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Liz turns to face her mother. “You’re staying here.” She lifts her chin. “You have to.”
“No,” Gideon says. “You can’t force us?—”
Liz’s shoulders straighten, and her eyes flash. “I can, actually. Do you really think Azar will deny me?”
A muscle in Gideon’s jaw pops.
“I need to stay with you,” her mother says.
Liz turns to her mother. “You tasked me to care for Sammy, Coral, and Jade, and I’m doing it. You may not approve of how, but if you want me to continue to keep them safe, you’ll stay here. Safe. Out of misery.”
Her mother meets her eye, and some kind of interchange takes place between them that I can’t follow.
Liz’s nostrils flare. “If I have to, I’ll force Azar to order your dragon to leave you here.”
“You wouldn’t kill her, but you’ll order me to be left?” her mom asks.
“I’m just that awful.” Liz is resolute, her eyes hard.
“I’m coming,” Gideon says. “I won’t let you leave me. If you do, I’ll get a ride to Iceland and break through all over again.”
Liz ignores him.
But an hour later, when we’re forming the blessed into groups, her mother isn’t present, but Gideon is.
I’m not giving him a ride, I say.
Liz laughs. “I wouldn’t expect it.”
I’ll do it. Asteria’s landing is light—always surprisingly light for a blessed of her size. She’s been graceful since the first time I saw her. For a blessed, there isn’t one that’s more lovely, and yet, my admiration for her has diminished significantly. I can’t really explain why.
“It would be funny if you bonded Gideon,” Liz says. “Since he and I—and you and Azar. . .”
Where’s she going with that? She and Gideon. . .are what? Were almost mated? Because she’s not mating with him now. And Asteria and I. . .I can’t even think about it anymore.
He’s not a bright, Asteria says. He can’t be bonded, but he did say something interesting earlier today. He says you’re bonded to both Axel and Azar. Asteria tilts her head, clearly pressing for an explanation.
I didn’t notice Asteria talking to Gideon, but it has been total chaos in preparation of our departure. I should have known that what Liz told him would eventually leak.
Liz nods slowly. “That’s why I couldn’t really tell you how to take my mother’s bond. Azar took mine, but he didn’t remove my connection to Axel in the process. It split my bond so that I’m now connected to both of them.”
Are you now entwined with both? Asteria’s gaze is not aggressive, but she knows something about it is strange. I worry she won’t let this go.
“It’s weird, right?” Liz shrugs. “The only thing worse for my mother than being bonded to Ocharta would be splitting between two dragons.” She’s acting like it’s almost a human jest, but I worry Asteria won’t accept that.
But you aren’t displeased, Asteria says. You don’t mind the change in the bond. Did you choose to bond also with Azar? Or was that forced upon you?
I shouldn’t be so desperate to hear her answer, but I can’t help it. I know it’s not what really happened, but I still want to know how she’ll answer.
“Azar was. . .a surprise. I neither chose it nor fought against it. To be honest, I wasn’t at all upset. I suppose you could say that he’d already won my trust by saving me several times before it happened.”
The bond brightens and shivers. It makes me shiver, too.
I should bring Azar to make the portal. But I don’t want to leave.
Will she ride with you? Asteria almost never speaks to me when I’m Axel, but maybe my real connection to both Liz and Azar has changed that. It’s interesting that she appears to like Azar enough to tolerate all the baggage he now drags along with him.
Azar, I’m sure, I say.
