Page 120 of Beasts of Briar
“And what about you?” Aron turned that assessing gaze onto me. “What about Kairoth?”
I crossed my arms and looked out over the horizon, the jungle spread out below the blue sky.“He makes me feel like I’m not alone,”I signed slowly.“Like as long as he’s alive, I’ll never be alone.”
Aron nudged me with his elbow. “I’m happy for you too.”
“They’re coming!” a voice called out in the distance. My head snapped toward the sound.
The dragon soared through the sky, flanked by other dragons, Seraphina and Madden riding the one closest to us.
“They’re coming!” Seraphina screamed from atop the dragon she rode as I knitted the final thread in place.
The balcony doors clicked open, the others beginning to emerge from the library.
Aron grabbed my hand and squeezed tight. We were out of time. The final battle had officially begun.
Chapter Sixty-Seven
BELLAMY
Everyone left for the jungle. We’d already decided that would be the best place to face the gods, where we might use the natural elements to our advantage. But I had a final task to complete before I joined.
I wouldn’t fight the gods before I set my brothers free. If the world was ending, they deserved this freedom.
They stood behind me on the terrace as I watched everyone else trek through the village far down below and toward the busted wall Aron had broken through.
The final sleeve I’d knitted was clumsy and had holes and barely hung on. But it would have to do.
My father stood behind me, his eyes on the horizon, watching for the gods. “I can’t believe my sons will finally be free,” he said.
He’d been lucid more and more over the last few days as I entered his mind and tried to undo the mess Khalasa had made.
“My sons.” His voice broke over the last word.
Clouds filled the sky, roaming over the sun and hiding its harsh rays. Sweat rolled down my forehead, and my hands shook as I gripped the first sweater. Jorah’s.
Doubts filled my mind. What if the vision I’d seen so long ago was wrong? What if I’d sacrificed everything for no reason? What if there truly was no way to save my brothers?
“Bellamy.” My father’s voice shook as he raised a finger and pointed at something in the distance.
Seven figures flew through the sky, different colors of smoke surrounding them, dust poofing from them. From here, I could see the way Kairoth’s hands and feet were bound together, his shadows flat against him, unable to move. My entire body coiled tight. It was them. The gods were here, and I had to hurry.
I threw the first sweater over Jorah. It landed over his back, the sleeves settling over his wings. My father handed me the next sweater, and I threw it over Ryder.
“They’re getting closer.” My father clutched my arm tight, and I worried how he’d respond to seeing Khalasa again. But I couldn’t think about that now.
Another sweater. Killian.
“Bellamy!” My father shook my arm, and I turned to see the gods coming straight for us.
Khalasa led them as they soared through the sky. Kairoth stared at me, his mouth gagged, his face bruised and bloodied. Aethira and Ragar held him between them. He must’ve been too weak to use his magic.
Khalasa’s gaze locked on my father, and her upper lip curled as they came closer. I looked up at the sky, unable to see the stars through the thick gathering of clouds. A light rain fell over the terrace, splattering to the ground. The ground shook below, cracks forming. In the distance, the ocean waves rolled high. Dangerously high. Battering the shore and flooding into the jungle.
My frown deepened. Were the gods doing this? Had they already begun to destroy the world?
“It’s been so long since I’ve seen her,” my father said, a tremble in his voice.
I threw another sweater out, this one to Klaus. The sweater fell onto his back. Nothing was happening with my brothers, and my stomach sank.
