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She took a step closer to her dragonman.
If Hudson noticed, he didn’t comment. “Nice to meet you, Percy.” He glanced between Bronx and Percy. “I heard how my brother was assigned to be your teacher. He’s probably doing a fantastic job, but if you need anything, anything at all, from me and my family, just say the word. Because we can never repay you for protecting Joey like you did.”
Her cheeks heated from the praise. “It was nothing. I used them as a way to escape.”
Hudson raised his brows. “Joey said you made them food, and even put them in a room while you stood guard outside. I think you did more than use them as pawns, Percy.”
Unsure of what to say—he might be right, but she refused to admit being soft toward the two kids—she shrugged. After a beat of silence, Hudson looked at his older brother. “In a day or two, Sarah might come visit you and Violet. She’s calming down and finally accepting that her boys are safe, and she wants to ask you something about a picnic.”
Bronx replied, “Sure, have her stop by. I’ll be staying in one of the cabins for the foreseeable future.”
Because of Percywas left unsaid.
For a beat, she felt guilty. Because of her, Bronx currently lived away from his family, who, for some reason, all seemed to care for him and Violet. Not only that, they wanted to spend time with them and acted like it’d be a treat to do so.
After the brothers shared a few parting details, Hudson said goodbye, and Bronx gestured toward the area where Tristan walked among a small group of children. “Come on. I’ll explain as we watch.”
And once he started explaining what the scrunched faces meant or pointed out a child successfully turning a finger into a talon, Percy drank it all in, trying to memorize everything. Maybe clues from watching how the students changed body parts would help her to do the same.
As more and more children whooped and completed their task, the familiar purple light was back inside her mind. No matter what Percy said, though, there was no response.
It never extinguished, though. And so even when they went back toward the cabin, the familiar light always hovered in the background, as if standing watch.
ChapterSixteen
Once Percy was finally alone again in her room, she sat on the bed, leaned against the wall, and closed her eyes. The purple light was larger than ever before, and she swore it was stronger.
Bracing herself for disappointment, she said,Are you there, dragon? Are you finally coming out? Please come out. I just want to talk with you.
The light flickered but then burned even brighter.
Heart racing, she gripped the bed cover with her fingers.Did you like watching the students today? That’s what we should’ve done, back then. Sorry, dragon. I didn’t know what to do.
The light turned almost blinding.
She barely avoided begging as she said,If you come out now, we can start trying some stuff. There’s loads more to learn, but I already know more now than everything combined from the last twenty years. I think we have a better shot this time at success.
The light changed shape, growing into something more than round. But just as she swore a dragon form took place, someone knocked on the door.
Without thinking, she blurted, “What the fuck do you want? Leave me alone.”
The light inside her head turned back into a circle, sphere, or whatever it was, and Violet’s voice drifted into the room. “Sorry, Percy. I won’t bother you again.”
At the hurt in the girl’s tone, she opened her eyes.Fuck.Violet didn’t deserve to be yelled at.
Still, Percy couldn’t help but say inside her mind,Please, come back. Are you there?
The light remained unchanging.
Sighing, she stared at the door. Violet’s footsteps faded until the only sound was the wind blowing outside and the nearby plants brushing against her window.
Part of her wanted to scream over being interrupted when she’d been so bloody close. And yet, Violet hadn’t known what she was doing. Not to mention the girl usually only knocked when she had information or resources related to helping Percy in some way.
For the first time in a long, long while, she felt true remorse. Not since her early days in the facility, when she’d been punished for trying to help the other prisoners, had she felt the emotion.
And it fucking sucked.
Her conscience prickled. Maybe she should find Violet and apologize.
