“How—how did she do that?” Ryu gasped, similarly startled. “That shouldn’t be possible!”
“Did you both notice,” Lorenzo began, “that she didn’t shift into a normal golden leopard? She specifically took the form of a black one, like Raja. She did the same thing with Dante. If I had shifted instead, I’m sure she would shift into a silver dragon.”
“So, she’s mimicking whoever shifts?” Ryu asked slowly, shaking his head. “That still doesn’t make sense. I’ve never seen a shifter able to take more than two forms, even in Cinderhollow.”
Ryu and I stared at Lorenzo. Gabriel murmured to him, “Go on, tell them what you told us.”
I growled.I’m gonna wring the truth out of Lorenzo if he doesn’t hurry up and spit it out!
Lorenzo took a moment to steady himself with a deep breath. “I’m judging this based on a few factors. One, Angel’s features—namely, her light hair and eyes. Second, her ability to shift into multiple forms. Third, her innate skill with magic—especially clear magic, the most difficult of all to use. And finally… The night of her appearance.”
My heart raced with suspense and I frowned.
“That night,” Ryu murmured in thought. “The flicker of the barrier—that’s what you’re referring to, is that right?”
“Yes,” Lorenzo said. “Our initial assumption was wrong. We mistakenly thought Henry’s supposed magic was somehow strong enough to overpower it, and that lead us to believe he was Angel’s biological omega-father. I realize now we were looking in the wrong direction.”
My mind was a chaotic blur. Everything I’d known was flipped on its head.
“So what does thatmean?” I asked impatiently.
Lorenzo wore a serious and awed expression, as if he spoke about something bigger than all of us. “I believe Angel’s true biological omega-father is the creator of the Cinderhollow barrier.”
Ryu’s face went pale. “You don’t mean…?”
“Yes,” Lorenzo confirmed. “I believe Halo Fire-Eater is Angel’s father.”
The room went silent.
I didn’t know what to say, or how to feel. Lorenzo essentially just told us Angel was the child of a legend. Alivinglegend.
I glanced down at my baby. Angel blinked, with her beautiful golden-green eyes. Without speaking, I scooped her back into my arms and held her close, like she would vanish at any moment. She hummed and nestled into my chest.
“What I don’t understand is,” Gabriel began quietly, “if Halo Fire-Eater is still alive, why would he abandon his own child?”
“He’s one of the most powerful mages in existence,” Dante added with an angry frown. “If anyone could keep their own kid safe, it should be him. So why’d he dump her?”
“There’s no way for us to know the answer,” Lorenzo admitted. “All we can gather from this is that Halo Fire-Eater is alive, active, and somewhere with access to Cinderhollow. And if those things are true, then we can also assume he’s still interested in keeping Cinderhollow safe, because his ancient barrier still stands.”
Quiet settled upon us once more.
I growled to myself. “What kind of parent wants to keep their tribe safe, and not their kid?”
“I suppose heiskeeping Angel safe with the barrier,” Ryu commented.
“Yeah, but he’s doing a shit job of raising her,” I muttered. Gabriel was too stunned and confused to reprimand me for swearing.
“So what do we do with this information?” Ryu asked.
Lorenzo merely shrugged. “I suppose there’s nothing you can do, except continue with your lives. You’re doing an excellent job of raising Angel. I’m sure if Fire-Eater cared, he would agree.”
I frowned and tightened my grip on Angel, who had no clue about the conversation surrounding her. Maybe it was better that way.
Ryu sidled close to me and placed a protective arm around my shoulder in silent agreement.
“I don’t carewhoshe came out of,” I growled. “I’ll fight to keep her, even if her biological parentisa legend. I’ll kick that guy’s ass.”
A small chuckle rippled among the table. My joke—although I was completely serious—seemed to lighten the mood, at least.
