Chapter 65
Chapter Sixty-Five
BELLAMY
A ron’s hands curled into fists. “We have to be ready to fight.”
Driscoll gestured from him to Leoni to himself. “We? Us? The four of us? Fight the gods? Are you all insane?”
Leoni crossed her arms. “I thought you said you were with us ’til the end.”
“Yeah.” Driscoll waved his hand. “Like figuratively. I didn’t think that meant I was going to have to fight a god.”
“Did you find anything in Khalasa’s mind?” Leoni asked me.
I shook my head. “I tried, but she’s keeping her memories locked away. And she knew I was in her mind.”
Driscoll swore while Aron rubbed his jaw. “How long do you think we’ll have until they’re here?”
I shook my head. “They were all out of control. I didn’t even see any of the gods, just their magic. I think it’s going to take a few days for them to regain control of themselves, their magic.”
“Okay,” Driscoll said. “We call the other leaders of the courts. Tell them to come.”
“It can take weeks for them to get here,” Leoni said. “Unless they can somehow fly.”
“The shadows,” I signed. “Maybe the shadows can go get them.”
Driscoll looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “But none of us have shadow magic.”
“My father does. He can do it. He can get the other leaders.”
“And the boys in Neverland.” Leoni nodded. “We have to go to them, see if they’ll fight.”
Driscoll frowned. “You think they’re gonna fight after Kairoth took their shadows?”
“He gave them back,” I signed.
“Yeah, after years of holding them hostage.”
“Yet they’re all still here. On his island.”
“I think they’ll fight if the choice is life or death,” Leoni said. “Our entire world is at stake. We at least have to try.”
Aron took all of this in. I turned to him. “What do you think?”
“I think we need to get as many people here to fight as possible. I don’t know the power these gods wield.” He took me in. “I know your power. And you are stronger than anyone I’ve ever encountered. If their magic is anything like yours, we will have the battle of a lifetime, and we need all the help we can get.”
“We’ll go to Neverland,” Leoni said.
Driscoll turned to her. “Can you go alone?” he burst out.
Leoni scowled at him. “Really, Driscoll? You’re going to turn and run now?”
“No.” He stepped forward, grabbed Aron by the shirt and hauled my friend into him, kissing him hard.
“Oh,” Leoni said.
Driscoll moaned into Aron’s mouth, and Aron’s arms wrapped around his back.
“I knew he was into him,” Leoni muttered, rolling her eyes. “Just takes the end of the world to make him figure out what he wants.”
“Will you shut up?” Driscoll said out the side of his mouth while somehow still managing to kiss Aron. “You’re ruining the mood.”
Leoni grabbed my arm and led me toward the balcony as we let Driscoll and Aron have their moment.
“We’re not going to be able to pull any of this off if we don’t find out how to get rid of the gods’ powers,” Leoni said. “You have to try and get into Khalasa’s mind again. We have to figure this out.”
She was right, but I didn’t know how. I wasn’t a match for Khalasa. She’d had thousands of years to hone her magic. I’d had sixty. There was no comparing us. I was strong, yes. I was determined. But I wasn’t well-matched with her. Unless I could somehow find a weakness.
I glanced back at my father’s journal entries.
“I’m going to leave within the next few hours,” Leoni said. “Get to Neverland. See how many of the boys will fight with us. Do you think your father will be strong enough to use his shadow magic? To get the other leaders? Will you be able to prepare them? Gabrielle will come. I know she will. So will Poppy and Liliath. I’m sure Seraphina will come, too, and with the dragons. All of them will want to fight this with us.” She put a hand on my arm. “We’re not alone.”
I was starting to realize that more than ever.
“I’ll reach out to them. I’ll prepare my father. We’ll get them here. And then we’ll come up with a plan.”
“Good,” Leoni said, swallowing. “Then let’s not waste any more time.”
We turned, Driscoll and Aron still making out.
“I don’t know what they’re going to do.” Leoni gestured to them. “Just make sure they’re being useful.”
With that she strode around them and out of view. I picked up my father’s journal, flipping through the pages. Time to see how much my magic had really worked on my father.