She may be older, but I’m taller.
Wider.
Keeping her gaze, voice cold as winter in the mountains, I say, “You do not threaten her.”
Something flickers in Maeve’s gaze. But she’s smart enough to know when to push and when to stand down.
With a smirk, she lifts her palms in front of her. “You’ve grown, little brother. Maybe the banishment did you good after all.”
I don’t offer a response to that.
Instead, I turn my back to her and walk away.
“He’ll want that meeting, Jaxy,” she calls after me. “A piece of advice. It’s better if it’s on your terms, and not his.”
I don’t reply.
The last thing I need right now is dealing with my father and his greed.
Phoenix already has plenty on her plate.
I’m so lost in my thoughts as I climb the stairs up that I walk into someone.
“Sorry,” I murmur, looking up. A familiar face stands in front of me. “Oh, Bloom. You’re back in the city.”
Right then, Fern appears from behind Bloom. “Yeah, just got in earlier today.”
I wet my lips, the question dancing on the tip of my tongue.
Bloom beats me to it. “Listen, pretty boy. We have no clue what happened between you and the General back in those mountains.”
Something in her tone wipes the smirk off my face.
“Put that aside, okay? You have to come with us. Now.”
CHAPTER FIFTY
PHOENIX
It hasn’t stopped raining in Jaakii. The dark clouds rolled in from the mountains and decided to stay. Even the sky mourns.
Harsh wind whips at my hair as I stand on the pebbled beach in the small cove, same one where I said my final goodbye to Roman many moons ago.
One more goodbye is due today.
Ezkai Bjorn and Ezkai Emil flank my sides, Emil holding a large umbrella above my head to protect me from the rain.
Noire’s here. So are a number of Ezkai who chose to come and pay respects to the legendary Decarios master Oka Oya.
I still struggle to make amends with the reality. The fact that Kazh is gone. For good.
As I stand there in front of her carved boat with the pyre on top, I stare at her pale face and closed eyes, hoping that any moment her chest will expand as she breathes in the air and her eyes will fly open.
I’m not ready to face the future without her.
I’ve got so little people left as is.
My gaze slides over to the narrow pass between the rocky mountains that surround the beach. After we got back to Jaakii, I sent Bloom and Fern to track down Jax. I hope he’s still in the city. I hope I’m not too late.
