It was too bright,Asteria says.Like the sun.
Liz collapses again, her body convulsing, her now-red hair strewn across the ground underneath her head like just another pool of blood.
That wasn’t the golden light of a normal bond,Asteria continues.At least, it wasn’t only that.It was brilliant gold, but also red, and then layered inside the red, a bright, vibrant green.
“Maybe it’s because she bonded Axel and Azar at once,” Jade says.“It wasn’t really a normal bond.”
I couldn’t care less how it looked.I lean closer to Liz, hoping that it worked.She looks pale—too pale.But then I remember to listen.I’m relieved to hear a heartbeat—boom, boom.
Then nothing.
Again.
No, I say.She’s—is she still dying?
As if I prompted her, a great, pulling weight claws at my magic, and I shove the strength toward her.Yes, take it,I say.Take whatever you need.
Then, right in front of our eyes, the hole in her chest begins to close, red tissues knitting together, and then skin closing over it too.I sit back on my haunches, horribly relieved.
“Oh, good.It worked, plus, now Azar can eat,” Jade says.“It’s great news all around.”
I’m not at all sure Liz will agree, especially since the attack kept us from recovering enough humans to satisfy my brother.Six hundred and fifty isn’t likely to make Hyperion happy.I’m not happy with it either, if I’m being honest.I appreciate that Liz doesn’t want to force the humans, but we can’t very well let the blesseddiein droves because she’s not a fan of how we’re ensnaring them.And if the blessed were to be attacked by the humans right now...we’ll break apart like rotten fruit smashed with a hammer.
By the time Hyperion returns with Memna—a strike blessed who apparently bonded a human nurse—Liz’s wing has already almost healed on its own.
The humans with guns were waiting on you?Hyperion’s expression is flat.
Let’s talk about this when Liz wakes up,I say.
Bonded for one moment and already letting the human dictate our actions again.He snorts.Just as pathetic as when you remembered everything about her.
Look at you,I say.You’re scared to bond a human at all.You’re afraid of what you’ll do for yours.
Actually, I was serious.He tosses his head.I wanted to bond that one.He sighs.I suppose I’ll have to choose another, but now that we’re going to have to fight them either way, we may as well simply go to war and ensnare all the humans we need all at once.
“It’s not that simple,” Jade says.“Brights aren’t easy to find.”
Your sister’s been finding hundreds of them a day—they’ve been coming to her, begging to come even when they can’t be bonded,Hyperion says.How hard can it really be?
I heard that it’s not always that easy,Asteria says.Ocharta told me it took them days to locate the hundred or so they bonded in Houston.
All the more reason to get started right away, Hyperion says.
“I should have known you’d be here, already yammering.”Liz heaves herself up to seating, cradling her head in her hands.“Ouch.What in the world happened?”She freezes, slowly turning to look at the strand of hair in her right hand.“Why is my hair...”She turns toward us.
“Axel finally bonded you,” Jade says.
Are you sure she didn’t arrange for someone to shoot her?Asteria asks.
I know Liz’s feeling better when she glares at Asteria.“Not everyone is as pathetic as you.”
I expect to have to defend my newly bonded human, but Asteria laughs.You’re the worst.
“Right back atcha, big silver.”
I don’t understand the relationship between them at all.
No,Liz says.You didn’t understand before, but now that you’ve forgotten everything I ever taught you, you’rereallyhopeless.
