Varo smiled at this. “It definitely wasn’tbecause of my fighting skills.”
Orin snorted.
“Trust his judgment, Cole,” Brokkinsisted.
Cole looked to Sahira, who stared at himbefore replying, “I think we can trust her.”
“Icanhelp,” Kaylia insisted.
“And we need it,” Lexi said.
She couldn’t spend the rest of her lifelocked away from any source of natural light, and she had to learnmore about her powers and how to use them. She wouldn’t do any goodin this world if she didn’t know who she was and more about herabilities.
And this world was desperate for a whole lotof good.
CHAPTER 7
Cole stared at Lexi as she peered up at himfrom her vibrant, hunter green eyes with their beautiful flecks ofemerald green. Hope shone in those eyes. Hope for the future andthem, but mostly hope Kaylia could teach her more about who shewas.
He couldn’t lose her. They needed to learnwhat she could do, but he didn’t know about trusting this woman, nomatter what Varo and Lexi believed.
“I must go back to the crone realm so theycan see I’m alive. I’ll start training with her once I return,”Kaylia said.
He didn’t acknowledge her as he asked Lexi.“What do you want to do?”
He already knew the answer, but he wanted herto be sure this was right forher. She drew her bottom lipbetween her teeth as she looked from him to Kaylia and backagain.
“I have to learn to control my powers, and Ibelieve she can help us. Ihaveto be able to go outsideagain,” Lexi said. “I can’t keep hiding.”
“Why can’t you go outside?” Kaylia asked.
Cole held a finger up to her as he studiedLexi. “This could be a risk.”
“I don’t think it is.”
This was not the road he would have chosen.He didn’t like the idea of killing any innocent, and Kaylia’s deathwould be one of the many that haunted him, but he would slaughterher and go to war with the crones if it meant keeping Lexisafe.
However, he wasn’t the one Kayliamighthelp, and he couldn’t deny Lexi this if she believedit would make a difference. If the crone turned out to be a liar,he’d kill her later. Until then, between all of them, they couldkeep a close eye on her.
He turned back to Kaylia. “I’ll take you backto the crone realm to make sure you don’t tell them anything.”
“After what they witnessed earlier from you,they won’t want you there,” she said.
“I don’t care.”
“What did they witness?” Lexi demanded.
“Are you going to tell her, or shall I?”Kaylia asked him in a defiant, taunting voice.
Cole smiled grimly back at her; maybe herdeath wouldn’t bother him as much as he originally believed. “Whydon’t you tell her.”
“They saw him call on the shadows,” Kayliasaid to her. “They saw them surround him, change him, become a partof him, and communicate with him.”
Cole studied Lexi for some hint of revulsionon her face, but it remained expressionless as she spoke. “So, theysaw his power.”
Her hand found his again, and he slid hisfingers between hers as pride bloomed in his chest. He sensed heruneasiness over this Shadow Reaver nonsense, but she wouldn’t letit show to anyone else. Her faith in him would remain absolute toanyone who might question it, as would her love.
“If you come back with me, they won’t believeI’m safe and working with you willingly,” Kaylia said.
