my hand. “Drink.”
I gulped it down and sighed. There; that was better. Maybe that's all I—I yawned and the hand holding the glass fell into my lap.
“Oh, that's right,” Re said to Trevor.
“Is someone going to explain whatever it is I'm missing?” Viper asked.
“He's missing something?” Kirill looked at the other men for a clue.
“Viper thinks Vervain needs to learn how to behead gods,” Trevor's voice held a smirk.
Kirill chuckled.
“What?” Viper huffed.
“She's Godhunter,” Kirill said.
Re started laughing.
“Maybe I should just ask Pan,” Viper muttered. “He tells me everything.”
“Like what?” Re asked imperiously. “If he's teaching you about sex, you shouldn't bother. I'm a far better source of information.”
“I don't need to learn about sex,” Viper growled. “Pan's been telling me about the Squad.”
“Oh,” Re said with a little disappointment.
“Why the hell doesn't Vervain need to learn about beheading gods?” Viper snapped.
“Because that's how I used to kill them!” I shouted as I opened my eyes. “I hunted the Gods and the best way to kill a god is to decapitate them. I enchanted my sword and got on-the-job training. I'm good on that front, okay?”
“Okay. You don't have to get upset about it,” Viper grumbled.
“I'm sorry.” I sighed and leaned back in the chair again. “I'm just so tired and all of you keep talking.” I closed my eyes and felt someone take the glass from me. “I need a little nap.”
I slept for four hours.
Chapter Twenty-Three
My dragon king woke me with his fiery kiss.
I sucked in Arach's flames greedily, my body simply taking the energy instead of adding to it and sending it back into him. I slipped my fingers through his crimson hair and held him to me as I drank more and more from him. Arach gave me all he could and then gently pried my hands away and broke the kiss.
“Enough, A Thaisce,” Arach panted. “I need to keep some for myself.”
I blinked and focused on him. “Arach?”
“You need fire, Vervain,” my fey husband said sternly. “You've let your elemental stores get depleted.”
“Fire,” I whispered. “My star was broken and then Marduk stole Love from me. I thought that was what weakened me, but I've just needed a top-off.”
“Not exactly. Those things did weaken you, and you instinctively used your fire as fuel to try to stop the drain. Instead, you only drained yourself further.” Arach looked around the bed at the other men.
They were all there, staring at me in concern.
“I'm better now,” I assured them. “Don't worry.”
“You're not better,” Arach argued. “My element will replenish itself but even when it does, I don't think I'll be able to give you enough to heal you. And as far as your element, it's too depleted to revive normally. It will take time that we don't have. You need more fire, A Thaisce. Energy to restore you now.”
I remembered how I'd once fed on a forest fire—sucking up all of the flames and transforming them into fuel that didn't just heal my body but also went down the lines that connected me to the Froekn and Intare to rejuvenate them as well. I should have thought of this sooner. Hell, Arach should have thought of it sooner. I scowled at him.
“I know.” Arach held up an elegant hand to ward off my lecture. “I'm punching myself for not catching it sooner.”
“You're doing what now?” Trevor chuckled.
Arach narrowed his eyes at the werewolf.
“It's 'kicking myself,' not punching,” I whispered to Arach.
“How would anyone kick themselves?” Arach scowled.
Trevor laughed harder, and the other men grinned.
“He makes a fair point,” Odin admitted.
“Thank you.” Arach waved a hand toward Odin. “Some of these human sayings are insane.”
“Yes, I suppose they are,” I agreed. “But if you're going to use them—and don't want others to laugh when you do—you should probably try to get the words right.”
“Well, you're most definitely feeling better.” Arach grimaced.
“And, I've got a fire for you,” Azrael added as he looked up from his cellphone. “California is burning.”
“Again?” I rolled my eyes. “I swear; God hates California.”
“Which one?” Viper asked innocently.
“Which California?” I blinked at him. “As far as I know, there's only one.”
“I think he means; which god,” Odin clarified.
Viper pointed at Odin and clicked his tongue. “You got it. You know, it's not so funny when you have to explain the joke.”
“Welcome to my world,” I muttered.
“Which one?” Viper asked and grinned.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Arach and I stood in the
