“You’re staying here.” I pull away from Liz with very little regret. As enjoyable as my time in this human form has been, I can’t continue, not now. Maybe not ever again, if I’m smart.
I shift immediately into Azar, and I turn to glare.
Liz is already strapping her sword scabbard in place.
You cannot come. That’s an order. You will stay here.
She rolls her eyes.
I’m not asking. I’m not begging. I’m telling.
When she turns toward me this time, she freezes. Maybe she sees something in my face. Maybe it’s the emphatic method of my communication, but she nods. It’s small, but it’s there.
I relax just a little.
I know she won’t stay away long, and it may not even matter. Because if I die, she will too, and there’s still a good chance of that whether Liz is present or not. In a head-on fight, I can’t defeat my oldest brother, not even with Hyperion’s help. With Liz there, it feels very likely that we will fight. I appreciate a lot of things about her, but level-headed, she isn’t.
My brother Thunar’s here. He’s not friendly, and he’s not kind. Please stay put while I meet with him. Keep the kids close, too.
“Are you in danger?” The bond thrums, and her eyes are tight. “Should I be?—”
Worried. She’s wondering whether she should worry. Of course not. I have Hyperion with me, and I’m stronger than I was. I’ll be back soon.
I can tell by the way she bites her lip that she can feel my lie. Thankfully, she doesn’t argue. As I launch into the sky, I find myself worrying that she might be sick. It’s not like her to let something like this go so easily. I glance over my shoulder to make sure she’s not following me.
Which is stupid.
I can sense where she is now, and she’s walked into the next room, but she’s not flying anywhere. Liz may not be very obedient, but she’s not an idiot.
I’ve barely flown away from our new lodgings that overlook the edge of the Timor Sea—I don’t want to lead Thunar right to Liz if it comes to that—when Euphrasia bursts out of the water.
You can’t come either. I don’t bother stopping.
I heard him. She doesn’t argue, but her tone is not reassuring. Be careful.
As if I need her to tell me that. Hyperion joins me as I wing my way toward the direction I heard the portal. It’s promising that he landed so far away. That’s a polite thing to do.
Thunar isn’t polite. Speculation’s pointless. As we wing our way north, we startle a herd of water buffalo, but shortly after that, I see them. Far, far more blessed have arrived than just my older brother. At least ten thousand blessed have landed on the northern side of the island, and notably, the earth blessed he brought still have no wings.
Liz’s upgrade only helped the blessed who were here? Hyperion spares me one curious glance before we land.
Thunar. I glance around at the wide circle the other blessed have made for Hyperion and me. Even if we haven’t returned yet, the earth, strike, and water blessed who came with Thunar still show a healthy amount of respect.
That’s the wrong word, really.
Fear.
That’s always been the strongest motivator for all of us.
I feel the wind from his wings through the portal before I see him. I turn just before Hyperion does, and as ever, my oldest half-brother flies in last, making a very calculated, very dramatic entrance on the north side of the small Australian island. You’re still alive. The humor in his simple statement is clear.
I hate when he laughs at me.
He knows and he’s baiting me. I’m young, but I’m no longer stupid. I ignore him.
Not only alive, Hyperion says. We’ve recovered the heart, just a few days ago.
But you didn’t return. Thunar lands heavily in front of us, forcing Hyperion and me to back up or risk being knocked over. Everything with him is always a power play. If he wasn’t half again bigger than Hyperion, I wouldn’t stand for it. As it is, I’m pretty sure he can kill both of us before we could take him.
