She’s always been able to communicate with me this way, but she hasn’t until now.She must not see a point unless she needs to tell me something privately.I can’t help being pleased, even if she’s not sharing anything substantial.What she said finally registers with me.Everything you taught me?What did you teach me, exactly?
“Don’t worry,” Liz says out loud this time.“I’ll start over right away.”
I can’t tell you how pleased I am that you two are sharing private conversations again.Asteria doesn’t look upset, even though her tone sounds like she is.I’m even more confused now.
Whether you bonded Liz or not, we still have to find more humans,Hyperion says.It would probably make Azar happy to go right back to where they shot you and roast some of those soldiers.
“There were quite a few humans willing to come with us before those military people tried to kill me,”Liz says.“They had signs.”
Ridiculous signs, I say.That’s what distracted me.
“And you can’t make shields anymore,” Jade says.“Because you’re not entwined anymore.”
“I’ll miss the entwined perks.”Liz shrugs.“But Azar can make them for me.”She nods.“And if we have to fight anyway, we may as well fight the soldiers where we know there are willing humans.Maybe some of them will still want to come with us, even after that mess.”
“Plus, if any of them do come, we know they aren’t scaredy cats,” Jade says.
Brave humans are better than the alternative,Asteria says.
I feel Liz’s pulse of pride in her sister—Jade may be small, but she’s smart.I also doubt she’d run away from a fight, which probably upsets Liz.“You can’t come with us, though,” Liz says.“You have to stay put.”
As if I’d risk Jade’s life for something like this,Asteria says.Give me a little credit.I only got a human yesterday.I wouldn’t even consider flinging her into a conflict a day later.
“Thank goodness.”Liz groans as she shoves up to her feet.She shifts her shoulders forward one at a time.“I swear, the part of me that hurts the most isn’t even the place I had a hole blown in a while ago.”She rolls her head around on her neck.“It’s the parts on my back that were lying on these cursed swords.”Her eyes widen, and she bites her lip.It’s terribly cute, but it’s also clear she’s thought of something.
What is it?
She shakes her head.“I—” She gapes at me.I keep forgetting that we can talk this way now.
What did you just realize?
It happened again.She sighs.I was her—the woman named Gyda who was bonded to that Freja, the ice dragon.
And?
She swallows.And Freja gave metheseswords.She stares at me.The ones that are on my back right now.Yourswords, the ones you said were left for the earth dragons.
We all know you’re talking privately,Hyperion says.It’s extremely rude.
You know what’s worse?I snap.Losing all my memories, and I know how that feels, because you shoved me into a volcano.
Now Hyperion’s laughing.Did you finally regain those memories, brother?
I glare.Why would you ask that?
You’re acting just like you did before—one minute.That’s how long it took from when you bonded her again to when you started snapping and snarling at anyone who so much as looks her direction.It’s truly amazing.Hyperion looks ticked—pacing back and forth in a place where there isn’t really room for a blessed of his size to pace.He barely gets three steps in before he has to turn around to keep from falling off the edge of the mountain.Sammy, even without a bond, had Gordon following him around like that Fluff Dog creature.Jade bonded Asteria yesterday and she’s already ordering her to fly over and heal her sister.And Asteria’slistening.Now you’re already mimicking Liz’s rudeness.
Not to interrupt,Asteria says.But I’m going to drop Jade off at the hotel and return.If we don’t hurry, the blessed-loving humans might have already been escorted offsite.
“She’s getting smarter,” Liz says.“We should hurry, and we should come from the other side.”
“Shouldn’t Axel eat something first?”Jade asks.
It’s not a terrible idea.I toss my head toward my back so Liz will climb on.
“I can fly.”
I snort.Didn’t you just say we should hurry?
