The Unicorn And Her Mysterious Mate

Water

Chaos POV

A mixture of anger and pride surged through me, coursing like a raging river. Rook had managed to slip away, leaving me frustrated. As I surveyed the fallen figures, I was startled to see Malachi was also not among them. I had thought I had taken his life, but he had only been stunned. My emotions were a whirlwind.

Talon, however, was dead, thanks to Skye and her incredible abilities. She remained in her majestic unicorn form as I shifted back, reaching out to stroke her soft mane. "You're amazing," I whispered, my voice barely audible against her ethereal presence. As Skye transformed into the smaller form that Colson had mentioned, I couldn't help but marvel at her absolute adorableness. I cradled her tiny unicorn body in my arms, her slumbering form resembling that of a miniature puppy.

Colson, Aria, and Feather approached me. But as Feather's eyes scanned Skye, a look of fear washed over her face. "She is hurt," Feather stated, her voice laced with concern. Confusion clouded my mind. If Skye was injured, I should have sensed it. Feather drew closer, reassuring me of her intentions. "I won't hurt her. You have my word. Your lack of trust in me only strengthens my respect for you," she said. I nodded in understanding as Feather uttered a fae spell, revealing a small, hidden cut on Skye's body.

"It's Fae poison, and a potent one at that," Feather explained. "Its greatest danger lies in its ability to conceal itself, hence why the cut was hidden from your senses." I tightened my grip on Skye's form, feeling a surge of protectiveness. Aria stepped forward. "I can force her to shift back, but we need to get her to medicine quickly," she declared. I nodded in agreement, and Aria placed her hand on Skye, causing her body to shift into human form. The beads of sweat on Skye's forehead were a clear indication of her deteriorating condition. She was not doing well.

"We're a few days away from a safe place to obtain the medicine," Feather interjected. "But if we bring her near a body of water, we can help slow down the poison. Skye is strong. She can fight this." Her words offered a glimmer of hope.

Holding her tightly against me, I reassured her, "I know they got away, but we will find them, I promise.”

Skye slowly opened her eyes. She looked up at me, her voice barely a whisper, "I'm sorry I let Rook go."

"You did amazing, Skye. You stayed safe for me and you got the key." I reassured her.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered, "I killed Talon."

Colson approached us, his gaze meeting mine for a moment before he spoke, "You did what you had to do, kid."

A pang of compassion surged through Skye's heart, even for that criminal. It was true, she always wanted to see the good in everyone.

"Rook and his crew are just a few out of many looking for you guys, so we must stick together."Feather chimed in.

Skye whispered “Jade” while seeking comfort in my arms.

"We don't know about Jade," Feather replied to Skye, "He is alive, otherwise we would have known, but we lost all contact with the kingdom."

Skye shifted in my arms, her voice barely audible, "I can walk."

Aria intervened, advising her, "You should let Chaos carry you. You have poison in your system."

“I don't feel it, I just feel weak, but I always do when I shift." Skye admitted.

"It hides itself, so luckily it should not cause much pain, but it will weaken you. You must avoid moving too much to prevent it from spreading fast," Feather explained, as Skye locked eyes with me.

"I'm sorry," she apologized.

"I don't mind carrying you," I assured her, trying to convey my deep concern for her well-being.

Colson held up the key, allowing Skye to see it. But as he did, the key glowed and transformed into a mist, flowing into Skye. Her entire body glowed momentarily in my arms, and then she completely passed out.

"What the hell did it do to her?" I exclaimed, as Feather approached Skye once again.

"I think the keys are a part of Skye. It may be part of the reason she lacks control, she is missing parts of herself," Feather speculated.

Colson looked at me, hesitating before speaking, "I'm not sharing all we learned, but Skye claims she is the final key to the unicorn kingdom."

"So, she is the queen's daughter then. We suspected it, but never voiced it because we didn't have proof. The queen was the key to the kingdom, and it was said she was with child when captured. The key would have transferred to the child. We know that, in an act to save the kingdom, they broke the key into several pieces, making smaller keys spread around the realm. But it makes sense for them to reunite together. Finding the keys may be Skye's answer to gaining full control of her powers," Feather explained.

Colson gazed at Feather and Aria. "You seem to know a lot about the Unicorns, yet none of this information has been told to us," he remarked.

Aria nodded, her voice soft and melodic. "The water fae were close with the unicorns, as you know. We were also not enemies with the dragons. We respect all creatures of this realm, and due to that, we know much about them based on past relationships. Jade advised us to wait until we were sure, and some knowledge was kept hidden for Skye's readiness. When we found her, we knew she was special, and her mother implanted deep knowledge within her mind. We didn't want to interfere with that."

Colson raised an eyebrow. "Understandable, but you should have at least told her adoptive parents, Rain and Caleb," he pointed out.

"Jade did inform them to some extent." Feather replied.

"Well, I guess they chose to leave me in the dark," Colson responded, frustration evident in his voice. We left the cave, stepping into the cool breeze outside.

"I will lead the way to clear water," Aria offered.

My mistrust of the Fae was slowly diminishing, but I still remained cautious. As I carried Skye, who was still asleep, Feather walked beside me.

Feather turned to me. "A unicorn mark is very special, but the one you have is not complete. It only completes when the bond is finished. You and Skye haven't completed the bond, have you?" she inquired.

I hesitated for a moment before responding, "No, we haven't."

"I don't think she's ready," I admitted, causing Feather to nod in understanding.

"I know much about all creatures because of what I said earlier. As the king's guard, I must know as much as I can. I also know a lot about Lycans and what you must do to complete a bond. I understand why you hesitate, but remember, she is your mate. She wouldn't be if she couldn't handle you," Feather reassured me.

I sighed, my worries weighing heavy on my heart. "I guess you're right. I just worry that I'll startle or hurt her. I've been trying to ease her into accepting me as her mate," I admitted.

"You two need a strong bond to survive the journey you are about to take. Just understand that," she advised before walking away.

I looked down at Skye in his arms. "I'm going to keep you safe," I whispered.

We continued our walk for several hours, following Aria as she led us through a safe path. The air was filled with the earthy scent of the forest, and the sound of leaves crunching beneath our feet echoed through the trees. Finally, we arrived at a small brook, its gentle babbling providing a soothing background melody.

"We will camp here for the night," Aria explained, her voice carrying a sense of calm. "I can create a protective barrier to keep us safe. Not many venture here due to fear of the plants, but this small area is actually free of any danger and a perfect spot for us to help heal Skye."

I carefully placed Skye down next to Aria, never straying too far from her side. Feather then instructed, "Chaos, can you lift her shirt over the injured area?" I followed Feather's request. She extended her hand, and droplets of water from the stream obediently rose into the air, swirling around in a magical display. They then gently infused into Skye's injured spot.

"There, she will need some rest, but that will help restore some of her energy," Feather announced. "I also suggest you consider what we talked about earlier. There are a few secluded spots here for privacy."

Curious, Colson interjected with a smirk, "What did you guys talk about?" I shook my head, realizing why Skye found him annoying at times.

"They need to complete the bond," Feather replied nonchalantly, paying no mind to privacy. Colson burst into laughter. "Wait, you two haven't? And you're both shifters? Wow, Turboball, you've got some impressive self-control," he teased.

"Turboball?" Aria asked, confused.

"I'm trying to come up with the best nickname for him. I'll get there, but you know he's a large furball, so Turbo Ball." Colson explained.

At some point during the conversation, Skye woke up. Her cheeks flushed a bright shade of red.

"How are you feeling?" I asked gently, helping her sit up. She took a deep breath and admitted, "Better. Actually better than I have in a while."

"The poison still needs proper treatment, but the water around here is soothing. It should help for the time being." Feather explained.

I watched as Skye's eyes focused on Colson, who was casually leaning against a tree with an amused look on his face. "Out with it," Skye demanded.

Colson chuckled, but instead of joking with her, he spoke sincerely. "I'm proud of you, kid. You handled that fight very well. Your family would be proud."

"Thanks," Skye replied, as I took her hand."I just wish things did not have to end that way. I gave Talon the chance to leave." Colson nodded in understanding.

"He was loyal to his crew," he responded.

"We do have some good news, though. Those keys may be the answer to your control," Colson said, his words sparking hope in Skye's eyes.

"Really?" she exclaimed, her voice filled with anticipation.

Feather and Aria went into detail with Skye, explaining the significance of the keys, and she absorbed the information eagerly.

"So now I have another reason to find them all," Skye said, a bright smile spreading across her face. I couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness, knowing that this new discovery would only fuel her determination on this journey.

"But I'm worried about Jade. Shouldn't we be heading towards the kingdom to aid them?" Skye voiced her concerns.

Aria shook her head gently. "No, Jade wants you to get to the unicorn kingdom, Skye. I have a feeling that once we are there, we can aid them."

Skye nodded, understanding the reasoning. "I'll focus on bringing more of my family. Although I'm sure some will be needed at home, my brothers and cousins can be a handful, even if they are teens now," Skye said, causing Colson to laugh.

"Just leave your dad home with them all," he responded, his voice filled with amusement.

Skye laughed. "They will drive my dad crazy," she said, her tone filled with amusement. As she struggled to stand up, I offered my hand, and together we rose. She leaned her weight against me, her warmth seeping through my skin. Looking around at our surroundings, she whispered, "It's so pretty here."

"Thank you for coming for me, Chaos," she said, her voice filled with genuine appreciation. "And thank you too, Colson, Aria, and Feather. I'm truly grateful to have all of your help. This journey is dangerous, and it means the world to me to have so many people I can rely on."

In that moment, I pulled her gently to the side, wrapping my arms around her. "I'm sorry if I scared you," she admitted, her voice tinged with concern.

Fear and love swirled within me as I looked into her eyes. "Yes, I was afraid," I confessed. "But I also believe in your strength. I brought you here just to hold you alone for a moment. I'm still adjusting to having you, to being free. Sometimes, it feels like a dream, and I fear I'll wake up. So, I apologize if I hold you all the time. It's just..."

"I understand, Chaos. And I prefer to be in your arms anyways. So hold me as much as you need. I promise you, this is real, and I'll make sure we never have a life apart from each other." She promised.

Feeling a surge of emotion, I brushed my lips against her mark, the symbol of our bond. I had planned to finalize the connection between us, hoping it would unlock the supposed power within me and finish her mark. I was willing to do anything to protect her and the life we now shared.