“I might not be able to do anything againstthe Lord,” she said. “We can’t figure out how to use my fire, and Ihave no idea how to control a dragon. Right now, I’m no better thanmost others against him. The only special thing I can do is open aportal in and out of Dragonia.”
“It’s only been a month, and there are noother arachs to help guide you on your journey,” Del said. “Withtime, you’ll learn more about what you can do. You’re doing afantastic job of learning your way.”
“Am I? Or are you saying that because you’remy dad?”
“You’re too hard on yourself; you always havebeen.”
“Even if that’s true, we still have to go tothis ball.”
Del’s knuckles turned white, and at the farend of the counter, Kaylia said, “That man will destroy you.”
“Not unless I let him, and I won’t let thathappen. We’ll go, and we’ll get through it. If something goeswrong, we’ll escape.”
“This is such a bad idea,” Sahira said.
“I think she has a point,” Varo said. “Ifthey refuse to go, they’ll be on the run and locked away… like therest of us. If she goes, she has an opportunity to touch base withher heritage. That might be what she needs to unlock some of herabilities.”
“And if unlocking those abilities exposes herand gets her killed?” Orin asked.
“You all have faith she can stand against theLord when the time comes, but you don’t have faith she could escapeDragonia if it became necessary?”
“She’s not ready yet,” Del said.
“She doesn’t agree, and I think that meansshe has more faith in her ability than evensherealizes. Ithink we should trust that.”
Lexi’s mouth parted, and she stared at Varofor a full minute before smiling. “Maybe we should.”
Orin threw up his hands in exasperation. “Ohgreat, let’s risk everything on a bunch of maybes.”
Cole didn’t want to bring her anywhere nearthe Lord, but he found himself saying, “It’s not a maybe. Shecando this.”
Because she could. She was stubborn, strong,and powerful. She needed more confidence in herself, but she wouldtake this world by storm… once she figured out her abilities.
The radiant smile she bestowed on him toldhim he’d done the right thing when it came to her confidence. Hejust hoped he was doing the right thing when it came to herlife.
CHAPTER 39
Lexi spent the next week making sure hershield was as strong as it could be and trying to unleash her fire.She was successful with the shield but not the fire.
No matter how often Orin pissed her off orjumped out and tried to scare her, she didn’t set him on fire likeshe wished she could. If he hid behind one more corner and jumpedout to scare her, she was going to kick his nuts off.
Like send them flying into outer spaceoff, that’s how much he annoyed her.
It seemed that was the only time she saw him.He was mostly scarce throughout the day and night, but he managedto scare her at least once a day. He always failed to ignite herpower, but he never failed to laugh when she screamed andjumped.
He’d gotten Brokk and her dad in on theaction of hiding somewhere to scare her. It didn’t matter if itworked or not; they all considered it hilarious to frighten her.She did not agree.
They were trying to figure out how to put herin danger to see if that would unlock her abilities somehow, butthey couldn’t come up with anything. Or at least not anything Coleand her dad would approve, so she didn’t know if maybe that was thekey to unlocking her fire. Lexi suspected that if danger was thekey to unlocking it, going to Dragonia and facing the Lord might bethe way to set it free.
During the day, she trained with Cole, herdad, and Brokk more. When they attacked two on one, she didn’t bestthem, but she put up a hell of a fight and was doing better keepingthem at bay.
Her dad still wasn’t happy about her going toDragonia but was determined to make sure she prepared for it.Though, Lexi didn’t think she could ever prepare for what was aboutto come.
When she wasn’t trying to unlock more of herabilities and training, she was in the Gloaming, standing beforeAmaris and her team as they fitted her for a dress sheloved. The pale-yellow color was such a beautiful hue thatLexi couldn’t help running her hand over the soft material.
She admired its subtle shade and the way thelight danced across it. The dress hugged her waist before flaringinto a full skirt that fell to the ground. Once she put her shoeson, the skirt would barely cover them.
It would be so wonderful to dance in it andto feel the material swaying against her legs as Cole spun heraround. And then she realized that any dancing at this ballprobably wasn’t going to be fun.
