I rubbed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I can’t be sure, but it looked like long, silver hair.”
Chapter 40
Ultimatum
Cody slept soundly. His breathing had evened out and the tight grip he’d had on me since lying down together finally relaxed. The glow from the campus lights crept in through a crack in the curtains. Malcolm sat in Cookie Monster, watching me watch him.
How can I beat him? I sent the thought to Malcolm without meaning to.
He folded his hands in his lap and gazed at them. I don’t know if any of us can. Aurelia is trying to get the elders to stand against him, but—he pinched his eyes shut as if this was painful for him—they have grown weak. For too long, they’ve hidden themselves away, thinking the legends of their great deeds would forestall any conflicts. None of us anticipated a struggle from within. He looked up at me, and his bronze eyes were filled with regret. I am sorry. You have seen nothing but the worst of dragons. We were not always this way.
Maybe. I smiled at him, hoping to assuage some of his guilt. I also got to see you and Aurelia. Arianna saved my friends when she didn’t have to. Cash gave me a chance even though it went against everything he believed. Russ and Val have been honorable and trustworthy.
He flashed his fangs at me. And what was your first impression of me?
I thought you were scarier than Hell.
I am. He allowed a little of his dragon nature to peek through. His pupils turned to slits, and his teeth lengthened. And, even I don’t know what to do about Argentum.
Dread slithered up my spine, and goosebumps followed in its wake. As long as Argentum lived, he would be a danger to me, but I couldn’t kill again. I couldn’t.
D
“You don’t have to do it, Dacia.” Mavros stands with his back to me. The snow swirls around us. The lake is buried under drifts, and the tops of the mountains can’t be seen through the clouds. Everything is gray and white.
I take a step forward and sink up to my hip in the snow. “If I don’t kill him, who will?”
“Me.” He turns around. His face is as beautiful as the first time I saw him. “Summon me. Order me to kill him. I will follow your commands. I will serve you for eternity.”
I stop struggling to pull my leg out of the drift and stare at him. Is he the answer I’ve been looking for? If I summon him to Earth, will he betray me? “I want to trust you, Mavros, but can I?”
He walks toward me and extends his hand, helping me to my feet. He stands in front of me and brushes my hair back. His touch is gentle. “Only you can decide that.”
“Even if I wanted to, I don’t know how.” I shiver, and he wraps his coat around my shoulders.
“The dragons can tell you.” He steps back. “I only wish to spare you the pain. Can your conscience handle another death?” Wings sprout from his back. “The choice is yours, Dacia. I will not take that from you.”
“Dacia.” Malcolm’s voice was low and urgent. He grasped my shoulder, shaking it.
I put my hand over his. “I’m awake. What?” I sucked in a deep breath and smelled warm summer nights and sulfur. I snapped my eyes open. Mavros’ coat was draped over me.
“Is he back?” Malcolm growled. “What does he want?”
“Crap.” Tossing Mavros’ jacket to the ground, I sat up. “He wants me to summon him so I don’t have to kill Argentum.”
“Don’t do it.” Cody’s voice was hoarse but adamant.
I sat with my elbows on my knees and my head held in my hands. “I didn’t say I was going to.”
“Thinkin’ ‘bout it.” He ran his hand down my back.
I nodded. “Only because I don’t want to kill Argentum.” I shuddered at the thought of having more blood on my hands. “I can’t.”
“We’ll find a better way.” Malcolm walked to the window. “I won’t make you kill him.”
“I couldn’t summon him if I wanted to.” I leaned back into Cody’s touch. “He told me the dragons could tell me how to do it if it’s the path I choose.”
Cody’s chin was on my shoulder. He tilted his head and whispered, “Gotta be a better way.”
“That’ll have to be a last resort strategy.” Malcolm pulled the curtains together, blocking out most of the light that had been seeping in. “We’ll tell you if it comes to it, but for now, get some sleep.”
L
Cody woke me up when he got back from his class. I’d only gotten a few hours of sleep because I was terrified of what I’d dreamt. Even though Mavros had chosen to go back to the Abyss, guilt still consumed me. If he hadn’t fought Argentum’s commands, I would be dead. I couldn’t forget or deny that, but I didn’t know if I could trust him enough to let him loose on the world.
Through Professor Granite’s lecture, I doodled in my notebook. Argentum’s human and dragon forms both came to life on my paper. The dragon had rheumy eyes, but the human’s were clear, hard, and determined.
I stared down at the images, trying to figure out what to do. He wouldn’t stop. I couldn’t convince him I wouldn’t become like Draconian.
Cody reached over and flipped the page. A clean white sheet stared back at me. He slid the pencil out of my hand and slipped his fingers into mine. He looked into my eyes, and if I didn’t know better, I’d think he could read my mind.
I turned my attention to Professor Granite. He stood in front of the class,
