“That was—” I try between breaths.
“I know.”
He kisses me sweetly, and when he pulls away, his eyes are back to normal. A moment later, the glow of my heat fades, taking my wings with it. There’s too much space between us so I inch myself closer until we’re intertwined with one another. The two of us lie silent, breathing each other in.
Witch. Phoenix. It doesn’t matter. He accepts every part of me. Loving me just as I am, embracing my fire as if it were his own. It’s different and special, and somehow, being consumed by our heat tonight reminds me just how much sense we make together.
Chapter 42
Ryder
The military units have improved tremendously over the past couple of months. It’s impressive, but it’s not enough. Not if my father has an alliance with the Dread Woods. We were already outnumbered before, and even with the Infinite Sea alliance, we still don’t have enough. My soldiers now have to be twice as skilled. Twice as prepared. There is no room for error.
“So, what do you think?” Damien asks, standing with his hands behind his back.
“They’re not ready. Not if they’re facing off against the monsters that lie in the Dread Woods. They aren’t prepared for that kind of fight.”
“Then we’ll get them ready,”he answers with resolve.
“They’ll need to know what it is they’re up against. That means not only training but studying. Figuring out strengths and weaknesses.”
“I can help with that,” Akari offers. “We can also have the witches conjure mock-ups to train against.”
“That’s not a bad—”
My words are cut off when I go flying across the charcoal wasteland. Ringing in my ears silences the nearby screams when I lift my head that feels like a hammer is pounding against it. Debris and severed body parts fall from the sky as the ashy dirt tries to settle. My body aches, but I appear to be in one piece. To my left, I see Artemus splayed out with something sharp sticking out of his middle.
“Don’t move,” I tell him as I press against the wound. “You’re gonna be okay. Just try to breathe.”
His breaths are labored, and it sounds like his lung might be punctured. A piece of a sword is protruding out, but it seems to be helping stop the blood flow.
“Delecroix!”
“What just happened?” Blood runs down his forehead, but the rest of him appears to be untouched.
“I don’t know, but I need you to get Artemus to the infirmary.”
He nods and cradles Artemus in his arms, careful not to move the shard of weaponry impaling him. I take a moment to scan the area, assessing the damage. There must be at least a hundred dead or injured.
Reign.
I need to find her. There could be other bombs.
Panic starts to consume me when I don’t find her in her room, or Amaya’s, or the cafeteria. The moment I land in the Center and see her sparring, a wave of relief washes over me.
“There you are.” I trace over every inch of her.
“What happened? We heard a loud sound,” she asks, her expression growing with concern.
“A bomb or an explosion. I’m not really sure, but I need to get you out of here.”
I grab hold of both her and Amaya before she can say anything. Once we’re standing in my room, she’s already bombarding me with questions.
“Grimstone is protected,” I say, cutting her off. “I made sure of it after your father—you’ll be safe here.”
“What? No! I’m coming with you,” she demands, grabbing onto my arm with an impressively forceful grip.
“No, I need you here.”
