Page 206 of Swords of Soul and Shadow
Kase patted the dash affectionately. “He wouldn’t allow that. It’s almost like he reads my thoughts. If it’s really my Soul or something fueling him…well, it’s a little creepy, but it at least means you’re safe.”
It should have been terrifying, but the technology only fascinated him. What else could they do with it? Could it save someone? Had that been Ezekiel’s motivation after so much loss?
Had that been what his uncle had thought? Why had he told the Cerl Queen the secrets of Jaydian technology? Had sheforced it out of him? Or had he told her in confidence only for her to betray him?
Maybe that was why he begged for death. Not because his soul had been damaged, but because losing just one more person he loved had been too much for him to take.
He looked over at Hallie again as she resumed her sketching. “Hals?”
She didn’t look up. “Hmm?”
Kase flew them over the Jayde Center ruins. “Are you sure you won’t reconsider your decision?”
He was impressed with how calm he sounded discussing something that drastic.
She paused, but she still didn’t meet his eyes. “Decision?”
“About the Gate.”
“We don’t need to talk about this now.”
“No guarantee now won’t be the last chance we get to talk about it.” He wasn’t trying to be pushy; it was just true.
She looked up at last. “I lost a week getting us here, and I can’t make that fireball. The very little healing I’ve done reverts in hours. I’m useless. Our only choice is combining the Essences.”
“You’re far from useless.”
“You’re just saying that.”
“Hallie.” He grabbed her hand and brushed his thumb over her knuckles. She peeked over at him through her lashes. “Your worth is not tied up in mastering the power that was thrust upon you weeks ago. Besides, aren’t Fely and Saldr training you?”
“The only way I can fix this is if I don’t have the power, and the only way to do that is to put it into that sword.”
Kase gripped the steering control harder, and the ship beeped at him. He ignored the warning as he started them back toward the hangar. His time in the sky was probably finished until his patrol, but he hadn’t noticed anything out of place.Two quiet flights in a row made him a little anxious, but if he didn’t dwell too hard on it, he could accept the gift. “We can find another—”
BEEP! BEEP! SCREECH!
Kase only caught sight of the wall of flame just before it hit the ship.
The windshield held under the blinding fire, but Kase’s heart squeezed so tight, he thought it might actually burst. He could barely see anything at all. Too bright. Too hot.
Kase whipped them out of the onslaught. Hallie and the hover both screamed. Every indicator on the dash blinded him with flashing. A high-pitched squeal came from somewhere beneath or behind him. He couldn’t tell. The metal of the ship’s nose was tinged pink instead of blue.
The scent of hot metal burned his nose, and his eyes watered in the lingering pain from the flames.
“Hallie!” Kase shouted, looking over.
She pointed above them. “Dragon!”
His stomach dropped out. Fifty feet away was Skibs, riding atop his golden dragon. The beast opened its maw, a glowing ball of orange and gold sparking in the thing’s throat.
The air rumbled and crackled with power.
I refuse to die today.
Locking his jaw, Kase let his instincts take over. He didn’t know how he did it, exactly, but he pushed everything he had into the machine at his fingertips. His blood sang with each pounding, blistering heartbeat.
“Hold on and whatever you do, don’t open your eyes!” he shouted.
