Logan took his hand and they gave each other a bro hug. When Dylan pulled back, his eyes again went to my necklace. “That was hers, wasn’t it? I mean, it looks just likehers…”
My mom. I couldn’t escape the memory of that woman if I wanted to. Good thing Ididn’t.
“It was,” I told him, and touchedit.
He ran a hand through his hair, then pulled a matching—but smaller and more masculine—pendant from his shirt. It hung on a long chain, pulsing with a small glow. “She found me when I was seventeen, seconds from getting killed by hunters—kind of like today. The necklace stopped working for a while, but then yesterday it lit upagain.”
My throat pinched. How had I not known my mother was this amazing warrior skyborn protector? It killed me that I had sat next to her at the dinner table, talking about school, makeup and boys. But I guessed that was what she wanted for me, just a normallife.
I was glad to see that my necklace seemed to be feeding all of the skyborn. Maybe that meant it could buy us time from Ardan finding the ones my momhid.
“Well, I’m glad we’re all together now,” I toldhim.
He slung an arm around his girlfriend and nodded. “It’s what she always wanted. A dragon commune. Talked about getting some land one day, so we could all live together. When you wereolder.”
Jesus. Had my mom poured her heart and soul out to every single person but me? Older … she never got to see me grow up. That thought saddened me, but I let itgo.
Logan seemed to know that I was struggling with what to say, he pat Dylan on the back. “Well, we’ve got the land now, and I can’t wait for you to meet theothers.”
As they walked to the bus, I stared up at the overcast sky. I hoped my mom was looking down on me and I was making her proud. Now more than ever I could use her guidance. I was stuck in the middle of a war I wasn’t sure I couldwin.
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Chapter 5
After makingit back to the land, I went straight to Isaac and embraced the druid, thanking him for helping me save Keegan. He looked tired. I’m sure helping me do a distance healing of that severity had taken a lot out of him. We talked about it for a few minutes and then I found myself wondering about somethingelse.
“Hey, Isaac, I have a serious question…” We were sitting on our favorite patch of grass near the base of the waterfall. Isaac’s psycho pet goat was munching grass fifty feet away, while eyeing me. If she came at me I was going to burn the tip of hertail.
“Okay. What is it?” He sat up straighter, and as usual, I was mesmerized by the contrast of his dark skin against the honey color of his strikingeyes.
“So you and I will kill Ardan. Then what? How does killing one or two men solve this entire war?” I was definitely killing Steven. That was non-negotiable.
Isaac nodded. “Did you see today how you were able to tap into my power and healKeegan?”
I nodded. Isaac had told me Ardan was connected to all of his druids, feeding power from and tothem.
“Well,” he continued, “when we take out the top chain of command, then Ardan’s lower level druids will find themselves so incredibly weak, with the power loss, that they will not fight back. They will turn to Mother Earth in sorrow and regret, asking for her power to make them wholeagain.”
I shifted in my seat. Isaac had a way of speaking as if something was a certainty. He’d done it since that day I’d met him. “Okay … but what if they don’t? What if they come for us, and slay us, and a new Ardan rises up? I mean, how can you be sure that they will turn back to earth magic and leave the skyborn alone?” I hated questioning him. He was such a happy guy, radiating such positive energy. I didn’t want to bring himdown.
He just smirked. “Because, child, I’ve seen it as clear as I saw that the Earth would send me you. It’s one of my unspoken gifts. Something I don’t like to share with too many people. I knowthings.”
Oh.Oh.Hewaspsychic! I knew it. “Did you know Keegan was going to get hurt today or that I would be kidnapped?” I asked. If he did, why didn’t he tellme?
He scoffed. “No. Of course not! I don’t knoweverything. I getbigger picturemessages in my meditations. Just trust me. Once we take care of Ardan, a new peace will reign on Earth for the humans and theskyborn.”
He was asking me to trust him. How could I not? I gave him a light smile. “Okay.” Now the only issue at hand was how to killArdan.
Isaac peered at my mother’s necklace. “How’s the necklace working out foryou?”
I shrugged. “Fine. I’m able to use my power without any headaches oranything.”
Isaac nodded, but his lips were turneddown.
“What?” I asked nervously, uncrossing mylegs.
He opened his palms and shrugged. “I think it’s great we have your mother's necklace. I think it’s done wonders for amplifying up your fire druidmagic.”
