CHAPTER 37
“You’re not really going to go,” Orin said assoon as Cole finished telling everyone about the Lord’sinvitation.
Once they returned to the manor, he’d askedeveryone to join them in the kitchen. Thankfully, everyone had beenpresent when they returned so he wouldn’t have to tell this storymore than once. He was not in the mood to repeat it.
“Do you think we have a choice?” Lexiinquired.
“Yes. Don’t go.”
“And then he’ll hunt us down.”
“Let him hunt you then! You’re better offbeing on the run than dead.”
“And if he’s not bringing us there to killus, are we supposed to spend the rest of our days hiding, likeyou?” Cole asked. “There’s no one to bring him a duplicate of mineor Lexi’s bodies.”
“She’s getting stronger. If we can get adragon and learn more about her powers, we might be able to takehim down soon. We can’t do that if you’re both dead,” Orinretorted.
“He’ll destroy the Gloaming.”
Orin shrugged.
“You’re such an asshole,” Brokk muttered.
“We can’t let that happen,” Varo said.
“I’m going to do everything I can to keep itfrom happening,” Cole assured him.
“Many of the dark fae could flee from thereif he tried to destroy it,” Orin said.
“But there are innocents who won’t make itout in time and will die there,” Varo replied.
“So what?” Orin retorted. “Manymorewill die if we fail in this. Those lives are a small sacrifice inthe grand scheme of things.”
“Orin,” Varo whispered in a horrifiedtone.
Orin’s gaze bored into Cole. “You know I’mright.”
“You are,” Cole agreed, and Lexi winced. “Butthat doesn’t mean I’m going to run away. I won’t allow him todestroy the Gloaming because of my cowardice.”
Everything in him screamed to take Lexi andrun as far and fast as possible. But she was right; she could getthem out of Dragonia if possible.
It would reveal what she was to everyone atthe ball, but the Lord had backed them into this corner, and theywould come out fighting if necessary.
Del’s hands fisted on the countertop. “Why ishe doing this?”
“To prove he can make us do whatever hewants,” Cole said. “I don’t think he’s going to hurt Lexi; she’shis leverage over me.”
“And what if he decides to keep that leveragewith him to use against you?” Kaylia asked.
Cole had asked himself this question morethan a few times since reading the invitation. “I taught her how toopen a portal. She’s an arach, which means she can travel in andout of Dragonia through a portal of her own making.Nooneelse in all the realms can do that. The Lord will never expect herto do it; we can get out if it becomes necessary.”
“And what if an arach somehow removed theability for all other arachs to open portals in and out of thatrealm?” Brokk asked.
“That would take far too much magic toaccomplish,” Kaylia said. “The arachs were powerful beings, but notthat powerful on their own.”
“What if it was more than one of them who didit?”
Kaylia frowned as she pondered this. “No. Idon’t see any of them trying to do that. If it ever backfired,which spells that powerful have a way of doing, they could haveended up banningeveryonefrom opening a portal in and out,including themselves. That’s not a chance they would take.
