Page 108 of Claim the Light
Isaac warned me that he wouldn’t be able to keep Callan from this fight if Lana’s life was in danger.
They’re all sweaty and breathing heavily, their shoulders tense and their weapons raised.
But it’s Micah who draws my attention.
He paces back and forth along the far edge of the rooftop I’m currently hovering over. His location puts him between the two groups of captives.
A single body lies at his feet.
I recognize Gordon, the Scorn with the patterns shaved across his head, his neck twisted at a bad angle.
His death indicates two things.
The first is that Tyler’s power must have been destroyed when I condemned him to the oblivion. The Scorn are no longer invincible. And I can only hope that also means that Micah, Beatrix, and Lana are free from Tyler’s power.
The second thing is that Micah may have been responsible for the death that ended the fight. As soon as one of the Scorn died, I suspect the others would have surrendered quickly.
“Who’s next?” Micah roars, his voice raw with pain. “Who will fight me?”
My heart cracks.
Callan warned me what would happen if something happened to Lana, but I should have considered what Micah would do if he’d thought he’d lost me.
It looks like he’d be willing to walk through the wall of golden bullets and snatch Niah out of there, just for the chance to fight someone. The bullets streaming around the Scorn suddenly seem more like a protective barrier than a restraint.
Closer to me, Callan exchanges a look with Lana and I read their unspoken messages clearly. They’re trying to decide which one of them will tackle Micah—literally.
I begin to call out, but I forgot I was still in dragonfly form. And, even with my silken dress hanging from my little feet, I won’t attract attention from my location.
For a heartbeat, I consider the danger I pose to all of them.
If I accidentally use my power, the consequences could be catastrophic. They are all perfect in their imperfections and I would never want to change any of them.
I’m filled with self-doubt as I hover quietly at the edge of the group.
I have a choice to make. One that’s tearing my heart apart.
Can I return to my family?
Am I a threat to them now?
My power came into existence when the dragon’s light was brought into the world. In the moments that followed, all I wanted was peace, but it was the dragon’s light that made this happen.
Suddenly, I realize what I need to do, and I’m determined not to do it alone.
With my heart in my throat, I fly around the back of the group, heading toward Micah, remaining in my dragonfly form so I can reach him without being intercepted.
The moonlight shines down around me, its brightness another sign that Tyler’s power is gone.
I land in the space directly in front of Micah, letting go of my dress in the air and dropping my dragonfly body down through it. As I will myself back into my humanoid form, my arms extend through the armholes of my dress and it neatly covers my body once more.
The shift happens seamlessly and in a stream of light.
Micah comes to an abrupt halt as I appear right in front of him. His hair is disheveled, his shirt is torn, and his long pants are badly scuffed. It all reminds me so much of the first time I saw him that I’m transported back to that moment in an instant.
The memory of the rain and his wolfish scent will stay with me forever.
His rage beats across me, and I sense how broken he is. A dragon with cracks in his heart.
