It was all true.
And they were unwittingly proving it.
Dad’s crimson magic was flaming violently as he tore the distance toward me, while Ketheron swept his golden power around, seemingly searching for Ruxnoth, probably trying to track him. Vaxan bolted over, his magic not flaming, but his scales covering any part of his skin visible, in clear primal battle mode.
I started when Ambrose snagged my dad’s arm and it had the crimson flames lessening in ferocity. “Careful. I can’t maintain this for long, especially if we need to engage Ruxnoth.”
“We won’t,” Ketheron called over. “He’s vanished.” With a grimace, he added, “No trace. Nothing at all. I felt him here briefly when we arrived, but he’s cleansed it now.”
My dad cursed, and then he was skidding to his knees in front of me. “Winter!” He grasped my face, studying me frantically, looking me over, then sweeping his magic over me too. “Are you all right? How do you feel? Did he harm you?”
Vaxan came to my left side and grasped my hand, making me realize that it was trembling—all of me was.
“Fine,” I rasped. “I’m unharmed.”
“Unharmed?” Ambrose spoke. “Not harmed at all in that monster’s captivity? Or just currently? He healed you? Hid the damage he inflicted?”
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.
I just slumped against Vaxan, and my dad released me and pulled his magic back.
“You’re safe now,” Vaxan spoke soothingly. “We’re here. We’re here with you.”
“We need to get him cleansed of that thing’s infection,” my dad spoke to Ketheron. “I can feel it there.” He rubbed my shoulder, telling me, “Everything will be okay. All right, Win?”
I stared out at him.
“What is it?” he asked, worriedly.
“You didn’t tell me.”
“Tell you what?”
“About Temperance.”
He choked and jerked back a little, his hand leaving my shoulder.
“Listen—”
“They don’t want me.”
“Who doesn’t?”
“The world.”
“Winter, however that motherfucker has framed things to you, that’s not—”
“It’s worse than I thought.”
When he went to speak again, to likely attempt to reassure me by downplaying the truth, I looked away, and sank into Vaxan.
The last thing I felt was Vax tightening his hold, before all the trembling gave way to an overbearing exhaustion that pulled me into sleep.
6
~Sylas Morgrave~
He wasn’t ready.
