“Like killing every Crescent in Miami?”
Jay shook his head. “Beyond that. The blast will obliterate the entire state.”
Ruby slapped her hand to her chest, Jay’s words thudding heavily inside. “That can’t be what Purcell’s goal is. Otherwise he’d be leaving. And seriously, what would he gain by doing that?”
“He may not know that will happen. He probably has no idea what he’s dealing with. This has got to be stopped.”
Cyn pinched the bridge of his nose. “So how do we dismantle this thing?”
“Very carefully. Your inclination will be to destroy it with your Dragon fire, but you’d detonate it instantly. Which is what Brom saw.”
Ruby snapped her fingers. “When Garnet defeated the monster, she didn’t lob flashy orbs at it. She used a gentle, beautiful orb. Maybe Brom had the answer and didn’t even know it.”
After she explained who Garnet was, Jay said, “Yes, gently release the orb’s energy, the way air releases from a punctured tire. You’ll need something that’s strong enough to penetrate the metal but leaves you with enough control to pull it back before crushing the tube.”
Cyn bared his teeth. “Like a Dragon’s fang, maybe?”
Ruby’s mouth dropped open. “You’re going to bite an explosive canister? No, I’m going to bite it. Because it’s my destiny.”
Cyn got to his feet, pulling her up with him. “We have to go.”
Ruby wrapped her fingers around Cyn’s arm. “When Brom was trying to talk, he said ‘J-J.’ We thought he was saying ‘Justin,’ but he was probably saying ‘Jay.’ If we hadn’t come here, we would have blown the damned thing up.”
Jay leaned back against the desk. “Should you approach the Concilium?”
Cyn’s expression shadowed. “Purcell has connections in the Guard. I don’t know who else might be involved.”
“If the solar storm is the key factor, you only have until tomorrow to destroy this object. Is there anything I can do to help?”
Cyn clapped his hand on Jay’s shoulder. “How long since you’ve fought?”
Jay rolled his eyes in thought. “Fifty or so years. But it’s like riding a bike, right?”
How weird to hear guys talk about that kind of span of time so casually.
“You’re out of practice dealing with demons and the like. But keep your phone with you. I may need your guidance.”
Cyn called Grayson once they said goodbye. She packed her bag while Cyn retrieved his clothes. When he returned, he wore the black pants and white shirt he’d had on before. He closed the door behind him, but his gaze went right to her. To the way she was taking him in, no doubt.
“You’re right, there is something magic here,” she said, slinging the bag over her shoulder as she came closer.
He skimmed his hands over her shoulders. “Does that mean you’re going to go back to hating me when we get to Miami? I’m not sure I could bear that.” He was serious.
“No, I meant that there’s something magic…here.” She gestured between them. “Us.”
A sound drew their attention to the sight of Grayson appearing out of nowhere. Holy…well, not holy exactly. Black, ethereal wings shimmered. He took them in with a curious expression. “Your energy has drastically changed from a few hours ago.”
She said, “It’s called forgiveness. You should try it.”
His eyes frosted over. “Holding on is a good reminder not to make the same mistake. Ready?”
All righty then. No forgiveness happening for him.
Cyn took her hand and led her over to him. “Let’s go.”
Seconds later, they were in Grayson’s condominium. She couldn’t stop staring as his wings shrank down to the tattoo on his back. His shoulders drooped, and he braced his hands on the back of his couch for support.
“Does Leaping take a lot out of you?” she asked.
He stepped away from her, bowing his head and running his hand back over his hair. “Leaping by itself is taxing. Bringing two people even more so. Twice in a short period of time…definitely.” He looked at Cyn. “But if you need help—”
“I’ll let you know. We’ve been having demon trouble. We’ve handled them so far. But be on call. And if you start to feel unusually fatigued, or fluish, get out of here. Tell the other Caidos. The clerk at Sanctum said the place was fully booked starting tomorrow, solar storm panic.”
“I can already feel the difference,” she said. “In Chena, the energy was alive. Invigorating. Not here.”
The first faint hints of dawn lit the sky. They reached the car, and she pulled out Brom’s book as soon as they’d closed the doors. “There’s a new entry. Hopefully something useful.”
Her finger followed Brom’s scribbled words. Cyn dies. Ruby must Breathe his power. But enough to defeat???
The words clutched her throat. “No.” She looked at Cyn, whose face had gone pale. “No.”
“The Dragon Prince died in Mon’s story,” he said in a low, careful voice.
“But that’s because he hated you. He made it up.”
“His stories were based on Brom’s vision, Ruby. We can’t ignore what’s right in front of us.” He tapped the picture. “This is why you need me. You will need my power to succeed.”
She grabbed his arm, her fingers twisting the material of his sleeve. “Kade said visions were an approximation of what could happen.”
“Maybe so, but everything Brom saw has come true so far.”
“Cyn, you can’t die. Not now that I…” Loved him? Isn’t that what giving him her heart meant? “Not now,” she finished.
His mouth turned to a wry grin. “Would have been easier if you still hated me.” She could see his mind working as his embers became jagged sparks.
“Well, it’s too late for that now, Cyntag Valeron. What I’ve given you, you can’t give back.”
“Your forgiveness?”
“My heart.”
He reached out, his palm on her cheek. His mouth opened, but he seemed to struggle with the words. She suspected he changed them when he said, “Remember what I said about Breathing Dragon. Just in case,” he added, when she was going to protest. “You’ll see the Dragon’s essence hovering above the physical body. It’ll look like heat waves over sunbaked pavement. The stronger and older he or she is, the more power. I’m old and I’ve killed a lot of Dragons, so if you Breathe me, you’re going to get overloaded. This is where you really have to put logic over emotion.”
“Can’t I heal you? Like you healed me?”
He shook his head. “You’re not strong enough yet. If I’m killed or mortally injured, you have to Breathe me, Ruby. Because if Magda does it, you’ll never win. Promise me.”
She nodded, tears making her eyes tingle. She remembered feeling Garnet’s pain at being so alone and lost.
“Afterward, you should be able to tap into my Obsidian qualities. But if you let your emotions drive you, you’ll be killed. It’s as simple as that. And if we both die, so do a lot of other people.”
“But you’re not going to die.”
“I’ll do my best.” He rubbed his thumb against the side of her mouth. “Before you came into my life again, I didn’t care about living or dying. But now I have a lot to live for. So believe me when I say that I’ll fight like hell to stay alive, and to keep you safe.”
She kissed him fiercely, her hands gripping his face. “Don’t you dare die, Cyn. Don’t you dare.”
“No matter what happens, know that you brought me to life again.” He rubbed away tears she didn’t know she had shed.
She pressed her hand to his chest. “I want you to know something, too. You have a good heart, despite everything you’ve done. When I looked past my anger, I saw everything you really are. Not just a cold, badass Dragon warrior, but a man with integrity and a sense of right.”