Chapter 40 #2
“No.” Bridger clipped, speaking what Vega knew would be a unanimous vote. “Absolutely fucking not.”
“For once, I agree with him,” Khort said, jerking his thumb towards Bridger.
Avi clacked, a chuffing sound only Arlet and Khort could understand. Even in his human form, Khort nodded, agreeing with whatever the dragon had said.
“She’s right. We don’t know what we’d lose if the bond was broken.” Arlet had already lost so much. Vega didn’t want her to lose any more.
Which was why the bond had to be broken.
“Let’s remember why we started this in the first place.” Vega raised her scarred brow. “To defeat Marlena and set our people free. No matter how that looks.”
Vega knew this wasn’t the last she’d hear of this—not even close.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the whole truth.” She wasn’t sorry about what she’d done, though. “I didn’t want anyone to waste time on trying to find a way out of this because there isn’t one.” She held her arm out, wrist facing towards the sky. “It’s too late anyway.”
Vega didn’t need to speak the words, all she had to do was think them and Death would hear. You answer to me. Not him. We belong to no one.
In her mind she watched the shadow shifter flare its wings and lower its head, slowly sinking into a bow. “My Goddess of Death.” Vega’s title was the first it had spoken with a clearer voice. There was still an unnatural strain, but it was fading, and Death’s tone sounded oddly feminine.
Death entered her bloodstream, and the dragon in her mind disappeared, becoming one with Vega. Her veins turned black, creeping up her inner arm like lightning of the underworld.
Vega’s cheeks heated from the swell of death inside her body. She shivered, sending it back down her wrist until it disappeared at her fingertips.
Bridger’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he fought to control the wrath growing inside him. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his tousled hair. “We’ll find another way.” His dark eyes bore into hers. “I’ll find another way.”
Arlet and Khort nodded their agreements, and Avi settled some, slowly lowering herself into a crouch.
“For now we move forward like nothing’s changed,” Vega said, knowing there was absolutely no other option.
“But this changes everything,” Arlet said, holding back the tears Vega knew were threatening to spill over again. She knew her best friend—which meant she knew she wouldn’t give up. “I won’t pretend it doesn’t so you feel better about the choice you made.”
“Oh, c’mon. Like you all wouldn’t have done the exact same thing if you were in her shoes.” Every one of them spun to face Octavia. “And that’s coming from someone who doesn’t even know you that well.”
How long had she been standing there?
Octavia could read their facial expressions almost instantly, like the group had been displaying the same question in subtitles over their heads.
“My bonded animal is a fox. I find myself in a lot of places I shouldn’t be.
It’s how I got that awful nickname,” she said with an eye roll.
She leaned against the cave’s rock wall and crossed her leg over the other.
“I’ve been keeping a low profile for over fifty years. ”
Fifty years. Delori has a daughter who is over fifty years old. The people she loved had missed out on so much of the life they should have lived, all because of a sister who had to take her anger and hurt out on others… instead of learning to deal with it like the rest of the world.
“This conversation doesn’t concern you, nor does it require your input,” Arlet snapped.
Octavia bit her bottom lip and fought a smile. “I like you, Videri. You’ve got something scary about you.” She wagged her finger at Arlet before Tilie scurried out from the distant woods.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Khort asked like some lifelong authoritarian.
Octavia paused, giving Khort a sideways glance. “Um, one. Chill. Two, to get the children out of Demuto.”
Khort scoffed. “No, you’re definitely not going alone. Delori wouldn’t want—”
Octavia interrupted. “With all due respect, you have no fucking clue what my mother would want.”
Khort’s jaw dropped, and Bridger’s lips pulled at the corners. Arlet stared at her like she was trying to solve a puzzle.
“To no fault of your own, you’ve missed out on the woman she is today, and you don’t get to tell me what she would want of me.
I know what she’d want.” Octavia pushed forward, Tilie weaving through her legs as she walked.
“What she would want is for me to go get the shifter children who have been stuck in the confines of a single territory their whole lives and take them somewhere safe.”
She nodded towards the cave. “Which isn’t here…”
The sound of footsteps echoed from the cave, and Octavia’s younger sister came barreling out with Halo slinking behind her, sticking close to the shadows and out of Khort’s direct line of vision.
“I’m coming with you!” Nora proclaimed, throwing a small bag over her shoulder.
Octavia shook her head. “Negative. You’re staying here.”
“But—”
She didn’t let her finish. “No. You’re not trained. You’re not ready. Stay with them.” She nodded to the bonded.
Avi took off into the sky, alerting Arlet of movement to the south. “We need to get out of the open. Better yet, we need to get out of the caves. We’re not safe here. We’ve never been safe here.” She turned to Bridger. “Is Vincere still an option?”
A muscle ticked in his tight jaw, a movement Vega knew she had been the only one to see. “It needs to be cleared out. Marlena killed everyone who stayed behind.”
Arlet closed her eyes and shook her head, silently mourning all the people they’d lost.
“I’ll go.” Halo stepped forward, the bags under his eyes a clear indicator the boy hadn’t been sleeping worth a shit—not even behind the safe walls of Vincere. “I’ll take Nora, make sure she’s safe.” He stole a glance at her and Octavia, then looked back to Bridger.
“Thank you.” Octavia gave him a soft smile and kissed her sister on the cheek. “Be good. Be nice.”
“Leave your boots on.” Nora didn’t let tears spill over.
A part of Vega hurt at the memory of what she and her sister had once been.
“And don’t sleep with my back to the road.
” Octavia winked at her sister. “I know.” She looked at Vega and Bridger.
“Marlena doesn’t know we exist. My mom would like to keep it that way.
I’ll get to Vincere as quickly and safely as I possibly can.
I’ll have Tilie send a message if we run into anyone who can deliver one. ”
She waited for them both to nod, understanding what targets they would be if Marlena did, before slipping into the Vates forest and disappearing with Tilie by her side.
When she was gone, it was back to business. “You can’t clear all the bodies by yourself, Halo.” Bridger hadn’t mentioned how many had died, but if they needed more than a few people to clear the dead, it must be a big number.
“You should go with them,” Vega told him.
“I’m staying with you” was his quick response. Out loud. For everyone to know his stance.
“I’ll go.” Leo came forward.
Fuck, how long had he been standing there? Vega was losing it. She needed sleep.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve stepped foot in Ardor. I’m sure my fire would love the heat.” He smiled, glowing at the prospect of going home.
“I can help,” Nora offered.
Bridger and Halo both answered at the same time. “No.”
Oh, it was bad bad then.
“While we get the dead to a burn pile, you can get everyone on the road. It’ll take a while with the elderly.” Leo made a good point.
“Khort and I could stay back if you two need to go,” Arlet offered.
“Okay,” Bridger responded. Accepting for the both of them. “Halo, take Nora and Leo first. Go straight to my study. Do not let her see anything. Give Leo a quick tour and let him get started with cleaning up.”
Nora almost argued, but she saw the look on Bridger’s face and thought twice. It didn’t take a genius to recognize the haunted stare Bridger wore as a way to process what he’d seen when Vincere was brought up.
Halo wasted no time grabbing Nora’s hand gently. The way his eyes fluttered down to her gaze made Vega’s heart melt. “Try keeping your eyes closed this time. It might help with the nausea.”
“He likes her.” Vega could hear the smile in her voice.
Bridger stared, watching as Halo extended his other hand to Leo.
“This is gonna fucking suck, isn’t it?” he asked, hovering his hand over Halo’s.
“Yes,” Halo deadpanned. “Don’t let go,” he warned like he always did.
“Or what?” Leo swallowed hard.
“He better be careful who he tells.” Bridger glanced to Khort, staring menacingly at Nora’s hand in Halo’s.
“I don’t know. You’ll get stuck in the in-between, maybe. But most likely you’ll die.” Halo barely had the last word out when he snatched Leo’s hand in his and whisked them away to Vincere.
Leo’s gasp echoed even after he was gone.
Arlet immediately turned to face Vega. “I’m not sorry for almost kicking your ass… and I hope you know our conversation from earlier isn’t over.”
Vega nodded. “I figured.”
“I won’t let you kill yourself for us.” And with that, Arlet scurried into the cave.
Khort watched her go and then turned his attention to Bridger and Vega. “Hurt her again, Dimico, and I’ll find a way to kill you myself.”
Before either made it inside the cave, Halo was back.
Alone.
“What?” Bridger asked, rushing towards Halo with an outstretched arm.
Vega followed, unsure of what she was about to get herself into.
“Meyer’s at Vincere.”