Page 83 of Feathers and Scales

“Look out.” Serephina’s scream came in from outside the garage.

The floor shook, jostling Izzy’s hold on Daxton as dust dropped from the roof. An explosion sounded overhead, followed by more shattering glass. Izzy fell, hands scraping against the concrete.

When the dust settled, Daxton chased Fotios out the garage door.Shit.

“We have to move,” Simon yelled, hoisting Izzy up by her arms.

The two of them ran out of the building. Sunlight blinded Izzy for a moment. Red feathers blew in the wind down the sidewalk. Izzy recalled Serephina shifting into a magnificent dragon when they first arrived. Her shiny red scales had reflected gold as she flew up the skyscraper. The color was like patina, or the coloring of metals using different combinations of chemicals to oxidize them.

Her gaze landed on Serephina’s form, her wingspan of burgundy feathers mangled across the bloody pavement as Daxton and Jamal bent over her. Izzy’s breath hitched.No…not Serephina.She stumbled forward with Simon.

Both men stood as Sarah rushed over. Blue light emitted from her healing hands.

Jamal paced back and forth, hands frantically coursing through his hair as he said, “We didn’t see the trap. I petrified the Archfiend, and a bomb went off. Serephina took the brunt of the explosion.”

Daxton grabbed the other man in a hug, twisting Izzy’s insides. Silas crashed down beside Serephina. The shake in his hands tore at Izzy, and she stopped moving.

“She’ll live,” Sarah said, eyes pinched with concentration. “But I don’t know if her wing will recover.”

Darkness threatened to consume Izzy, pressing in on her until she gasped for breath. Her knees wobbled.If I hadn’t been caught up in emotion, we wouldn’t have fallen into Fotios’s trap. They are all in danger being around me.She twisted her shirt in her hands and concentrated on the itchy cotton. If she wanted to defeat Fotios, she’d have to produce a new plan. One that didn’t involve emotion. That was the only way to defeat him at his own game. Compartmentalizing every emotion she had, she shoved them away from herself and attempted to become numb.

“What are you doing?” Simon asked, noticing she hadn’t followed him toward the group. “We have to help.”

“We’ve done enough here.”

Simon’s lips flattened into a grimace. “Izzy, this isn’t on you.”

“Let’s go,” she said, turning toward the street.

Simon grabbed her arm. “Wait.”

She tore free. Daxton came up behind Simon. His bronze eyes swam in turmoil, and his body was tense with barely controlled rage.

“What the fuck was that?” he asked.

“I had to keep you from falling into his trap. He provoked you with emotion, and you fell for it.”

He shook his head. “There you are again. Up in your head. Take down the wall. Now.”

“No.”

“I don’t have time for this.”

“Impatient to get to your deathbed? Another trap is more than likely waiting for you.”

His jaw ticked. “I’ll take my chances.”

“Stay with your clan. I will handle this on my own.”

“You’re to be a martyr then?”

“No, it’s the most logical thing for me to do.”

“Right. I don’t know why I thought you could change. Let me help you be more logical.” He blocked the link on his side.

It snapped.

Any energy between them dissipated on her gasp. The link was gone. A gaping hole punched through Izzy’s mind where the link had once been. But she shoved that loss aside, just like any other emotion.