“I’ve done the best I can and it’s not enough.” My voice cracked, making it impossible to speak loudly, so I lowered my head and whispered, “I can’t do this on my own.”
Kato put a hand under my chin and turned my face to his. “You don’t have to.” His eyes were soft with an unfathomable expression as he placed his hands on either side of my face. “No matter what happens, I will always be here, so you’re never alone.”
Then, without warning, his lips were on mine—softer than the silkiest mousse and sweeter too. My lungs burned for breath, but there would be time for breathing later. I let everything go and lived in this one moment, this one perfect grain of sand in the hourglass.
I threw my arms around him, dropping Hydra in the process. She landed with a thud and cry of pain. The sound startled me enough to break the kiss. “Pix! I am so sorry.” I looked down to make sure I hadn’t irrevocably broken anything on her, and then turned back for more kisses.
My prince with the auburn hair and dirt-smudged face was gone. The ice blue eyes still looked at me with what I now recognized as regret while he unfolded his wings—one brown, one white.
“Oh Grimm, you knew…”
His fur rubbed against my cheek. “It’s the only way. But at least I finally got to kiss you once.” His voice had the rough, grumbly chimera quality to it again.
I nodded, no longer trusting the sound of my own voice. It was official—I had lost everything.
My chimera prince was nearly full grown now. He kneeled and flattened his wings so I could climb on. Hydra coughed softly, showing unusual tact in an effort to not be forgotten.
I picked her up and climbed onto Kato’s back. Nobody said a pixing word. There was no need. There was only one place to go and one thing to do.
Save the world before the grains of sand ran out.
“You see that apple, and you know it’s poisonous, but it still looks so good.”
—Snow White from An Apple a Day
35
Double Bubble, Lots of Trouble
Kato flew like our lives depended on it, which they absolutely did. Griz was the nastiest witch I had ever seen—and she was supposed to be the nice sister. The combination of Blanc and Griz together would make any evil queen quake in her dragon-skinned boots.
Griz only had a ten- or fifteen-minute lead on us, and Kato had warned Bob ahead of time. A whole mountain full of fire-breathing chimeras should be able to hold off one witch, an unwilling accomplice, and six demon puppies, right?
The smoke coming out of the cave opening indicated otherwise.
I knew what was coming; I had been on this ride before. Flattening myself against Kato’s back, I smooshed Hydra under my chest so she wouldn’t fall out. She muffled some sort of protest about not being able to breathe, but without lungs, I thought the point was moot.
We dove steeply and spiraled into the mountain. This time it was my coughing that echoed off the walls rather than Rexi’s screams. Smoke billowed in big, thick clouds like a volcano was about to erupt. Hopefully Bob hadn’t pushed the self-destruct button or something.
He waited for us in the field of fire flowers. Blood stained his muzzle, and more oozed from a gash on his side. He didn’t seem surprised to see Kato as a chimera. Then again, I guess Bob never knew that Kato had changed back into a boy.
He galloped toward us as we landed. “My lord. The traitor—”
“We know. Rexi.” Kato and I spoke at the exact same time.
“Is jinxed,” Hydra said gleefully while I hopped off Kato’s back. All the head throwing and dropping might have given her brain damage.
Bob’s eyebrows drew closer in consternation while he shook his head. Drops of blood flicked onto my skin. “No, my lord, it’s Grifflespontus. He has joined the uprising and—”
“The defenses have been triggered. Does that mean the White One is free?” Kato interrupted.
“Not yet. We have the witch blocked off near the secret entrance. But, sire, Griff—”
“Is right here.” Griff stood by the lava flow, blocking the path to the furnace room and looking bigger and scarier than ever. His broken horn dripped with blood and something thicker.
“Stand down.” Kato growled and postured himself like a bull ready to charge. Though Kato had grown significantly since the last we were here, he was still much smaller than Griff.
“Thanks anyway, pup.” Griff snarled and spat out something globby and red. “There’s a new order around here. A human is no longer king of the mountain—especially one pretending to be a Chimera.” The serpent tail rose up behind him and hissed menacingly.
“So, what, you’d rather take orders from a human in a skanky cocktail dress?” I really should know better than to mouth off to creatures bigger than me.
Griff roared and charged across the large room.
“Freeze him, freeze him,” I urged frantically as Griff got closer.
“It’s not working anymore.”