I growled, putting my hands on my stomach protectively, hating him call my unborn babythat thing.
“Well, you signed up for all this, so don’t blame me,” I muttered.
Looking almost unhinged, Silas growled at me one last time before shifting into his wyvern form and sloppily launching out of the cavern.
Now,I thought.This is the perfect time for Kass to show up.
I shut my eyes and desperately tried our mental link. I called his name into the darkness, and nearly leapt out of the link when his voice replied, sounding crystal clear.
Halo? Are you there?He asked.
Yes,I said quickly.Where are you? Your voice sounds… closer.
Probably because weareclose. We’re right outside the cavern. We just saw Silas leave.
My heart raced.Oh, thank gods!
Hang on, Halo. I’m coming,Kass promised.
The link cut short. My nerves were electrified. Kass was right outside. He was so,soclose. We were going to be reunited.
I stood and grabbed the cage bars, my eyes trained on the entrance. Nothing happened. I hesitated, wondering if something had gone wrong. Doubts pooled in my mind.
Then, a flicker in the shadows. My mind didn’t register the forms properly at first - they were dusky red, like the light of torch fire on a rocky crag. But theyweren’tlight or shadow - they were foxes, slinking low to the floor as they streamed inside the cavern.
I realized they must be Luce’s skulk coming to help me. I was grateful but still confused because I didn’t see Kass among them. Where was he?
Another shadowy form slipped into view. It kept to the walls, moving quickly. When the light touched it, I almost gasped.
Kass!
It took all my willpower not to cry out happily at the sight of him. He rushed forward to the cage and before even saying anything, he kissed me through the bars. I kissed him back, desperately, knowing we both needed this brief moment of intimacy before all hell broke loose.
“You’re here,” I breathed as the kiss ended.
Kass was already at work, digging something out of the pouch slung around his waist. “Of course I am. I told you I’d come.”
“I know, idiot. It’s just romantic, okay?” I muttered.
He smiled and gave me another quick kiss, then pulled out a mechanical device from the pouch. From what I could tell, it was a handheld circular saw.
I leapt back from the cage bars when I realized what it was for. “Wow, not wasting any time, huh?”
Kass growled. “There’s no timetowaste.”
Before he started up the device, I noticed the foxes had some gear of their own. All of them wore armor, presumably to defend them from dragon attacks.
“They’re going to fight?” I asked incredulously.
“Hell yeah, we are.”
On the other side of the cage stood James, his fox form’s eyes glinting with determination.
“What did you think?” he asked. “That we were just gonna sit around and watch?”
I shrugged. I honestly had no idea what they had been planning. I looked around and noticed one was missing.
“Where’s Luce?” I asked.
