A grunt comes from across the room, circling back to Odesa.
Irritation flickers to life inside of me. My lips part, but before I can breathe a single word, Baron places his hand on top of mine on the table.
My breath lodges in my throat. The desire to gape at him in disbelief is hard to fight, but I manage it.
Odesa’s eyes might not be able to reach my face, but she can see that, and the snarl on her lips is reward enough. I find myself flipping my hand on the table, so we're palm to palm, fingers interlocked. If Baron's annoyed at my pettiness, he doesn't show it as he clenches my hand tightly.
Archer sits on the other side of him, jaw tight and eyes narrowed, yet the way his scent swirls around me offers me comfort in his presence.
The door opens once again, and I prepare myself to be furious at whoever it is, but my gaze connects with a familiar set of eyes that make me smile.
I watch as surprise morphs into panic before calming into relief.
“Hugo,” I breathe as my brother stalks toward me.
He wraps me in a warm embrace from behind, resting his cheek against my head before bringing his lips to my ears. “It's good to see you, Vee.”
I smile, tilting up to look at him. “Do I get to see Lucky after?” I ask, hoping to push my luck, and he grins.
“Of course.” His hands come down on my shoulders, squeezing for support. “Are you sure you're ready?” he clarifies, and I shake my head.
“No, but I haven't been ready for any of this so far, and I'm still here.” The truth from my lips earns me another embrace, and he holds me tight.
“I’m proud of you.” His words engulf me before he clears his throat. “Have they warned you?” he asks, rising to his full height again as I look at him.
“If you mean the phoenix business, I'm aware I'm going to be the hot topic tonight. If anything, I appreciate being present for it,” I state, not wanting to be coddled.
Any conversation about me and my abilities as a phoenix has been put on pause under Hugo's order until I'm willing to be present for them. It doesn't really explain the fleeting comment of grounding that Professor Viola had with Sax and me earlier in the week, but I'll take it for what it is.
Hugo moves, taking the seat beside Professor Viola, who claps her hands and smiles, arms wide as she speaks.
“It looks like we finally have two things to discuss this evening,” she declares, her gaze finding mine, but there’s no animosity there. If anything, there’s only kindness. “Let's get to it, then, shall we?”
Silas grunts, and it takes everything in me not to react. Viola clears her throat, also choosing not to engage, as she straightens her spine and smiles.
“There is a phoenix among us, blessed by The Fates.”
“Aren't they generational?” Francesca interjects, head tilted toward the professor, who smiles tightly.
“They can only come from the same lineage, but no, it must still be blessed by The Fates,” Viola confirms, offering me an answer I could use too as she returns her attention to me. “And truly not to disregard you at all, Ivy, but the real question is, not why you, but why now?”
Silence stretches around the room until Hugo taps his fingertips on the table. “They either want us to survive or they want us to crumble,” he surmises, and Viola sighs.
“It's not the latter,” she confirms.
“I agree,” Professor Carbon states, and my lips purse slightly.
“So what do we need to survive?” the leader of the Air Protectors asks.
“We can survive with a phoenix, apparently,” Francesca retorts, and it takes everything in me to remain composed, leaning into my mother's training like I wish I didn't have to, but I must if I’m to understand more about my role in this kingdom and beyond.
“I hope that is the case, but as legend has it, there have only been a handful of phoenixes since the First Kingdom, and each one that has arrived has come prior to a new kingdom evolving,” Viola explains, and understanding of the starkness of what she is saying takes hold of me. But before I can speak, Sax beats me to it.
“So there could be a Sixth Kingdom?” he asks, and Professor Viola shakes her head, planting her hands on her hips as she addresses the entire room.
“I don't believe so, as it's not us at war with The Fates.”
“Why were the other kingdoms at war with The Fates?” a girl I'm not familiar with asks.
