Arianna and Val were the next ones down the hill, then Cash. His gaze immediately went to me. When he saw I was okay, he smiled. Bryce and Cassandra bounced down the hill, ramming their sled into the back of ours. Cody jolted forward, holding onto me as we tipped over.
“Sorry.” Cassandra giggled.
Malcolm’s and Russ’ were the last two sleds to reach the bottom.
“Now comes the worst part.” Dan stared up the hill.
Val tilted his head. “What?”
“Climbing back up the hill,” Samantha answered.
I held onto Cody’s hand. “I’m not climbing.” I pictured the peak, the trees that had been twisted by harsh winters and strong winds. The snow whirled around us, then we stood at the top, looking down the slope at my friends far below. The dragons grabbed their hands and teleported them to where Cody and I stood.
Bryce’s legs wobbled. He stretched his arm out for balance.
I sat in my sled, and Cash put his hand on my shoulder. “Let me go first.”
I lowered my head. It was hard to forget my problems while under constant guard, but I understood Cash’s concern.
He pushed off. Cody and I waited about thirty seconds before I used my powers to help us race down the hill. About halfway down, we caught up to Cash. He looked over his shoulder and shook his head. A gust of wind hit his sled, speeding him down the hill.
When we came to a stop, Cash was in full-on guard dog mode. “Do you think he’ll attack?” I asked.
“I don’t know.” He brushed the snow off of his legs. “He’s lived honorably most of his life.” Cody snorted, but Cash continued. “He believes he is now. If he attacked you today, that wouldn’t keep in line with his character.”
“Why so anxious then?” Cody held his hand out to me, helping me to my feet.
Cash stared into the trees. “Just a feeling.”
The wind blew, knocking clumps of snow from the branches. I shivered but not from the cold. Whether Argentum attacked me today or I went to him tomorrow, I wasn’t ready. I didn’t know how to defeat him or if I could. “I need to talk to Sarah.”
“Sure.” Cody dragged our sled out of the way.
Cassandra and Bryce blew past us, quickly followed by all of the others.
Samantha got out of her sled and looked at Arianna. “So, what do you think about sledding?”
Val bounced up out of his sled. “I love it.”
“It’s not bad—” Arianna smiled “—but flying is better.”
Cassandra gazed up at the sky. “I imagine that’s amazing.”
“There’s nothing like it.” Russ’ eyes had a faraway look in them. “Soaring on the breeze, the wind against your face and wings, riding the updrafts. It’s incredible.”
We went down the hill several more times. If anybody else came out to sled here, they’d wonder why there were so many sled marks coming down but no tracks going back up the hill. When we finished, we threw all of the sleds in the back of my truck. Then Cody drove us to Sarah’s office. Malcolm and Cash waited to show themselves until we were in the vestibule.
Alicia sat behind the desk, filing her fingernails. She looked up at me briefly, then waved us to the seating area.
I leaned my head in close to Malcolm and Cash and said. “I need you to promise me something.”
Malcolm narrowed his eyes. “What?”
“You can go on up,” Alicia said.
On the way up the stairs, I thought to the dragons what I wanted from them. I needed to make sure they were in on the plan before I talked to Sarah.
A fire roared in Sarah’s office, making the room warm and inviting. Cody, Malcolm, and I sat on one couch with Cash and Sarah on the other.
“I haven’t seen much of you this semester.” Sarah held her mug between both hands as if savoring its warmth.
Guilt weighed my gaze down. I stared at the tan carpet. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to bring anybody else into this.”
“So, this must be important,” she said.
I tugged my hand through my hair and focused on her hazel eyes. “Tomorrow, I have to face Argentum or he’ll come here. I don’t know if I can defeat him.”
Cody’s hand ran up and down my leg. Whether it was to comfort me or to comfort him, I wasn’t sure.
“If I don’t come back tomorrow, the dragons have agreed to stage an accident to explain my death.” I didn’t dare look at Cody. His grip on my leg tightened, but he didn’t say anything. “They’ll make it look like I was in a car wreck and manipulate the memories of everyone so they think they saw a body. That way Mom and Dad won’t spend their lives wondering what happened to me.”
Sarah tilted her head to the side. Her eyebrows pinched together. “Why are you making contingency plans this time?”
“He’s an elder dragon.” I stood up and paced behind Cody. I needed to move around to keep from falling into despair. “Aurelia thinks the only way to get him to leave me alone is to kill him.” I stopped walking and clenched the back of the couch. “I can’t kill again.” My voice caught on a sob. “I can’t.”
All too soon, I lay down on the couch beside Cody. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me as if he’d never let go.
L
Light streams in through the curtains, casting a purple tint over the room. I lie in the middle of the bed, and Cody is propped up on his elbows above me. His eyes are filled with love and admiration. I cup his face in my hands and bring his lips down to mine. He presses delicate kisses on my mouth, then pulls back, staring at me like he’s never seen me before. “I love you, Mrs.
