Chapter 42
KALLIE
"Let me get this straight," Ellie said, massaging her temples as she paced. "Your father shows up here as a fucking wolf, tells you that you’re some reckoning, then carries your mother’s dead body away? Anything I’m forgetting?"
Kallie squeezed Graeson’s hand in reassurance.
When he had first told her, she also had a hard time believing everything.
But then she remembered it was only yesterday when she had witnessed Graeson morph into a dragon—something she had never deemed possible.
It was time to stop questioning what was and wasn’t possible.
Graeson scratched his head, the cotton fabric stretching over his arms. "That’s kind of oversimplifying it, but…yes?"
"You forgot to add that he’s a fucking dragon," Moris mumbled from the tree he was tied to. Because of his wings, he had to hug the tree. It would have been comical if Kallie had been in a better mood.
Ellie groaned. "No one asked you, traitor."
Moris’ left cheek was red, a bruise the size of Ellie’s fist marring his skin.
When Graeson had asked Ellie about it, she simply shrugged, claiming Graeson was only upset that she did it first. Kallie couldn’t disagree with that.
Whether or not Moris was one of their friends, the line between ally and enemy was currently blurry.
Every time Kallie looked at Moris, she shivered, recalling the way her body refused to move under his spell.
"I already told you I didn’t want to do any of that!
Domitius had some hold over me. He brought me along with him only because of my power and because he thought seeing me would rattle you," Moris explained.
"The serum they gave me—that turned me into this monster—didn’t tie me to him. He controlled me, like she can."
Kallie sat up, discomfort soaking her bones.
Thankfully, neither Graeson nor Ellie looked at her for too long. They both knew how she felt about using her ability, especially when she was living with Domitius.
"And we’re supposed to believe his control over you is suddenly gone?" Ellie snapped.
"You killed him, didn’t you?" Moris asked, struggling to look at Graeson and Kallie from his position.
Graeson cracked his jaw, tension rippling through his body. "Yes."
"If you don’t believe me, that should prove it to you, at least." He rolled his shoulders, and his back pressed against the binding that wrapped around him. "Plus, I could break free from this in a matter of seconds. Even if this rope was an iron chain instead, it would be no issue."
Kallie grimaced. "Well, that’s comforting."
"But I’m not trying to! That’s my point. I don’t care if you tie me up. If you wanted to kill me, I would let you. I’m still me. I’m still—"
"We don’t know that!" Ellie shouted. "You could betray us the moment we turn our backs on you."
"She’s right, Moris," Graeson said, rubbing his palms over his knees. "We have to be cautious."
Moris groaned out of frustration. "Do you hear me arguing with you about that? Please be cautious. Please don’t trust me. I already told you. I can’t control myself, but not because I wish to betray you or aid the other side. I am a danger to anyone around me."
"He hasn’t tried to kill us yet," Kallie said, feeling bad for Moris. She understood what it felt like not to be trusted, and even more, she understood how painful it was not to trust one’s own mind.
"Technically, he did attack Graeson," Ellie corrected.
"Before I realized it was him!" Moris exclaimed.
"We’re straying from the point, are we not?" Graeson asked. He leaned his elbows on his knees and massaged his temples with his fingers.
Without thinking, Kallie reached out and set her hand on his thigh. He released a heavy exhale that ran through his entire body.
Ellie threw up her hands and faced them. "Why can’t anything ever be simple when it comes to the two of you?"
Kallie and Graeson exchanged looks, but neither responded. They had no explanation or excuse to offer.
"It doesn’t help that all this one could tell me was that Domitius had amassed an entire army of flyboys." Ellie shoved her thumb in Moris' direction.
"Stop calling us that," Moris groaned.
"I will when you give me something worthwhile to work with!"
Moris rested his forehead against the tree trunk and sighed, exhausted. "If I knew more, I would tell you. Just because Domitius turned me into one of his pets doesn’t mean he trusted me with his plans or secrets. All I know is that he was in constant contact with the Frenzian king’s brother."
"Sebastian?" Kallie asked.
"Yes."
Kallie’s stomach twisted with nausea. Even now, she could feel the burn of Sebastian’s hand around her throat. She could feel the hatred spewing from him. That night, there was so much fear running through her veins.
Now, there was only rage.
As if sensing her anger, Graeson squeezed her hand.
"Domitius was constantly visiting Frenzia," Moris said. "That’s where the drakonises are being held. Something to do with cages for the dragons from way back when."
Graeson went rigid beside her, and Kallie swore she could see smoke billowing from his nose.
"That’s not going to happen to you," Kallie promised.
Graeson nodded, but the tension remained.
Ellie plopped down on the stump they had brought over earlier. "How long do you think it will take until Sebastian knows about Domitius’ fate?"
"Depends," Graeson said. "If there were survivors, who’s to say where they went—back to Ardentol to put it all behind them or to Frenzia to alert Sebastian?"
"Domitius didn’t trust many," Kallie said. "If he had trusted Sebastian to take care of the drakonises, he would be in close contact with him. Sebastian’s arrogant, but he’s not stupid. He will realize something is wrong when he doesn’t receive a letter or a visit."
Graeson rubbed a hand over his face.
"We need to return to Pontia," Graeson said.
Kallie straightened, the blood draining from her face.
Return to Pontia? Ever since she left Tetria, she had put any thought of returning behind her. Once they killed Domitius, returning should have been the obvious next step, but everything else had distracted her.
With her mind elsewhere, Kallie barely heard the rest of the words spilling from Graeson’s mouth.
Gather troops.
Army.
Plan.
End the war.
They were all passing thoughts, like a breeze sweeping by that barely rustled the fallen leaves. Kallie brushed her hand over the bandage on her upper arm. The wound was still sore.
"If Domitius is dead, is there a point? The war is over," Ellie said. "We did what we came to do."
Kallie forced her attention back to the present conversation.
"Did you not hear everything I told you?
" Graeson asked, annoyed. "This is only the beginning.
Sebastian was working with Domitius. While Domitius was not known for his caring personality or willingness to share, do you really think he was the only one who was given a new ability?
Sebastian has an entire army of drakonises at his disposal.
He might have been following Domitius originally, but do you really think he is going to stop now that Domitius is dead? "
"Fuck!" Ellie stood and started pacing again.
"Sebastian told me he wanted Rian’s throne," Kallie said after a moment. "If Domitius’ plans have given him a way to gain even more than just Frenzia, Sebastian will not shy away from the opportunity."
"Fine," Ellie bit out, tossing her hands in the air. "I’ll return to Tetria then and make sure the Queen and my people know as well."
"No, we need to rest first," Graeson countered. "My body is still recovering from the transformation. And you and Kallie are both too injured to travel on foot for long."
Ellie folded her arms over chest. "I’m fine," she argued.
Graeson raised a brow. "Show me your ribs then."
Ellie stepped back, aghast. "I will not take my clothes off for you. Kallie, do you hear this?"
Kallie rolled her eyes. "That’s not what he means, and you know it. Your ribs are broken, and if not broken, badly bruised."
"I’m fine. I can—"
"No. You need to rest. We all do." Graeson stood, and Kallie could see how tired he was, too. The bags under his eyes could have rivaled Terin’s.
"Come on," he said, holding out his hand to Kallie.
"I thought you said we needed to rest?" Kallie asked.
"We do, and I know just the place to do that where we can also borrow some horses."
"Oh, are you friends with the local stableman?" Ellie prodded.
Graeson smiled down at Kallie as she took his hand. "Something like that."