Page 28

“It is,” Lazarus affirmed.

Smile fading, I asked, “Any trouble during your journey?”

Sobering with the topic change, Lazarus answered, “None. I do not believe Jaakobah hung around.”

I wasn’t certain how I felt about that and asked, “You think he was afraid to or that he’s confident it wasn’t necessary, that I’ll come to him?”

Lazarus took a moment to consider the question before answering, “I would rather the former but suspect the latter is more accurate. While I think my presence and words gave Jaakobah pause, he is too arrogant and has had too many successes to believe his luck would have run out now. No, I believe Jaakobah is confident you will come to him.”

I tilted my head, holding Lazarus’s gaze. “And is that confidence warranted?”

“You tell me.”

Deeply sighing I gave a reluctant nod. “I’ve been repeatedly going over the problem while you’ve been away. My mind has traveled down so many different possible roads that at times I thought I’d become hopelessly lost.”

“And what have you learned from your mental travels?”

“Nothing pleasant.” Eyes narrowing, I stared at my clasped hands. Lazarus’s fingers still gripped my thighs. I managed to unwind my tangled fingers, laying my palms against his warm flesh. “I will go to him,” I answered.

“No. You won’t. We will.” Lazarus quickly corrected. My attention turned toward Vidia’s eggs. Lazarus easily caught the action and where my mind traveled. “My sister’s offspring will be fine here. As for their hatching… We have a week, and I believe the eggs will accommodate our timeline just fine.”

“And if they don’t?” I stubbornly asked.

“Then we shall cross that bridge when it comes.”

“You’re not going to argue with me about going?”

“Did you truly expect me to?”

“No.” Head hanging, I repeated, “No, I didn’t.”

“Because it is the logical step. More than that, I agree with you that it is the only road that leads to your sister’s salvation. We cannot leave Saraphina in the hands of that delusional individual. As for the rest of your flight… Those that want to be liberated will be. Those that do not can suffer the same fate that is awaiting Jaakobah.”

I inwardly cringed. “Jaakobah will need to be eliminated. There is no road that leads to redemption as he is beyond such an awakening. I do not relish the thought of fighting him.”

Lazarus’s fingers squeezed a little tighter. “Is that the only option?”

I gave a reluctant nod. “It is. I am still my father’s eldest offspring. It is ironic that Jaakobah will bring about his own downfall. For all intents and purposes, I am exiled. However, the very fact that Jaakobah wishes to bond with me, that he recognizes my claim and importance to the flight, gives me the legitimacy needed to challenge him for leadership. Had he left me alone and not made such an offer, there is a good chance the flight would not accept my challenge. As it is, they have no choice.”

“And if Jaakobah decides to tell another lie? If he says he did not make such an offer?”

My smile was anything but happy. “That is why Jaakobah must believe that I’m returning to bond with him. If there is one characteristic that can be relied upon, it is Jaakobah’s arrogance. The announcement that I am returning to officially bond with him will be heralded. Bonding with me is a statement. It is Jaakobah solidifying his right to rule. To do that, he’ll want as many witnesses as possible. There is a good chance he will even invite high-ranking individuals from surrounding flights. Once Jaakobah does that, my course of action will be set, the path cleared of remaining obstacles.”

Lazarus leaned in, his sapphire eyes glowing from within. “I do not mean to suggest you are weak, but answer me honestly. Can you defeat Jaakobah?”

I didn’t like the way my heart sank like a stone. Lazarus deserved a truthful answer. “I give us equal odds if the fight is fair.”

“And what are the chances Jaakobah will act with honor?”

I cringed and shook my head, answering a quiet “next to nothing.”

Smoke curled out from Lazarus’s flared nostrils, and he gratingly answered, “That is what I feared.”

At some point during the night, Lazarus and I found ourselves on the couch. It was a near impossible fit. Lazarus was too long, and his feet hung over the end. I had no idea how he accommodated my weight sprawled out on top. By most standards, I wasn’t small. And yet Lazarus lay there, content and peacefully sleeping.

I’d been in a similar state, my mind blissfully quiet for once when a tug on my ear roused me. Still half asleep, I absently swatted at the irritation. A familiar voice screamed in my ear, “Watch it! You damn near sent me flyin’.”

Slowly my brain came back online enough to recognize the voice. “Henry?”