25. Chapter 25
twenty-five
A s I stand in front of my estate, the place that has been my home for ages, I wonder if I’m doing the right thing. If I’m making the right choice. Because I don’t know whether I can trust my judgment at the moment.
“Aetherion, I’m ready,” Grayson says as he steps beside me, an empty bag in his hand for our clothes.
I nod to him, peeling away my heavy cloak. My pants and shirt follow until the evening breeze brushes over my skin.
My blood pumps faster as heat expands beneath my skin, scales prickling, my muscles tearing as my bones change and shift into my dragon form. My wings expand, breaking through the air as my vision sharpens. Colors intensify, and the world takes on a different hue through the eyes of my dragon.
I move forward, my claws digging in the stone path beneath me, cracking under my weight as I push and use the momentum to bring my wings down and ascend.
Grayson follows suit. His dragon form is quick, the moonlight deepening his sapphire glow, showing his abilities as a dragon.
We soar through the night sky, heading back to the Slatebane estate where I stayed when I found Rodi. I keep my mind empty, trying not to get sucked into the dark, and focus on the task at hand.
We pass our border, flying through the small passage between the mountains to our west. With a silent nod to Grayson, we pick up our pace. The air cuts past us as our strength pushes us faster.
It takes too long for my liking as the sky has turned darker, the moon almost reaching its peak when we arrive at the next border.
My gaze skims down, scanning through the forest, waiting to see some border patrol.
A growl rumbles, my scales trembling as I see nothing, nothing in the skies or the land beneath me.
As we approach the estate, tension crackles in the air, silence surrounding us. Not a guard is in sight as we land on the stone gravel path, and Grayson tears the bag with our clothes from his front leg. With a swift shift back, we get dressed, and as my heavy cloak drapes over my shoulders, my gaze remains fixed on the dark estate.
We both wait, wondering what this means. I glance at Grayson, knowing his abilities, and he steps closer to the heavy doors, resting his hand on the old wood before pushing it open.
He looks back over his shoulder and nods for me to come .
No words are needed as we sweep through every floor, our footsteps the only sounds that fill the air around us, searching for any sign of life, but the castle remains void of other riders or shifters, not even a single scent to track.
“Did they know we were coming?” Grayson asks, even though he must already know the answer to that.
“It means they stand with Cedric. They knew what he was planning. I’m sure they left before he even arrived.”
My chest tightens as every move I make feels like a trap. Even now, as we head to the orphanage, knowing what we would find.
I’m wrong again.
Reality hits hard, showing me again how trapped I am in this game with Cedric, or whoever he works for.
My gaze sweeps over the old building, lingering on the gargoyle on the left, his stone hand gripping the lifeless body of the headmistress as dried blood paints its old grey stone.
I sigh in defeat. “Shift, Grayson. Look around,” I order, needing a moment alone with her body as I don’t want him to see one of my abilities.
He’s quick, the sound of his body morphing into his dragon reaching me just before a gust of wind grazes past me.
I step closer to the orphanage, my gaze locked on the headmistress as I climb up, until I feel the cold stiffness of her form and the potent stench of her decaying body.
With one last glance at Grayson’s dragon, I place my hand on the headmistress’s forehead. Heat leaves my body, seeping into hers as her cold and rigid form becomes warm under my touch.
A sharp inhale, a soft cough, and then she peeks up at me, fear and pain edged on her features .
“Aetherion,” she croaks, her voice broken and weak as I try to keep her soul here.
“Who did this?” I ask, feeling her life slipping away through my fingers. The longer they have been dead, the harder it is to keep them here, to lure them back. Even if it is for a brief minute.
“You shouldn’t have come here.” She coughs, thick, black liquid dripping from her lips. “Rodi. They came for her.”
Goosebumps paint my skin as a chill rakes through my spine, fearing the answer to my next question. “Who?”
“I failed her. I tried to keep her safe, tried to keep her hidden.”
I grit my teeth as her soul curls, my words not getting through.
“You were horrible to her,” I respond as more heat clings to her body, trying to keep her here a little longer.
“I had no choice, not when I knew it was only a matter of time before he came for her.”
“Who is he? ”
She groans, air leaving her body as the light in her eyes flickers, dimming.
“Who!” I scream, my hand trembling as I’m losing her.
She coughs, her body turning cold, and with a final breath, a name follows. “ Hephaestus. ”
Her body turns cold, and so does mine as my fears have become a reality.
He’s back. He’s here.
For her.
No.
Pushing myself off the building, I shift midair, ripping through my clothes as my wings span and slash through the air.
I shouldn’t have come here. I should have stayed with Rodi because I know now where he’s going next.
He’s going to grab her, to take her from me .
Again.
Ethan
Since the coven has arrived, the room has changed. Candles are scattered around the floor, their flames casting an orange hue over all of us.
“I’m sorry for not being able to protect you,” I mumble under my breath as my lips hover over Rodi’s hand.
“We’re ready for the reading,” Tara, the coven leader, says, her gaze flicking between my and Rodi’s faces.
I silently nod, peeling my hand away from Rodi’s as I get up on my feet, creating some distance as Tara starts her chanting in a language I don’t recognize.
The flames in the room move, and the heat from my dragon simmers. Tara’s hand clutches Rodi’s face as her eyes roll back, making me shiver.
I never liked witches—never know if I can trust them. But this coven has been working for Ares for ages, helping him gain his status years ago.
The chanting suddenly stops, her eyes turning back to normal as some of the candles have gone out. Her jaw tenses as her gaze slowly drifts to mine.
“Her soul is trapped, shielded from my powers.” She pauses as her touch leaves Rodi. “Soon, she’ll lose her connection to her mates.”
“What?” I step closer as my brows pinch together .
Tara moves the cotton blanket, revealing Rodi’s neck, where Ares marked her.
I gasp as the outline is fading. “How’s that possible?”
“I believe they used this spell to alter the bond. Since it wasn’t sealed yet, there was room for it to change.”
Panic settles within me as I know what this will mean to Ares.
“What can we do?”
“We can’t pull her out.” Her hands wring together as she looks at the other witches. “But we can send someone in.”