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She shook her head. "Not with the energy rol ing off that band. I recognize that energy. I've felt it before."
I slowly held it up to the light. It sparkled. A ring of promise. A ring of binding. A ring of acceptance and submission to my destiny. A ring of empowerment by accepting my destiny. Once I put this on, there was no going back. The only question was: Did I want to know what Iris knew before or after I put on the ring? If I hesitated, was I stil resisting the inevitable?
Sometimes, I thought, you just have to submit to your life . . . go with the flow, take a chance, leap before you look. In tabby form, I was a free spirit. I bounced and played my way through the day without worrying what waited ahead. In panther form, I did what came natural y--I bounded ahead, fearless.
At what point had I lost that fearlessness in my life as a woman, half-Fae or not? When had I become afraid? Or had I ever been without the fear and doubt? What made me so hesitant in two-legged form when I could let go and just be who I wanted to be as a cat--big or smal ? When had I first begun to put everyone else's opinions ahead of my own intuition?
I'd learned to break through my inner darkness in that room with Shade, and I'd tasted the passion in a way I could only dream of. Now, was I ready to take a chance? To stride ahead and be the woman I knew I could be?
I looked up at Iris, thinking al of these things, as I slowly slid the ring on the fourth finger of my right hand. No booming chimes or tril ing harps sounded, but I'd just signed the pact. I'd jumped at the chance, taken the leap, and nothing would ever be the same.
Iris sat on the edge of my bed. "Oh girl, what have you done? I felt the shift in your aura as plainly as I see it when you change shape. I hope you know what you're doing."
"I do," I said, laughing. "I do. But tel me now--now that I've fol owed my gut. What sort of creature owns this ring?"
"Come down as soon as you've dressed. Supper is ready, and the rest are waiting." She stopped at the door, peeking back over her shoulder. "My dear, I'm not sure how or where you met him, but you've just accepted a ring from someone who has part shadow dragon in his lineage--black dragon.
And I expect he'l be showing up here soon enough to claim what is now his. Which . . . in case you had any doubt . . . is you."
Shadow dragon. The words resonated through me like fire. Yes--that would fit. It fit Shade's energy, his name, and the fact that he served Hi'ran. If Iris was right and he was only part dragon, though, then what about the rest of his background? I resolutely pushed doubt away.
The thought that perhaps shadow dragons and white/silver dragons might not coexist wel in the same group also crossed my mind, but again--we would find a way. We had to. And if Shade were half as attentive and helpful as Smoky, we'd have another al y on our hands.
I tossed my nightgown in the laundry hamper and pul ed on my boots, taking the stairs two at a time. As I hustled into the kitchen, I saw that Iris wasn't kidding--everybody was gathered around the table, including our cousin Shamas, who was dressed for the night shift.
"Sorry I took so long," I said.
Camil e stared at me. "What the fuck? What did you do in the past three hours? Delilah, your aura has total y shifted--it's . . . flaming bril iant."
"And where is the other dragon?" Smoky asked, jumping up and looking around. "I can smel him from here."
I could see this wasn't going to be just my little secret. I glanced at Iris, but she shrugged and mouthed, I didn't tell them, so apparently Camil e was right, and my aura was playing kaleidoscope. I took a deep breath and held up my hand.
"Yeah, I've got something to tel you. I was going to do so in my own time, but apparently you can sense what's happened. It's complicated, and so much went down while I was out on the astral. I went on a journey while I was asleep, and . . . oh hel , just shut up and listen."
As I spil ed out everything that had happened from the time Greta had walked beside me through the city streets to waking up with Shade's ring, the room grew increasingly silent until by the time I finished, a pin dropping would have produced a minor earthquake.
Menol y glanced around. "What are you al staring at her for? We knew something like this was going to happen sooner or later. The Autumn Lord wasn't just going to let her continue going on her merry way without eventual y stepping in. I think we should just be grateful that he didn't decide to kil her so she could join them in--what did you say the name of the place was?" Her tone demanded an answer.
"Haseofon." I whispered, giving her a faint smile.
"That's right--in Haseofon. And by the way, if there's any way we could meet our sister face-to-face, it would be nice if you could arrange that." She hovered her way up to the ceiling, where she liked to hang out, and cleared her throat as if to put a lid on the conversation.
Camil e spoke more slowly, and I could tel she was weighing every word. "Are you comfortable with what happened?"
I considered the question. Was I comfortable? A week ago, I might have said no. A month ago, a year ago, I would have freaked. But now . . . the answer was there in the forefront.
"Yes, I am. I'm . . . content. I feel more settled than--wel , than I ever have. Maybe this was my destiny al along. Maybe I was chosen from birth to become a Death Maiden--that would actual y make me proud. I've found my peace with what . . . who . . . I am. Arial was taken to Haseofon when she was a cub, right after her death--so it's not like my connection to the place is total y new."
Smoky let out a loud cough. "May I see your ring?"
I reluctantly tried to take it off my finger, but it wouldn't come. It wasn't too tight, but it wasn't going to budge, either. Rather than say anything, I just held out my hand to him. He glanced into my face, and by the look in his eyes, I could see he knew what had just happened, but he kept silent. Instead, he just took my hand and passed his fingers above the stone.
"Shadow dragon--but not total y. There is another energy mix in this stone, but I sense no evil. Your Shade is not ful y dragon. Probably half." He let go of my fingers and sat back. "He and I should be able to coexist if he keeps his focus where it ought to be."
"I know dragons are territorial, but wil it real y strain you to be in each other's presence?" I stopped. It felt so weird to be talking about this. But in the core of my gut, I knew this was only the beginning.
"We'l give it a try. And if things get dicey, we can sort it out then. He sounds reasonable. And I know what it's like to fal for a dragon you barely know."
