Mated to the Griffin (Elemental Mates 5)

Taking a deep breath, Jared took a step back, then reached out to draw his mate tightly against him. She rested a hand against his back in support.

“Your mate is right,” his father said. “Our line of griffins is an old and proud one. For thousands of years, we have guarded a great secret.”

“We guarded the Light,” his mother continued, a disbelieving smile on her face as she watched Jared and Chiara. “It is a great honor, and a great duty. For thousands of years, the element of light has hidden itself away. A long, long time ago, it sealed away the Darkness that wanted to destroy all life. We have kept our secret hidden since then. We had to.”

“We knew that one day, the light would have to return. It would find a new champion when darkness woke. A new master of the light to fight against this terrible threat.” His father swallowed as he looked at Jared. “But despite our knowledge, we were not prepared. We did not think that Darkness would wake during our lifetime. And when it struck out at us, we could see only one way to save you.”

“We sent you away,” his mother said, her voice trembling. “We knew the dragons would keep you safe when we couldn’t. And then we did what was our duty. A great and terrible duty.”

“Protect the Light at all costs,” his father murmured. “Keep it safely hidden until the moment comes and it chooses a champion to enter this fight. We sealed the cave to protect the Light—and we were sealed inside with it as its guardians.”

“You were turned to stone to guard it?” Jared felt horrified as he looked at the tear tracks on his mother’s beautiful face.

She looked so young... As if no time at all had passed since they’d chosen to seal the cave.

She laughed through her tears. “That was the easy choice! A choice I gladly made. But to send you away... even though that was the only way to keep you safe...”

“It broke our hearts,” his father said. “I’d rather have died for you, if it meant that your mother and you could flee. But the Darkness is an enemy like no other.”

“There’s no escape from it,” Jared said softly. “I know. I’ve seen what it has done to the fire dragons who thought they could be allies. It taints them. It twists everything it touches.”

“It was the only way.” His father’s eyes were gleaming as well. “Can you ever forgive us?”

“You’ve tried to protect me,” Jared said, his voice cracking. He had to raise a hand to wipe at his eyes. “Of course. Of course! I would have done the same thing, if that’s what it took to save my mate.”

“Hey,” Chiara said, nudging his shoulder. “Don’t I get a vote in that as well? Don’t you ever let someone turn you into a statue to protect me. Don’t you dare!”

She was smiling, although her eyes were wet as well. Through the bond, he could feel her awe and relief—and her overflowing love for him.

Chiara knew what this meant to him. She was the only one who’d ever seen deep into his heart—that part of him where he’d hidden the pain and the uncertainty of not knowing what had happened to his parents.

She pressed her hand to his shoulder, gentle and supportive. She felt nothing but happiness for him—even though she hadn’t talked to her own father in ages.

But maybe they could fix that now.

They’d defeated Zane. They’d found his parents. And they’d found—

“Wait a minute,” Jared said out loud.

He reached out for the amulet he’d worn since he’d been found as a baby. It was glowing gently in his hand, giving off a soft light.

A light that pulsed with the rhythm of his own heart. A light that still filled him, glowing within him with a new and shocking power.

“There is no fifth dragon.” Jared felt dizzy when he abruptly realized what it all meant. “There was never a new elemental dragon.”

“You are the new champion of the Light,” his father said proudly. “The light has chosen you, Jared. For the first time in thousands of years, the light has a new master.”

“The element of light.” Chiara sounded awed—and then she smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him tightly.

“It couldn’t have chosen a better person,” she whispered fiercely. “Congratulations, Jared!”

Jared was still shaking his head in disbelief when he felt the lights subtly dim.

Even though his powers were new, the sudden sense of darkness had him spin around immediately. He held out his hands to defend Chiara from any threat—but this time, the darkness wasn’t coming towards them.

This time, the shadows creeping along the floor rushed towards where Zane was still unconscious on the ground.

Like a swarm of rats, the shadows fell upon him until Zane was completely covered by the twisting cloud of darkness.