Just over the water, a thousand tiny, coordinated fairies danced. The light that glowed from them created shapes that shifted as if we watched a movie—of a Dragon flying, and then, falling…
When they dispersed, a phalanx of Dragons dropped from the gold-streaked clouds, opened their jaws, and lit not only the lanterns but also the platform suspended from their brethren.
The sky was painted in flames that fell to the water below. A fitting tribute for a Dragona.
With the sun rising above the distant mountains, I wept as I said my goodbyes.
51
Rafael
I walked along the path beside the lake and did my best to ignore the Bellati trailing in my wake.
If the Elders had possessed any idea of just how easily I could control him, they would have never let me leave the academy building. Cara had known, and Anna, too. In fact, everyone who’d gone on our escapade to end Isobel knew how pointless it was to assign me a single Bellati guard.
But the protests of a fan club I didn’t deserve had convinced the Liberi Elders that Nikolai’s power had ended Isobel—I was just part of the conduit. So, after debriefing me, they’d let me roam while they considered my fate.
Cara and Bess were still in the meeting room. The council reps and the Elders were livid that we’d killed Isobel. They’d wanted her brought to trial.
If we’d tried that, we’d all be dead. I’d told them that, but they didn’t believe me.
But while the Liberi Elders were not happy, they were not stupid, either. The academy students and staff were celebrating Isobel’s death as a major win. And along with it came the demand to reinstate Cara.
I’ve never seen such a sour expression on a Liberi female. But the councilwoman had agreed that perhaps they’d been premature in dismissing Cara.
It pleased me that my new Watcher friend would not bear the brunt of their wrath. As I walked, I noticed that the bench along the lake was full—all three Hitzus were upon it, tails entwined and sitting so close to each other I couldn’t tell for certain where one began and the other ended. Their relief and joy noticeable.
I nodded to them as I passed. They glared back. Did they know I’d been part of what had happened? Perhaps expressing gratitude was not a natural thing for a Hitzu. Jinsic had been openly critical of Vali for “dumping him and the Satyr in the city and taking off” as he put it.
Never mind that the Dragona’s sacrifice had saved the rest of us. He’d seemed genuinely surprised when Riley threatened to Jump him into the closest sun.
I was surprised the Hitzus were still here. They had made it clear they wouldn’t be continuing on at the academy. Team Centaur would have to limp along without them.
I didn’t even know where Riley, Marcus, or Havoc were. They’d been debriefed early on and had left before me. I’d half-expected, half-hoped, that they would wait for me until I was released. That they’d try to talk me out of running.
But they were gone. Although my heart ached as though pieces of it had been torn away, I told myself that I was relieved. I couldn’t be part of them. The reasons had only grown, not diminished.
I was now so much more than what I’d been. Not Nikolai status, perhaps. But the Satyr and Liberi had combined within me to produce something particularly deadly.
The best I could do was confine myself to feeding off the rancid predators of the underworld. To continue to contribute, while still remaining free. And to stay away from those I loved, to protect them from what I had become.
Whatever the future held in store for me, I must walk it alone. No matter how my shattered heart bled.
I approached the gate, and the trailing Bellati closed the gap. With resignation, I let him catch up, infused my voice with power, and said, “Wait here.”
Compelling a Bellati used to be beyond me, but now—Nikolai’s power had reshaped something deep inside. The Bellati’s eyes glazed over, and he nodded.
It bothered me that I was only reinforcing the Elder’s concerns, but I had no doubt that if I stayed here any longer, they would take me back to their home realm and keep me there.
Couldn’t blame them. But I wasn’t about to oblige them, either.
The Bellati at the gate stood a little straighter as I drew near.
“Have you heard if they are finalizing Cara’s exile from the academy?” he asked. “I’m stuck out here, and want to know.”
“They are reinstating her,” I said.
The Bellati’s face reflected his relief. “They’d be crazy to exile her permanently. Half the instructors would walk. Over half, really. Not to mention that she managed to pull off finishing Isobel pretty much on her own.”
