Chapter 5
Gracie
The last time I’d been on a jet, I hadn’t been focused on the details; I’d been focused on surviving.
On trying to make myself as small as possible to avoid Ivan’s wrath or Marek’s intense stares and obscene comments.
I’d been trying to gather any information I could about the outside world, even if it was delivered through Velina.
This time, though—this time I could actually take it in.
The jet was huge, even larger than Ivan’s.
The interior stretched out in a series of plush seating areas instead of tight rows.
Soft leather chairs faced one another near the front, while a longer couch sat further back, the low lighting and steady hum of the engines creating a space that felt quiet and contained.
Basir sat across from me, his hands folded over his abdomen as he stared out the oval window, the afternoon light bright compared to the cozy cabin. Ravik sat beside me, leaning into the aisle to speak to his brother in the back with Elowen, while Thornar lounged across from me, completely at ease.
Everything about this kind of luxury was foreign to me, but I loved the quiet and peace that came with it. I pulled the blanket that had been placed over my lap closer, allowing my body to melt into the leather chair beneath me.
I didn’t mean to fall asleep, but my eyes grew heavy as the adrenaline from leaving the Ironsun territory seeped out of my system. The entire car ride to the airport I’d been on edge, feeling as though something bad was waiting just outside my new sanctuary.
Instead, I’d been met with a view of the lush, mountainous landscape—the homes nestled into nature outside the city, the small villages filled with movement and life as people went about their day. It reminded me of the village I’d come from.
The memory softened something in my chest, the tension slowly unwinding as the steady hum of the jet filled the silence. My grip loosened on the blanket, and my eyes slipped shut before I could stop them.
When Nyxarra’s magic reached out to me this time, it was a gentle call. Coaxing. Welcoming enough that I found myself searching for her, the darkness of my subconscious shifting into the cavernous room that held her cell. Except…it was different.
The room was filled with a smoky fog, and above us, stars twinkled down, shadows moving quietly in the corners. I made my way across the space, not expecting to reach her…but I did.
Something about our connection had shifted. She felt more real now, more solid, like everything around us had come into clearer focus. Or maybe it was just how intently she was looking at me.
Suddenly nervous, I came to an abrupt stop.
Nyxarra stood over ten feet tall, cloaked in black, the shadows behind her shifting and dancing under her magic.
I couldn’t see her face, but two moonlit eyes stared at me, tracking my every movement.
Despite the softness of her call, I couldn’t help but feel the weight of her power pressing down on me.
“You come willingly now, child of shadows and moonlight.”
Nyxarra’s voice filled the space, the ground trembling beneath me as chills prickled across my skin. I wasn’t sure I even had a voice—let alone know how to answer her—but somehow, I managed.
“I didn’t mean to fight it before,” I said honestly. “I just never expected to talk to you.”
I hadn’t even been sure she, or any of the gods, existed until recently.
“You did not free me purposefully, I know. Your actions, however, have sent ripples through the shadows. They have altered what was once set in stone.”
That didn’t sound good.
“I’m not sure what you need me to do. I want to help, but I know I haven’t freed you completely.”
“My freedom pales in comparison to the blood that will spill at that revolting creature’s hand.” The words came out like a growl, and my eyes widened. “You must stop him. You must stop him and the one who controls him.”
“Do you mean Ivan?”
“I do not care for the mortal’s name,” she snarled. “He believes he can use me for his worship—to kill my children!”
The room shook under the force of her anger, and I fought to keep my composure as true fear threatened to rise.
“Who—who controls him? Who controls Ivan?”
Nyxarra fell silent, her anger receding into something colder.
“The one who has been pulling his strings. Feeding him power… Two have been imprisoned here. One brought me forth, and the other used me.”
A pause.
“You may trust one of them. One of them will help you.”
“How do I get their help—”
“Gracie!”
Elowen’s panicked voice ripped me from the dream.
My eyes snapped open, my heart galloping in my chest as I inhaled sharply, trying desperately to pull in air.
Disorientation and dizziness hit me all at once as my mates spoke in low, concerned tones, trying to figure out what was happening.
My hands shook as I clutched the blanket in my lap, forcing myself to focus until I found Elowen’s gaze.
“You were seizing and talking in your sleep. What happened?” she demanded. “Was it…”
“It was Nyxarra again,” I said, my voice still unsteady.
“But it was different this time. She wasn’t…
breaking through. She was there, waiting for me.
She said something’s changed—that my actions had changed fate—and that Ivan isn’t acting alone.
That someone’s controlling him. She mentioned two gods being held with her… and that one of them might help us.”
My explanation immediately sent everyone in the jet into a full-blown discussion of possibilities, but I could barely hear them.
Instead, the overwhelm of speaking to a literal god sat heavy in my chest. My eyes squeezed shut before I forced them open again, looking out the window and trying to ground myself.
We were already descending, the plane preparing to land.
“Lux mea.” Like a moth to a flame, I turned toward Ravik. Whatever he saw on my face made his jaw clench.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not, and I can’t fucking stop her from hurting you. It’s infuriating.”
It also meant I ended up not being able to ask Nyxarra everything I needed. But would I be able to stand by as my mates’ were physically injured just so they could talk to a god? I honestly didn’t think so.
I melted into his side as I listened to Elowen.
“I’m glad we’ll be able to visit the archives,” she confessed. “I may know a lot—but this is out of my wheelhouse. I’m glad she gave you more than just cryptic messages.”
I nodded in agreement.
“We need to find out about these other gods,” Thornar added.
“I would assume it’s the two unnamed gods,” Banthor said. “If she didn’t name them…it could be them.”
“That’s a great point,” Elowen agreed enthusiastically, a proud grin pulling at her lips. Was he right? Was it possibly the unnamed gods?
A soft light and chime filled the cabin, signaling that everyone should get into their seats. Banthor and Elowen stepped away as I looked across to Basir, who was watching me closely, his fingers twitching as if tempted to reach for me.
“The Nightstar Flight territory…” I drew in a breath, trying to shake myself from the vision and focus on the present. “Known for agriculture and led by Alpha Haiden Murphy, a dragon shifter.”
“Studied up?” Thornar mused, attempting to lighten the mood.
“Sort of,” I admitted. “They made me before going to the trade conference.”
Thornar let out a low rumble as Ravik shook his head in my peripheral, not loving that answer. I leaned forward to look out the window, knowing that if they knew the truth about that plane ride, they would be even more upset.
As the jet descended, the coastline came into view in breathtaking detail.
Steep cliffs rose straight from the ocean, waves breaking hard against the rocks. Structures were built into the cliffs themselves, extending outward in layered sections of stone and glass, with bridges spanning the gaps between.
Domed rooftops caught the sunlight, flashing gold against the surrounding greenery, and terraced levels carved into the cliffs held dense vegetation. The architecture followed the natural shape of the coast instead of forcing itself onto it.
It was gorgeous.
“This is beautiful,” I said, completely in awe.
“Just wait until you see the city.” Basir’s voice carried a soft promise that surprised me. I didn’t fully understand what he meant until we had disembarked, settled into a large, dark SUV waiting for us at the airfield, and started the drive toward the city in the distance.
The road we followed curved along the cliffs, moving inland and upward through the territory. All of our eyes—except for Ravik’s, who drove—were fixed on the passing landscape in the quiet comfort of the car.
The land rolled past in layered terraces, rows of trees and greenery blurring together between stretches of stone. People moved through the fields, carrying baskets and calling to each other as they worked.
Homes were tucked into the hillsides, and along the edges of the terraces, close enough now that I could see open windows, were shaded balconies and signs of a comfortable life in every direction.
The world felt…so much bigger than I’d been led to believe.
“You said Alpha Haiden knows we’re coming?” Banthor asked, turning in his seat to look out the back window.
“We sent word,” Ravik said.
“That explains the escort.”
Turning fully in my seat, I saw what he was talking about. The road around us had cleared, and three blacked-out SUVs followed closely in our wake.
I knew it was probably normal, if not polite, to receive an escort. Still, it felt like we were in trouble. My hands tapped restlessly until Basir covered them with his, the weight and warmth pulling a quiet sigh of relief from me.
It wasn’t enough to fully relax, but it was enough to let me focus on the world around me.
The capital city was something else. If I thought the land around it was impressive, it didn’t even come close to this.
As we moved closer to the center, the buildings grew larger and more intricate, pale stone rising up with arched windows and columns. Bridges and elevated walkways connected everything, stretching between levels so people could move easily across the different heights.
Green banners marked with a gold dragon crest hung from buildings and entryways, shifting in the wind. The streets were busy, people moving steadily along the main paths, the whole place alive in a way I couldn’t look away from.
At the highest point of the city stood the building I assumed we were heading toward, where Alpha Haiden lived. It rose above all others, with wide terraces, tall columns, and open balconies that overlooked both the city and the ocean.
“Not only an escort…” Elowen leaned forward to look out the window. “But the Alpha herself coming to greet us.”
As we pulled into the circular drive and the car came to a stop, I realized Haiden Murphy was already waiting at the entrance, surrounded by other Flight members. Even from this distance, there was something about her that drew the eye.
As we stepped out of the vehicle, that feeling only grew.
She was striking, her dark eyes like burning embers beneath strong brows.
Her sun-kissed skin caught the light, gold woven through her hair and marking her skin.
Everything about her was powerful and intentional.
She didn’t seem afraid of us, or anything else, and the loose red dress draping around her underscored that.
“Welcome to Nightstar Flight, Ravik Gentry.” She inclined her head in greeting as Ravik rounded the car and slipped an arm around me, her gaze shifting down to me. “And you—I remember you.”
I couldn’t help the wince that crossed my face.
Her formality slipped as we reached the foot of the stairs, her gaze flicking across my features. “Am I correct in remembering you accompanied Ivan Rivers?”
“Imprisoned by him,” Ravik corrected. I was thankful for his words, cutting through the noise of my insecurity and the feeling of being unsure on how to answer her.
Her eyes widened before she nodded in understanding. “That doesn’t surprise me. I am relieved to see you here. What’s your name?”
When she’d asked me that question at the TTC, Ivan had stopped me from answering. But this time Ravik simply squeezed my waist in encouragement.
“Gracie Holloway.”