He smiled and caressed my cheek with his thumb. “You still drive me crazy.” Then he scooped me into his arms and lowered me over the side of the ship
.
I cranked the gear on the side of the grappler and began my descent. I kept my eyes on Reese, watching him get farther and farther away from me. And then he disappeared into the night sky, altogether. Panic flooded me as I realized I didn’t get to tell him I loved him. I wanted to shout out, but it was too late. He was gone, and I couldn’t call attention to myself.
I waited to feel the ground underneath my feet. But instead, arms wrapped around me, guiding me to the floating dock. Preparing to fight, I spun and summoned my power.
“Hey,” Jace said. “It’s me.”
“Jace!” I hugged his neck. “Damn, I was ready to blast…” I looked back up at the airship. “How did you know I was escaping?”
“Reese and I worked it out.” His eyes flicked over me. “For now.”
I squinted. “You worked it out without killing him?”
His lips curled into a side-grin. “You said you wanted to be the one. Remember?”
He grabbed my hand, and we took off down the dock toward the smoke and chaos of the streets of Haven.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
WE RAN DOWN THE cobbled roadway, dodging the battle the best we could. I was still trying to comprehend how Jace and Reese had managed to work together to devise a plan to get me off the airship.
But as we approached the chaos of downtown, all thoughts ceased. Shythe and Narcolym battled in the streets. Flame and Charge rocketed through alleys and storefronts. Smoke billowed from rooftops as buildings burned. I stared openmouthed as Jace forced me to keep moving. The screams of Kythan in pain made my legs tremble. I forced my eyes away from the battlegrounds as I tried to keep up with his pace.
I realized we were heading toward Cogs. “Is it safe?” I asked.
“All our weapons are there, and the Council’s trying to figure out how to reverse the barrier spell.” Jace banged on the side door to the club. “We only have until morning. Dawn. That’s the longest Reese said he could hold off the Feyan Army.”
My heart sank as I recalled that if we won, if we actually got the barrier spell reversed, Reese would be gone. But this was my home. I had to defend it. There would be plenty of time to worry and miss him later.
Once inside the club, I looked around, alarmed. There were so many Shythe all armored up and grabbing weapons while others lay wounded and bleeding. Groups flew in and out the front door. I’d never seen a battle before, and my insides screamed. I had more power than anyone here. I should be the one out there fighting.
I turned toward Jace. “I need to be out there.” I tried to sound strong, determined. “I’m strong. I can fend most of the Narco front off while you guys work on the spell.”
Jace mock laughed. “They must have knocked you over the head. There’s no way you’re going out there. You are exactly what they want.” He led me behind the bar, heading for Devon’s secret room. “Once they realize you’re gone, they’ll send the army after you full force, and that rescue mission will have been for nothing.”
He had a point. Even if I disguised myself, once they saw my power, they’d know. Dammit. I couldn’t just sit back and do nothing while everyone I cared about fought. As I stepped inside the small room, Lana and Nick rushed me.
“You have to quit getting yourself into trouble,” Nick said. “I swear, you’re going to give my sister a heart attack.” He hugged me.
Lana clung to me next. “Listen to the man. For once, he makes sense.”
I surveyed the room. They’d moved the proofs of the scroll and documents here. I assumed the Council’s homes weren’t safe anymore. A thought hit me. “My mom?” I asked Lana.
“She’s safe.” She grasped my arm. “We moved her inside the Academy with the others that are too weak to fight. It’s a small group. Mostly women and children.” She eyed me intently. “We put it on lockdown. No one comes in and no one leaves.”
“Thank you,” I told her. After hearing what Drevan had planned for my mom, I couldn’t help them if I was worried about her. I knew he’d go straight for her to get to me, which was why I refused to believe he was my father. There was no way I came from that monster.
I glanced around the small room and was shocked to see Mr. Liam. I walked up to him. “What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I guess word got out about my exceptional skills in the art of weaponry.” He smiled as he continued turning gears on the side of a transfer machine. “I’m working as fast as I can to make Charge Sabers with the power from your crystal.” He nodded toward the project before him.
I quirked an eyebrow. “Want something a little more powerful?”
His head shot up. “That’s right,” he said, realization washing over his face. “You’re Feyan.” He laughed. “That’s a much better solution.”
“All right,” I said, relieved that I could help with something. “Power down that crystal and let me know when you’re ready.”