Vanish

to Cassian, I let that say everything. Let the gesture speak for itself.

Cassian stares at us both, and I hold his stare, trying not to let anything he may be feeling penetrate and influence me. Still, I pick up a trickle of sentiment from him. Anger. Regret. Sorrow.

The words I’m sorry rise to my lips, but I can’t let them fall. Can’t apologize for the way I feel for Will.

“You’re leaving,” he announces in his rough, guttural tongue.

In a blink, I demanifest, fold back into my human shape. “Yes.” Tamra is there, helping me slip my tattered shirt back on.

Still watching me, Cassian follows suit, demanifests and stands before me wearing only a pair of torn jeans. He glances at Tamra. “She’s going, too?”

“I’m right here,” she snaps. “You don’t have to talk about me like I’m not.”

I follow his gaze to my sister. Her eyes spark like shards of ice as she glares at Cassian… and I think her infatuation with him might truly be at an end.

“You’ll leave the pride?” I’m not sure who he’s asking.

“After everything that’s happened?” I wave a hand. “Why would I stay?”

“Because there are things bigger and more important than what you want,” he returns, his gaze flicking meaningfully to Will.

“You’re not one to talk about putting aside wants.” Tamra’s voice is venom. “You wanted Jacinda and made certain that you got her. That wasn’t for the pride. That was for you and no one else.”

“What’s she talking about?” Will growls beside me, his hand tightening on mine.

“Do we really want to do this now?” I glare at each of them and motion to Corbin. “He’s liable to wake up any moment and we’re too close to pride grounds.”

A muscle feathers across Will’s jaw. Still glaring at Cassian, he tugs me toward the truck. “You’re right. Let’s get out of here.”

Cassian’s voice follows me. “Run away, Jacinda. You’re good at that.”

Will stiffens at my side, but it’s Tamra who comes unglued. She spins around, all spitting fury. “Don’t be so self-righteous! You want to know where we’re going? And none of us want to go there, let me assure you of that. We’re going to rescue your brat of a sister who got only what she deserved because she was spying on Jacinda.”

“Miram?” His gaze shoots to me. “Is that true? You’re going to rescue Miram?” His gaze swings to Will. “She’s not dead?”

Will holds silent for a long moment, and I hold my breath. Finally, he answers. “She lives.”

Something passes over Cassian’s eyes. A lightness that had not been there seconds ago. I sense his relief. “Then I’m going with you.”

“What?” Tamra demands, chasing after him as he stalks toward the vehicle. “I don’t think so!”

“She’s my sister,” he returns, his voice tight, his lips barely moving.

Tamra looks helplessly at me and Will, her eyes perfectly communicating her plea: Don’t let him come.

“It’s going to be dangerous,” I warn.

“Jacinda,” Tamra hisses.

Cassian just looks at me, and I realize the threat of danger would hardly discourage him.

I turn to study Will, wait for him to decide. He’s leading this mission. I move my thumb against the inside of his wrist in a small circle. He gives my hand a single squeeze and then walks ahead, guiding me to the passenger side. “We better get out of here.”

With a grim nod, Cassian gets in the back of the Land Rover.

Tamra mutters, but climbs in, too, making certain to stay as far from him as possible.

Will starts the car, slipping one hand over mine as he steers us from the clearing. I lace my fingers through his, see smudges of purple blood on his knuckles. His or Corbin’s, I don’t know, but my chest tightens at the sight.

I tear my gaze from that blood and look up at Will’s face instead, into those eyes of flickering light and unfathomable depths. And I tell myself this is right. Will. Me. Us—on this journey together.

In moments, we’re moving, the four most unlikely companions heading down the mountain, cutting through thinning mists… Nidia’s shield of protection evaporating as we descend.

Away from the pride.

Chapter 27

The last time I fled the pride there was only despair. Desolation in the belief that I would never be whole again. That without the pride, I would be nothing. It wasn’t me fleeing, but Mom making me go.

This time is different. Now I’m fleeing. Me. Willingly. As fast as I can. Without the pride, I’m free. Whole as I haven’t been in weeks. Hope overflows in my heart.

Will holds my hand between us. Cassian and Tamra are silent in the backseat. Tension swirls around the four of us as thick as the mists we leave behind.

I sense Cassian behind me. Angry-hard determination ripples off him. It mingles with my own lighter emotions. I focus on my feelings and fight to shove Cassian’s away.

I look down at Will’s hand wrapped around my own. So strong. I remember Corbin’s bewilderment at his strength, and I let that settle in, sink deep. I’d seen evidence of it before. When he fought with Cassian on Big Rock he held his own. I chalked it up to his training but now I’m not so sure. Not after today. Not after what I saw him do with the ground.

Is there some way Will gained multiple draki talents through the transfusion? The strength of an onyx draki and the power to manipulate ground and earth like an earth draki? Too incredible, maybe… but I know what I saw. He leveraged the earth. Just like an earth draki can do. I didn’t imagine it.

Tamra witnessed it, too. It all goes back to the blood. It has to. What other explanation can there be? He’s immune to shading, he’s extraordinarily strong, he can manipulate the earth…. That’s more than any one single draki can do.

And I begin to wonder… what else hides in him? In his blood?

I want to talk to him about this, but only when we’re alone. Knowing how Cassian feels, I don’t want to bring up my suspicions that Will gained something more than a second lease on life through his transfusions.

I mull this over in the prolonged silence.

Conversation breaks out once, when Cassian asks, “How long will it take to get there?”

“Depends if we drive straight through,” Will answers.

“We’ll drive straight through,” Cassian returns flatly.

I glance at Will, notice a muscle feathering the flesh of his taut cheek. I give his fingers a slight squeeze, urging patience. This adventure is going to be hard enough. We should all try to get along.

Tamra snorts and mutters, “Always in command.”

I glance back at her. She sits with her arms crossed, pressed against the door to get as far from Cassian as possible in the confines of the vehicle. I turn back around and blow out a slow breath.

It’s going to be a long journey.

We drive for several hours, stopping only once for gas and food. I doze fitfully in the front seat, smoky, terror-soaked images flashing through my half-conscious mind.

I’m in the van again. With Miram. It’s hot and airless and my pores scream for relief in the tight space. Moans choke Miram and I make my way to her on my hands and knees. Only when I touch her shoulder and roll her over, it’s not Miram at all.

It’s Dad.

His eyes are glassy, staring into nothing. No matter how I call him and shake him, he won’t wake. He just lies