Page 133 of Vardaesia
The condition Alex had given her mother and father was that she wouldn’t force them to return to Freya as long as they promised to do what they could to avoid seeing combat. They’d agreed to remain in the Medical Ward and help treat the injured as they were brought in, since Fletcher would be out fighting with the rest. His gift, Alex had learned, enabled him to produce a pressurised sound wave, and since it was capable of taking out the Meyarins by bursting their eardrums and thusdebilitating their attacks, he was invaluable on the battlefield. His medical skills could be utilised afterwards.
… Presuming there was an afterwards.
Queen Niida had offered to stay with Alex’s parents, partly to provide a line of Meyarin defence should the Med Ward be infiltrated, but mostly because she wasn’t a fighter and was better put to use administering thelaendraKyia had made sure to bring with them from Draekora. D.C., too, had promised Alex that she would help with the wounded, self-aware enough to know that she would be a liability when it came to fighting immortals. Along with them, Queen Osmada, Gammy, Dorothy, Evie and Natasha were also going to assist in the Med Ward, as well as the family members of any other students who had sought refuge at the academy. Those family members had all been offered a choice—they could either join the fight, or help care for those who did. Many had agreed to take up arms, despite the force of their enemy. And for that, Alex was grateful, since she knew they would need all the help they could get.
Shaking away her plaguing doubts, Alex looked from person to person around the group at the base of the Tower, from the luminescent Kaysia and Lidael; to the yellow-, orange- and purple-marked Tork, Glyn and Eefi; to the charcoal-painted Mareek and Tibbs; and finally, to the shadowy Azalia, Saber, Shirez and Trell.
Alex’s eyes lingered on the last Shadow Walker when Trell caught her gaze and mouthed, “You got this?”
Understanding her question for more than it was, Alex couldn’t keep her lips from quirking slightly and nodding back. Of all people, Trell knew Alex was capable in a fight. Now she just had to win against a different kind of opponent.
Moving on, Alex’s gaze travelled over to Commander Nisha who was standing with King Aurileous and Queen Osmada, and beside them was General Drock, already cussing like asailor under his breath, so low that only those with immortal ears could hear—much to their amusement. Jeera stood a short distance away, her hand locked with Blake’s, with an entire contingent of black-uniformed Wardens standing behind her. And behindthemwas part of the human army, the rest having been allocated elsewhere in Medora, along with yet more Shadow Walkers, Dayriders, Flips and Jarnocks.
Beginning to feel overwhelmed by the send-off, Alex turned to Roka, Kyia and Zain, each looking fiercely impressive in their Meyarin armour. The looks they sent her filled her with warmth, along with the promise in their eyes that they would get through this—or not—together.
Blinking quickly against the sting of tears, Alex finally cast her gaze upon the teachers who had become some of her biggest supporters during her time in Medora. On the walk over through the masses, she had already spotted Finn, Varin, Tayla, Doc, Luranda, Fitzy, Marmaduke, Administrator Jarvis and the librarian, all of whom were ready to fight for their school, to fight for their world. And now, she looked at the others, the ones who were more like friends than teachers, in one way or another. She looked from Karter and his crossed-arm scowl, to Hunter and his intelligent dark eyes, to Caspar Lennox and his grim but unwavering face, to Mayra and her determined expression, to Fletcher and his encouraging smile. And then finally, she looked to Darrius.
Holding her gaze, he quietly said, “I know I’ve given you cause to lose faith in me of late, since I’ve showed you nothing but doubt since Aven rose to power and Lena blocked my gift. But today, let me be the first to say that I believe in you, Alexandra Jennings. And I will fight with you—and for you— through this day, and all those to come.”
Breath hitching, Alex released Kaiden and D.C. and rushed forward, throwing her arms around Darrius. But it wasn’t justhim who hugged her back—it was everyone nearby. Shouts and cheers arose, people echoing the headmaster’s words of unyielding faith, and when Alex pulled away from the all-in embrace, she had to inhale deeply before she could meet the eyes of those around her. Her teachers, her friends, her parents. People she didn’t know. People she loved.
Trusting that they all understood their roles in the coming battle, trusting that they were all united, trusting that they stood some small chance against impossible odds, Alex managed to summon up a smile, wobbly as it was, as she called out, “See you all soon.”
And then, after one last lingering glance at her teachers, at the allied leaders of Medora, at her Meyarin friends, at her classmates, at the assembled crowd, and lastly, at her parents, Jordan, Bear, D.C., Declan and finally Kaiden, Alex turned on her heel and strode into the Library, not looking back.
It wasn’t Aven who Alex went to meet—not yet.
She still had a few minutes until her deadline, and while she was cutting it close, there was someone she had to speak with first, someone she had to see.
Striding through the foyer of the Library while vaguely noting that the paintings on the walls hadn’t changed from when she’d last seen them prior to embarking on the rescue mission to Meya, Alex skipped down the next staircase and, upon reaching the bottom, called forth a doorway and stepped straight through to Draekora.
Xira was waiting for her on the island wasteland, just as she had mentally asked him to. Amazingly, even as she watched, wildflowers began to bloom again. The return of the draekons had brought life back to the islands, just as she had hoped.
Reaching forward to press her hands against his lowered face, Alex looked into his cerulean eyes and said, “You weren’t supposed to be here for this.”
“And where would you be now if I’d stayed away?” he returned, somewhat smugly. “Admit it, you need me here.”
“Of course I do,” Alex told him. “But that doesn’t mean I’m not terrified something will happen to you. If Aven uses Vae’varka—”
“I won’t go anywhere near him,” Xira interrupted. “I promise, Alex. I’ve already ordered my kin to remain in the air above the cities you believe Aven will strike. We’ll fight off the veeyons for you, keeping the skies clear and stopping them from attacking all those warring on the ground.”
Despite having already gone over this mentally, Alex’s features were pinched as she said, “They might not be as big as you, but there are so many of them. Way more than how many draekons came with you through theabrassa.”
“We only need to hold them off long enough for you to defeat Aven.”
Xira’s unquestioning faith in her had Alex leaning further into him for support.
“After their leader is no longer bound to him, the others will disperse,” he said.
Frowning, since she didn’t recall mentioning anything to Xira about the theory of Aven bonding with the veeyon leader, Alex asked, “Did you read my mind while I was sleeping?”
Unapologetic, he said, “I figured you wouldn’t have much of a chance to bring me up to speed.”
Alex’s frown deepened as she said, “If I manage to survive this, we’re going to have a very firm talk about boundaries.”
“Whenyou manage to survive this, I’ll look forward to that discussion,” Xira returned. “Now introduce me to your Shadow Wolf so I can see for myself how your plan is going to work.”
Alex barely had to think Soraya’s name before she arrived in a burst of shadows and lightning. It was fascinating, watching draekon and wolf meet each other eye to eye, communicating on some other-creaturely level. Or at least, weighing each other up. Both bound to Alex, both immensely powerful in their own right, both determined to protect her.
