“With a boost?” Connor asked.
Oh, right. They made magical coffees. “Yes. Extra energy.”
“Same,” Ana said.
Connor smiled and saluted, then hurried back toward the bar. I turned to Cass, Nix, and Del, but they were watching Mayhem sniff at Pond Flower, who was a massive white and brown spotted hound dog with fiery red eyes.
Finally, Mayhem flew up to Pond Flower’s face and shared her ham.
“Nice ghost dog you have there,” Nix said.
I thought about mentioning her dragon abilities, but didn’t. “Thank you. She’s pretty great.”
“I’m guessing you need help?” Nix asked.
“How’d you know?”
“You two seem to keep to yourselves unless absolutely necessary,” Nix said.
“Ain’t that the truth,” Cass said.
I blushed, suddenly feeling extra guilty.
Del laughed. “Don’t worry about it. We were the same, once.”
“Things are changing,” I said. “We joined the Undercover Protectorate.”
“Wow!” Nix leaned back in her chair. “That’s cool.”
“Thanks. We like it. But we’re in some trouble, and we could use your help.”
The three of them leaned forward, interest gleaming in their eyes.
“Is it a fight?” Del asked. “Haven’t had a good battle in ages.”
“It could be, yeah,” I said.
“Probably will be,” Ana said.
Del clapped her hands together once. “Hot damn.”
“In particular, we need your help, Nix.” I explained the situation with the stronghold and the magic that powered it. “So you can see how we’d need you to transfer that magic out of the stone so that the stronghold will be destroyed.”
“I could do that,” Nix says. “And I’ve got just the object strong enough to hold the magic. I’ll bring it.”
“And who runs the stronghold?” Cass asked.
I’d been careful not to give too many details. When I’d seen her last, Cass had recognized that my magic was changing. That I was stronger than normal and something was definitely up.
Since then, I’d learned way more.
But should I tell her?
Del, Cass, and Nix looked at me, their gazes serious.
I glanced at Ana, who looked torn. Then she nodded.
I swallowed hard. It was only fair. I hated to share any secrets—but we knew that Cass, Del, and Nix were FireSouls. If they were going to risk their lives for us, they deserved our secrets as well. It was pretty shitty of me to even think of not sharing with them.
And they would keep our secrets. I could count on that.
Connor delivered our drinks at that moment, and I took mine.
“Thanks.” I sipped, waiting for him to leave.
Once he was gone and the coast was clear, I lowered my voice so other patrons couldn’t hear us. “They are the Rebel Gods, and I am a DragonGod.”
All three gasped low.
“Whoa,” Cass said.
“Double whoa,” Del added.
“Seriously badass.” Nix leaned forward. “You just learned this?”
“The transition comes late. I’m the Valkyrie DragonGod, and it’s my job to take down the Rebel Gods. This stronghold, at least. After that, we’ll see.” I really didn’t like the idea of these bastards running free, terrorizing people. The Valkyrie may have said that it was impossible to get rid of all of them, but I didn’t want to believe that.
Nix grinned “Yep. I’m definitely in.”
“We were in as soon as you walked in the door,” Cass said. “But this just adds fuel to the fire.”
“That’s true,” Nix said. “But I want a piece of the Rebel Gods. I thought they were gone, but if they’re back, then we need to get rid of them.”
Del scratched Pond Flower’s head as she shared the ham with Mayhem. “Have you been okay, otherwise?” Her eyes turned sad. “I have to assume you never found your sister, since she’s not here?”
Pain sliced through my heart. “We haven’t, but thank you for trying to help us all those years ago.”
After we’d first met them and realized that they were capable of finding almost anything, we’d asked for their help with Rowan. But she’d been impossible to see with their dragon sense—possibly because of a strong concealment charm, possibly because she was dead.
“I’m sorry we couldn’t do more,” Cass said.
“You tried, and we appreciate it,” Ana said.
“Where should we meet for this job?” Nix asked. “And when?”
“Meet in Little Grassmarket Close, in Edinburgh. It’s an alleyway in the supernatural part of town. Ten p.m. their time.” It’d be fully dark by then, giving us enough cover, and also some time to rest up. “There’s a portal in that alley. We’ll go to Kart-hadasht, in Tunisia, then cross through another portal into the Rebel Gods’ stronghold.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Nix said. “And you really should visit more often. We’d like to see you.”
I smiled. “Thanks. We will.”
As soon as I sorted out my magic, we’d make it a point. I needed to quit hiding from life.
Chapter Thirteen
We returned to the Protectorate as the night started to turn gray with dawn. Ana and I hurried out of the forest. I hesitated at the edge, the cliffs calling me.
I wanted to fly, even though I was exhausted.
“I’ll meet you later, okay?” I said.
“Sure.”
I gave her a quick hug, then went toward the cliffs.
If I was going to use my wings to fight the final battle, I needed the practice. And frankly, I just wanted to fly.
The ocean waves crashing against the cliffs sounded louder as I approached the edge. I sped up to a run, sprinting toward the edge of the cliffs as I commanded my wings to grow. They ached as they sprouted out of my back, but I felt them flare wide, felt the wind rustle through the feathers.
I sucked in a deep breath and leapt off the edge of the cliff, my heart jumping into my throat. Fear shot through me just before my wings caught the air.
I glided, effortlessly soaring over the waves below.
Joy and strength surged, a strange combination with the pain in my wings. That pain was a constant reminder that I had to succeed at this.
But how?
Was it just winning?
No, it had to be more. Like the Valkyrie had said, I had to earn it. To prove that I was worthy.
And my greatest weakness was jumping too fast. Action before thought.
I winced.
Just like when I’d leapt off that cliff.
I wheeled on the air, joining the white gulls as they cawed and greeted the rising sun.
Your weakness is that you jump too quickly. Learn restraint. It will save that which you love most.
Sigrún’s words echoed in my mind. But what did I love most?
Ana. Rowan.
Maybe Cade.
I shook my head.
I didn’t love him yet. Not even close. I shoved the thought away, mulling over the fight to come, playing it over in my head. Trying to think of how I could help us win. How I could make such a difference that I earned my wings?
And who was that woman? She was a leader in the Rebel Gods. But what religion was she from? Her power was godly, that was for sure.
Could I really take her down?
Eventually, exhaustion pulled too hard at me. I headed back toward the cliff, the onshore wind helping to push me along.
A lone figure stood on the edge, the wind whipping his short hair back from his face.