"Fuck yes!" Nyx pumps his fists into the air and darts to Drexel. He wraps his arms around Drexel's snout. Despite theFrost Dragon being on high alert, his eyes soften when Nyx touches him.
"Alem, don't do this!" My mother slides from Corvex and rushes to my side, draping her arm over me.
General Naziri's eyes widen, as if he's seen a ghost. "Sylvane?"
"Whatever is happening, we can resolve it without anyone getting hurt," she insists, holding me tight. I drop my head against her neck. I never knew how much her motherly love and protection would affect me. She came for me.
As if realization sparks in the General's eyes to the rage he was hypnotized by, he waves his hands to signal his bowmen to stand down.
My mother kisses my forehead and that's when I spy Atlas rounding the dragons. Vidarr was furthest to land and gave Atlas the most distance to travel. When he sees me, he stops, tears in his eyes, rage in his taut shoulders. His eyes rove my body but his smile falters when he notices the burns still healing. His gaze slides to examine Nyx and spies his scars. A wounded Bastian groans as he attempts to sit up behind me and Atlas loses control.
"You!" Atlas hisses, shadow swords drawn. He marches for Bastian, determination to slaughter him written across his face.
"Atlas, don't!" I cry out, but my words fall on deaf ears.
Shit. He's going to kill him. After everything I just went through to keep Bastian alive.
"Atlas!" I scream as he whips his swords above his head, intent on striking him down.
"No!" I lunge between them and throw up a shield as his shadow swords strike. He bounces backward from the impact.
Atlas pushes up onto his elbows, eyes wide and confused. But his confusion quickly turns into anger and pain. "He hurt you!" he bellows. "He hurt Nyx!"
I keep the gold force field up. "This isn't you, Atlas. You can't murder him in cold blood."
He flinches, as if my words were a cold slap to his face. "I would do anything for you," he whispers. "Even if that means bloodying my hands when you can't."
"Can't or won't?"
"Does it even matter?" He furrows his brow, standing to his feet. His shadow swords are noticeably absent, so I breathe easier. "He's wicked and vile. He deserves to die."
My bottom lip quivers. I know he doesn't understand any of this and he's in his full right to want to strike Bastian down, but I can't let that happen. Maybe I can make him understand once he's calmed down. Emotions are high. I need to diffuse all the rage. "I love you, Atlas, but I won't let you kill him."
Nyx joins his brother and clamps his hand on Atlas' shoulder. "Give her a chance to explain."
"You're ok with this?" Atlas seethes, like a wounded animal being cornered. He shrugs Nyx's hand from his body. "What the hell is going on?"
"Of course I'm not ok with Bastian being alive," Nyx barks. "But Kitarni and I almost died protecting his ass before you showed up. At least give her a chance to explain what's happened before you fuck things up."
My mother approaches Atlas with care, taking his hand in hers, drawing his cloudy gaze. "My son," she says so softly, I nearly miss it. But the unexpected affection surprises Atlas, softens him. "There are things at play here we do not understand. Trust Aurelia." She pats his cheek like an adoring mother would her angry son. "Your rage is valid. But war is full of surprises. Has Aurelia led you astray before?"
Atlas bows his head and breathes in and out rhythmically. His shoulders slump. When he lifts his head to meet my gaze through the shield, his eyes are green and understanding. Thefear he'll do something rash in his warranted anger subsides, so I lower the barrier and run to him.
He scoops me in his arms and holds me tight. Tighter than ever before. He breathes me in and I melt into his chest.
"Atlas," I rasp his name, nuzzling my face into the crook of his neck.
"I thought…" his voice is broken. "I thought I would never see you again."
"You almost didn't," I admit and his body stiffens. "It's a long story."
He pulls back and tucks a finger beneath my chin. His eyes rove over my face as if he's trying to remember each and every detail. "Tell me."
General Naziri and my mother pick up exactly where they left off two decades ago. Neither was sure the other had survived, but seeing as they're the last two of their core group – my father and my mother's brother no longer with us – they are leaning into rekindling their friendship. We are all welcomed to stay in the General's home as we strategize the next step in the war effort, and our dragons are given places in Marshu.
Although Bastian is no longer kept in a cell, he is not permitted to walk amongst us freely. He is in a guest room with guards watching his every move.
With a grand dinner planned in a couple hours, it gives me and Nyx enough time to give account of what transpired once we were captured. My mother and Atlas sit quietly as we detail our harrowing experience and even though I want to completely skip what torture I endured, I confess it. I won't permit it to fester in my soul unchecked. The more secrecy I give it, the more shameand guilt I carry. I won't permit it to break me. I won't let Drogon be right. He will pay for what he did to me, but until then, I won't be slave to the torture he inflicted.
