Page 234 of Tears for a Broken Sky
“Now, now. No need for that.” Ivan stepped forward, his cloak catching in the wind like a banner, the soft thud of his bootsdeliberate as a drumbeat.
He was smiling. Of course he was. Like this was all theatre—and he the star.
My mother stood beside him, trembling and cold. Her whole body was tense.
Jasper was nowhere to be seen.
That alone had me worried.
“What is this?” I demanded, stepping forward.
“Elira,” Syrena whispered. She held out her arms and I ran to her.
She wrapped her arms around me tightly. “I’m so sorry, baby.” She whispered.
“For what? What is going on?” I said. Her scent—pomegranate and rose—wrapped around me. A comfort I hadn’t realized I missed.
“Where’s Jasper?” Phoenix asked sharply behind me.
Syrena pulled back and offered a smile that didn’t touch her eyes. “I had to make an agreement, darling girl. With Ivan.”
I stiffened. “What kind of agreement?”
Slade’s growl vibrated low and dangerous. He moved up behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder, pulling me gently back into his protection.
Ivan stepped forward, positively gleaming with smug satisfaction.
“It’s nice to see you survived the night,” he said. “I hear poor Vael wasn’t so fortunate.”
“What do you want, Ivan?” I snapped.
“And why are we here?” Phoenix added coldly.
Ivan lifted his arms like he was revealing a kingdom. Behind him, the crescent wall of the Moon Gate framed the burning shadow of Mount Emberflame in the distance.
“I had a very enlightening night,” Ivan said. “There I was, minding my own business… and what do I see but a dragon soaring overhead.”
I felt my breath catch. My pulse quickened.
“And?” I asked, bracing.
Ivan smiled wider. “Well, I was under the impression that the dragons were extinct. Or, at the very least… sleeping.”
“So what if they aren’t?” I said through clenched teeth. “How does that concern you?”
He tutted. “Elira. You are still not seeing the full picture. Ashton survived, you know. He’s already rallying his forces—he’ll send his broken Shades, his warped magic, his armies. He will sweep across this world like plague.”
“Then we’ll stop him.” I raised my chin. “We took on Vael and Ashton’s men last night and every one of us walked away.”
Ivan chuckled. “Bravado. But you’re tired. Wounded. Fractured. You think you have time to recover? You don’t.”
Phoenix stepped forward then—quiet, deliberate. His shadow merged with mine as he stood at my side.
“Cut to the point,” he said, voice like embers under ice. “Or we walk.”
Ivan’s eyes glinted. “We form an alliance. My army. Your power. Together, we crush Ashton before he rises.”
“You seem to pick and choose your allies fast,” I said coolly.
