“Briefly. Cloaked so as not to disturb Winter. When she recreated what transpired, we discovered traces of Winter’s magic all over Vaxan Canor. Combined with the conversation between the two of you, it became clear just how dear the Basilisk Lord has become to our son. It’s not only why you assisted him, it’s why you sought to pursue this justice for him. Well, with you, part of the reason. There’s also what befell your family.”
That last part was something he’d helped with. More than helped with. He’d saved my parents. It was how I’d first met Winter.
Yeah, it was all complicated as fuck.
“Even with that in play, you still acted selflessly. Foronce.You did it for Winter, for his care for another, no less.”
“And that… absolves me in your eyes?” I highly doubted it.
“When Winter allows that to sink in, he’ll return to you. With this change in you, the toxicity the two of you being together bred is no longer a factor.” He glared at me. “So long as you don’t regress.”
“And you’re just willing to chance that?”
“Like I said, this is Winter’s choice. But my concern is the way you handled the situation with those vampires. I can’t allow that around my son. Winter is sweet and gentle, but he’s also susceptible and sensitive to certain things.”
With a wave of his hand, my own voice from the day I’d fought those shitheads off Vaxan sounded in the air.
“You’re in for a world of horrific pain, fucker. You see, there’s no limit for me when I happen upon this sort of sickening shit, victimizing people, using their inborn weaknesses against them that they can’t fucking change and already fear living with in case assholes like you pull this despicable bullshit.”
I grimaced. “I was… worked up.”
“Your approach is too hardline. There’s a very small leap from that to actually taking lives. And that’s not good for the soul—especially not ones so young. It’s certainly not something I want my son around.” He regarded me curiously. “That said, I don’t actually think you believe what you spouted. You may lash out and embody chaos all too often, but you’re not cold and merciless at your heart.Yet.With your history, you’resusceptible to being twisted into that. So, tonight, we begin seeing to that.”
“You’re gonna trust me on a mission with you?”
“Yes.”
He flicked his fingers, sparks emanating, and he rolled them between his fingers.Whoa.“You will defer to my command, listen, and only act at my word. Clear?”
This was… a lot.
“Zayn?”
I blinked. “Yeah. Yeah, we’re clear.”
“Clan Krevorn consists of forty members. They’re all convened right now in an emergency meeting in a clearing in Averiaz Woods. They’re panicking due to the botched attack on Vaxan, where they showed their hand. I’ll teleport us into the area. At my signal, you’ll cast your flame in a sixty-foot radius, forming a forty-foot-high wall to contain them before they can scatter. Remain off to the side where I bring us in and wait on any further orders from me.”
I straightened and rolled my shoulders. This was really happening.
“Yes,” I told him, nervousness giving way to some real anticipation now.
He went to invoke his power to teleport us, but then he pulled up short as he looked at me.
“What?” I asked.
“Breathe. Take a couple of moments.”
I was about to do my usual fake-it-till-you-make-it thing, but I stopped myself.
Not only wouldn’t that bravado get past the likes of Sylas Morgrave, but Ididactually need a moment.
As I set about centering myself, he told me, “If it makes you feel better, Klyra and Romus are aware that I’m doing this with you.”
I jolted. “You talked to my parents?”
“Yes.”
“Did they… are they good?”
