Orin slapped his hands over his heart.“Ouch!”
Then he lowered his hands and, to herastonishment, hugged her. Lexi stiffened against him; she couldnever forget he’d kept her father imprisoned while she was savinghis life.
She couldn’t forget that, if it wasn’t forthe fact Orin had suspected she was more than a human-vampire mix,her father would still be rotting behind bars. And she would stillbe mourning his death, even while he lived.
But, in the end, she gave Orin a smallsqueeze and pulled away. He loved Cole and was determined to makethis world a better place by bringing down the Lord.
It was impossible to hate him when sheremembered that, but itwaspossible to almost always to bepissed at him too.
“Welcome to the family, sis,” Orin said.
“We’re not married yet,” she replied.
“You were family before he put a ring on yourfinger… at least to him. Now, you’re family to all of us.”
“Very true,” Varo said.
“It’s time to celebrate!” Brokk announced.“It’s been a rather dull, stressful, and awful few weeks. Thiscalls for drinks, laughter, and dancing.”
Lexi opened her mouth to argue with him, shehad to return to work tomorrow, but then she closed it again. Shewould never get engaged again, never have this day or night back,and she wasn’t ready for it to end.
They’d all been working so tirelessly, andthey may not all survive what was coming. What harm wouldcelebrating do?
So, when Brokk and her father broke out thealcohol, while Varo and Orin moved all the furniture around thesitting room to make a dance space, she threw herself into theparty. She couldn’t recall the last time she laughed so hard,danced so much, or had such a fantastic time.
Her dad spun her around the room as theydanced like they had when she was a little girl and would throwdance parties. Then he hugged her, told her how much he loved herand how happy he was for them.
“I love you too, Daddy,” she whispered beforehe spun her away again.
As he did, he couldn’t hide the sheen oftears in his eyes. But then he blinked them away, handed her overto Cole, and went to drink some whiskey.
Lexi relished every second of theircelebration. She didn’t know when any of them would get the chanceto enjoy themselves like this again.
And it could all change tomorrow.
***
The next day, though she was tired, Lexiresumed her training. She didn’t do her early morning training withCole, but she and Kaylia returned to the outer realm beforenoon.
For this trip, Kaylia brought fire with her.The fire had caught Orin’s attention. He’d been heading out alone,to do whatever he did, but reversed direction and followed themthrough the portal.
Varo and Sahira also decided to join them,but the sun required her father to remain behind. He was not happyabout it and scowled at Kaylia as she carried the torch pasthim.
“Don’t hurt her,” he’d growled.
“I have no intention of doing so,” shereplied before entering the portal.
Lexi stopped to kiss his cheek beforefollowing Kaylia through. A portal separated them, but Lexi sworeshe could still feel his irritation through it.
Brokk and Cole took up a position near theportal while Orin stood a few feet away. Sahira and Varo edged alittle closer but remained ten feet away from her and Kaylia.
Kaylia jammed the torch’s pole into theground. Lexi eyed the flame as it jumped and sputtered. Therewasn’t much of a breeze on this sunny realm, and the fire righteditself to crackle on the still air.
“Now,” Kaylia said. “We know for certain thearach had magical abilities, sort of like witches. That’s why theharrow stone works for both of us, except the arach kept theirabilities more secretive than the witches. We also know they havesome kind of connection to the dragons, but we have no idea how toawaken that or how it works.”
“That’s because we have to get a dragon,”Orin said. Then, he pinned his attention on Kaylia. “I know youagree that getting her near a dragon is the key to activating, ortesting, whatever she can do with them.”
“I don’t agree to any such thing,” Kayliaretorted. “Getting her near a dragon could get her killed, andshe’smuchmore useful to us alive than dead.”
