“That’s what Cara says,” I confirmed. “Were Mykal and I close?”
“Yes, you were. He’s been distressed ever since Taran told him you were dead. His strongest desire was to take on the underworld, all by himself.”
I swallowed. “I still can’t believe Taran would try to have me killed or go after the rest of his family. For what?”
She shook her head. “Taran has always been ambitious. The people would never have questioned his claim to the throne, if it weren’t for all the changes he’s proposing. And if he really is forming allegiances with the underlords—there will be many unhappy Dragons who will be looking for alternatives.”
I didn’t want to have this conversation. “I am not an alternative, especially now.”
Her mouth straightened. “Not at the moment, no.”
It wasn’t a definitive kind of statement, but I took it as one. She moved aside for me, but my stride hitched as I went by. When I turned back to her, she was still watching me. And my foolish mouth opened to spill out a question.
I almost backed out of it. But I would be leaving soon, and I might not have another opportunity. “What was I like before all this?”
When her eyes teared up, I immediately cursed myself for asking. How did one sum up a life in a few sentences?
But she didn’t hesitate. She squared up to me, and said, “Honest. Loyal. Driven to help others. A superb fighter. You had a quirky sense of humor that often involved teenage movie fantasies and a disturbing tendency to pierce body parts.” She took a deep breath. “Deep down, you are still who you once were, Razir.”
My mouth opened, and then closed again, before I said, “I don’t know if I can ever be that person again.”
She smiled at me—a genuine expression that carried with it all her hope. For just a second, her gaze caught and held on the hilt visible over my shoulder. “You don’t have to lose who you are just because you lost your memories. And no matter what, I am proud to call you my son.”
Her faith sent a pang straight through me. But I had one more question. “Were Tyrez and I close?”
She smiled gently. “You were best friends. He was so serious as a child, and you brought light into his life with your unfailing, upbeat energy. You hauled him places he’d never have gone himself. When he thought you’d died, despite his strength, I was terrified he wasn’t going to survive it. Even though you can’t remember him—having you alive has brought him back to life, too. You two are a team.”
She emphasized the last word, but I didn’t trust myself to speak. All I could do was nod, and then turn away.
The need to shove all this into a box, and immerse myself in something purely physical, became overwhelming. With renewed determination, I headed for the showers.
7
Bree
I was aware of Riggs leaving.
It was as though the room suddenly became a little dimmer.
Well, that is certainly dramatic. The sun likely just vanished behind a cloud.Caliel sounded more out of sorts than usual.
I hadn’t wanted Riggs to go. The air itself had seemed filled with possibilities.
No. That most certainly is the accursed Satyr’s pheromones,Caliel grumbled. He definitely has more than a bath in mind.
Was that why my body ached?
You have barely interrupted your cycle with that brief dosing of powder. You need to get more of that into you.
An emotion ran beneath the words—frustration? I couldn’t peg it for sure. At least he could mention Rafael now without sounding as though he wanted to rip him apart. But he was likely right about the powder.
As I reached for another meatroll, Dani leaned toward me on the table. “How did you guys do that thing with the ice?” she asked.
“They did it at the eruption, too,” Marcus cut in. “Raz—I mean, Riggs—held the water in the air, and then Bree froze it, and I sent it toward the ash cloud with the wind. It saved us.”
His tone was grudging, but I shot him a look, surprised that he’d given us that much credit.
“I thought you said he was a Shaker,” the other Watcher, Mandy, questioned.
