James joggedto catch up with the others with Riley at his side.
He’d known how huge her heart was, how much she cared, but he hadn’t truly realized how much strength that gave her until that moment.
Ahead of them, Kay whispered to Zach and Emma to peel off and look for Finn. Emma still looked pale and vulnerable, and Zach was hovering around her, seemingly unable to let her go even for a moment. Thankfully, Emma would not have to face her father. Although, now that he thought about it, he wasn’t surprised Kay would have protected her that way.
Not that there weren’t risks. For all of them. Kay’s plan was straightforward, but there was no way to mitigate the danger.
Elizabeth, David, and Bryn would buy them time to infiltrate the house. Emma and Zach would use the opportunity to find Finn, video the Shadow-stripped former councilor, and send the evidence—along with Emma’s testimony that her father had brought blood Shadows back into the world—to every Custodian of every Circle. The rest of them would continue down to surprise the Council from behind. Hopefully, they would quickly overcome any defense they might muster, and then they could take Gordon into custody until a new Council could be formed.
If they were defeated, hopefully enough damage would already have been done to Gordon’s reputation to save them. Or, failing that, to at least remove him from power. Whatever happened now, the Order had to evolve. Had to learn from this disaster and realize that secrets and lies could only hurt them.
Their Circle’s priority was to reveal the truth. To use their Shadows to protect the light. To hold to their Guardian oath.
None of their small group was under any illusions that Gordon would easily submit to their demands. Or that defeating a Council of the strongest Dru-vid of their generation would be easy. But it was the only hope they had.
If Gordon managed to become Archdderwydd, he could make any claim he wanted, order any punishment of any person he wished, and it would be enforced.
James pushed the thought away. If he dwelt on it, he’d be paralyzed. And they were all committed now. Riley needed him to be the strongest he had ever been.
They reached the large black door at the far end of the conservatory, and then they all waited silently. Riley lifted her hands and sent a plume of misty Shadows swirling through the house, searching for life, searching for Finn.
She closed her eyes, frowning hard as she worked to send out more and more Shadows, streams of charcoal and jade unfurling and spilling like a brewing storm. Her Healer’s senses were far more attuned to life energy than James’s, but it was still a massive task.
A sudden memory rose of Ethan’s arms around Kay beneath the walls of Tintern Abbey. Their Shadows had merged, flowing out together, powerful and vibrant as they faced him.
At the time, all James had seen was his own imminent death, but now he realized just how glorious and potent that joining was.
He watched Riley as she worked. Her face was drawn in concentration but still so precious to him. He wanted to join with her, their Shadows dancing, building, exploding out of them. He wanted to reach for the kind of true connection he’d hardly allowed himself to dream of. The kind of connection Kay had with Ethan, and Zach had with Emma.
He’d told Riley he loved her. And he’d believed that he had offered her everything. But now—at the worst possible time—he realized he had still held back. He had been waiting for the perfect moment. For enough time. For Riley to love him in return. He’d accepted that their Shadows wouldn’t merge, and so, they hadn’t.
But the truth was… she didn’t need to love him.Heloved her. He didn’t need their Shadows to join when he could simply give her his.
It didn’t matter that his Shadows were crumpled and frayed. It didn’t matter what they looked like or that they were far from perfect. It only mattered that she should have all of him.
He stepped up behind her, and without thinking about it any further, wrapped his arms around her andgave.
His Shadows flared out, and for the first time ever, he let them run entirely wild. There was no need to hold back, no part of him she hadn’t seen. He gave her his love, his respect, his admiration, and his Shadows. She could have it all.
Riley gasped, and her eyes flew open, meeting his as their Shadows leaped out in a cascade of growing power. And, for the first time, they truly joined. There was no holding back, just him and her, surrounded by a tempest.
Jade and sky-blue Shadows danced around them, and he didn’t even look to see if his were fragile or distorted; all he could see was her. Riley was all that mattered.
She closed her eyes, Shadows pouring out all around her to sweep through the house. And just for a moment, he could almost sense the wild energy of living things. The birds waking in the trees outside, heartbeats, voices in the distance.
And then Riley sighed, a soft sound of success, and slowly pulled her Shadows back.
It took him a moment to find his feet again. To remember where they were and why.
“Finn’s on the second floor, toward the back of the house,” Riley murmured.
“You’re sure?” Kay asked.
“It’s the only larger life form here that isn’t currently filled with fear and rage,” Riley explained sadly. “I don’t think he has much longer.”
“And the others?”
“Everyone else is in the foyer.”
