She faltered, words failing her as her eyes caught his, flashing and cruel. “About what happened,” she started.
Caleb waved her off. “Please. Don’t embarrass yourself on my account. It’s really no big deal.”
“But—”
“I was in the mood. You were ready and willing. It happened. Now it’s over and done. Let’s move on with our lives, shall we?”
His words stung. Badly. Even though she was the one who had pulled away. But that wasn’t because it hadn’t meant anything. It was just—
“What, do you think you’re the first girl I took into the Nether?” he scoffed, catching her anguished expression. “Please. I’ve had half the Potentials in there. Nothing like a good dragon race to get a girl all hot and bothered.” He snorted. “You should have seen when I took Aiko in there three months ago. She was practically ripping off her shirt before I could even manifest a single marshmallow.”
Trinity’s throat seemed to close up. “Oh,” she stammered. “Wow.” She no longer had anything to say—at least nothing she could force past the huge lump that had formed in her throat. Her mind flashed back to the cliff side, to Caleb’s tormented face. The story that had broken her heart. Had it all been an act? A signature move honed and perfected over the years to lure Potentials in? Make them feel sorry for him so they’d agree to hook up?
“Now why don’t you go back to your little birthday party and your little friends?” he added with a sneer. “I’ve got things to do.”
“Yeah. I’m sure being a full-time douche keeps you pretty busy,” she retorted, feeling the tears well up in her eyes. She turned and walked away before he could see them fall. Thank God she’d had the sense to break things off first. How far would he have taken it if she’d lost herself in his arms?
She stalked down the corridors, no longer in the mood to party. The happy, carefree faces of the Potentials would only serve to torment her. Had Caleb really taken Aiko into the Nether? Had he broken her heart too?
Not that her heart was broken, she reminded herself. Like Caleb said, it was no big deal. Just a kiss. Nothing more. And not even a good idea. She had enough going on with her newfound mission to save the world to be wasting time on some doomed romance. She was the Fire Kissed, after all. She didn’t have time to be some guy’s girlfriend too.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
She gave the dragon a rueful look. Emmy gazed back at her with concern deep in her blue and golden eyes. She reached out a hesitant paw and brushed Trinity’s cheek, swiping away a tear. Trinity gave the dragon a sad smile. At least she had someone who cared.
“You know, that was the first thing you ever said to me,” she reminded Emmy. “Back at the museum. When I thought you were fake.” She twisted the ring on her finger. “It seems a million years ago at this point.”
She sighed. She was so tired. So, so tired. But she squared her shoulders and shook it off best she could. Emmy needed her to be strong after all, to keep the promise she’d made. And so when the dragon gave her a doubtful look, she reached out to pat her wing reassuringly.
“I’ll be fine,” she said. “I just need a good night’s sleep.”
“You do indeed,” boomed a deep voice. Trinity whirled around, startled. The Dracken Master himself, Darius, stood not two feet away, dressed in a smart black tuxedo, his hair slicked back with a bit too much grease. She hadn’t heard him approach. “Your training begins tomorrow. And I must warn you, it will be nothing if not intense.”
She forced herself to smile back at him. “Intense is my middle name,” she declared, mustering up her bravado. “I can hardly wait.” She turned on her heel, ready to head back to her bedroom.
“Stop,” he commanded suddenly in a voice that caused her heart to leap to her throat. Turning back slowly, she leveled her eyes upon his face. His smile had disappeared.
“Yeah?” she asked, biting her lower lip.
For a moment the Dracken leader said nothing, just regarded her with solemn eyes. Then he sighed deeply. “Before you go, I have some news. About your grandfather.”
Her heart fluttered. “News?” she repeated warily.
“Maybe you should sit down. We could go to my office and—”
“No.” She shook her head vehemently, scarcely able to breathe. “Just tell me.”
Looking regretful, he reached into his jacket’s interior pocket and pulled out a folded newspaper, holding it out to her. “What is this?” she asked, heart pounding madly now as she took the paper and unfolded it with shaky fingers. Her eyes widened as she realized she was holding a copy of the
Without a word, he took the paper from her and flipped it over. She looked back down. “The obituaries?” she asked. “What…?” She trailed off, her eyes falling on the single entry for that day. She nearly dropped the paper.
“No,” she stammered, her world falling out from under her. “There must be some mistake.”
Darius shook his head slowly, then opened his arms. She fell into them, sobbing hard against his chest. He wrapped his hands around her, rubbing her back with long, even strokes. She didn’t have the strength to pull away.
“I’m so sorry, Trinity. I wanted to wait to tell you, so you could have your celebration. After all you’ve been through, I didn’t want you to have to deal with this too. At least not before you regained your strength.”
“What happened?” she asked, pulling away, searching his face. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Emmy, dancing nervously around her, clearly upset at her mistress’s distress. But she needed answers first— before she could reassure her dragon.
He gave her a sorry look. “From what my men could gather, your grandfather was found a few days ago, down by exit 13 off the old, abandoned interstate. He had been beaten within an inch of his life.” He cringed. “They tried to operate but his heart couldn’t take it. He was in a coma for a few days before he finally let go.”
He kept talking but Trinity could no longer focus on his words. Exit 13. That was where she’d told him to meet her. But then she’d sent Connor instead. The Dragon Hunter who she hadn’t realized at the time was trying to kill her.
She broke out into a fresh set of tears. Had Caleb been right about his brother all along?
“I’m so, so sorry,” the Dracken leader murmured, taking her face in his hands and peering down at her with intense brown eyes. “I know how much he meant to you.”
“He was my family,” she sobbed. “My only family.”
“No!” Darius’s eyes flashed fire. His hands tightened against her face until she almost cried out in pain. “We’re your family now. And we’ll always be there for you no matter what. We’ll never let anything happen to you. I promise.”
His words were fierce and passionate, and probably meant to comfort, but instead chilled her to the bone, realization hitting her hard and fast. As nice as they were and as helpful as they’d been…
They were never going to let her go.
Forcing the fear back, she looked down at the paper again, as if she could somehow change what it said by sheer force of will. But, of course, the words were written in indelible ink.
She looked up. “The funeral is on Friday,” she managed to say past the lump in her throat. “I’d like to go.”
Darius regarded her for a moment, then shook his head slowly. “I’m sorry,” he said. “That’s not possible.”
“Please,” she begged, her voice trembling. “I’ll leave Emmy here. You can send guards with me. We’ll leave immediately after the service.” She gave him a pleading look. “I just want to have the chance to say good- bye.”
Darius gave her a pitying look. “I know. But I can’t allow it. It’s too dangerous.” He shook his head. “We’ll hold our own memorial here,” he told her. “We’ll all come together as a family to honor his memory. He was important to us too, Trinity. Without him, Emberlyn might still be trapped in a glacier. It was his dedication to his work that set her free.” He smiled sadly. “Why, we owe him our very existence.”
