An anxious lump formed in my throat. “He’s my mate.”
Zenon nodded, like this information wasn’t news to him.
His next words turned my blood to ice.
“Didn’t you have a daughter as well?”
“Don’t,” I said quietly, breathless. “Don’t bring her into this.”
Before my eyes, the massive black dragon transformed into a more familiar form - a tall alpha with black hair, whose body was covered in burn scars.
The man that I was supposed to have killed.
“Yes, Halo,” Zenon said with a smile. “It’s me.”
“How are you still alive?” I screamed, fury overtaking me. I wanted to lunge at him and attack, and at the same time I wanted to crawl into the corner and wish he would just disappear.
“A little magic goes a long way,” Zenon replied. He traced one of the burn scars on his face. “But as you can see, I wasn’t immune to your onslaught.”
“Halo, what the hell is going on?” Kass yelled.
“Your mate isn’t as bright as you, is he?” Zenon asked me with a smile. “Go on. Explain to him.”
My stomach churned. “Kass, he… He’s the man I killed. Or thought I did.”
His eyes widened in fear and confusion. “But how? And did he saymagic?”
I couldn’t blame Kass for being lost. None of this made any sense.
“Keep up, will you?” Silas snapped at him. “Your stupidity is exhausting.”
Kass was losing control of his cool. “Silas, what’s happening? Why are you working with this guy? Youhatemagic!”
Silas paused. Then he and Zenon both began to laugh. Kass shrank back, looking more bewildered and small than ever.
“No, Kassius, that’s where you’re wrong,” Silas barked. “You were too stupid to see the truth.”
“Huh?” Kass said, his voice bordering on a whimper.
“We needed you to think that, of course. You just fell for it.Hard.You and that Commander both, along with the rest of the Knights.” Silas rolled his eyes. “Once the seed of doubt was planted, it was too easy to make you believe that lie.”
Kass crumpled. His expression was one of hopelessness and betrayal. “What? Then… why?”
“Because we needed you to turn on Halo,” Silas remarked.
Wide-eyed, Kass turned to me. We exchanged a long, meaningful glance, laced with more emotions than I could put a name to.
His voice was small when he spoke. “Halo, I - ”
But Zenon grew tired of entertaining someone as useless as Kass, and interrupted him. “You never answered my question, Halo Fire-Eater.”
“What?” I snapped.
“Your daughter. Silas told me she was with you at first, but later disappeared.” He crossed his arms, which were also marred by burn scars. “Where is she?”
The weight of the world seemed to collapse on my shoulders. There were too many ways this could go wrong.
My mind slowed. I had to think this through. I shut my eyes.
