She shrugs, the gesture easy but not careless. “That’s a decision only you can make. The consequences depend entirely on how you use your unlocked power. If you do, remember, it has to be cleansed to its original state before it goes back into the Gods Binding.”
Right.
Crystal-clear globe.
No gray smoke.
“I’m sorry, Thayla,” she whispers. “For dropping all of this on you. I know exactly how this feels.”
I suck my teeth and stare down at the grass beneath my boots, grounding myself in something solid. When I lift my head again, the sincerity in her face makes my chest tighten. She doesn’t say that lightly.
Shemeansit.
“I’d love to say it’s okay, but it isn’t. That doesn’t mean I blame you. It just…fucking sucks,” I admit, my voice rougher than I want it to be.
“I know.”
Her harsh exhale whistles through her lips like the truth of saying that costs her something, then she reaches back into that swirling, silvery liquid.
“Here. Take these. A small gift.”
“What are they?” I ask, peering into the sack as she slides its corded handles on my wrist.
“A batch of healing tonics. You never know when they’ll come in handy. Hopefully, they work.”
“Well”—a corner of my mouth lifts despite myself—“the one I took didn’t do anything for my powers, but my body feels amazing.”
Her answering smile is wide and genuine. “That makes me really happy. I can’t wait to tell my grandpa the gods are drinking his tonics. He loved his time in this realm.”
“Damn,” I blurt. “He was here before the portals closed?”
I wince.
That was probably rude.
Then again, she’s kind of old, only a little younger than my parents.
So her grandpa would have to be…really old.
“Uh. I’m not old.” She gasps through her smirk with a hand to her heart. “Two hundred and fifty-one has never looked better, thank you very much.”
I choke down a snort. “You’re absolutely right. You don’t look a day over thirty, actually.”
Her smile softens into something warmer, something that makes my chest ache. She’s been looking at me this whole time like she’s known me far longer than she should. Like she recognizes something in me I haven’t figured out yet. Regret still lingers in her eyes, but so does hope.
“It’s time for us to go,” she whispers.
Her power crashes down around us. Her men move instantly, surrounding her, while mine step closer to me. Hands find my arms, my back, my shoulders. I breathe.
“Ready, princess?” Corentin asks.
She clears her throat and nods.
“All right, Abandon Bros,” Draken drawls, “I’m looking forward to that flight, so don’t fuck everything up.”
“Draken,” Willow, Corentin, Caspian, and Tillman bark.
Riven chuckles. “Count your days, dragon man. Verlet and I are going to wipe the sky with your big ass.”
