Dragon's Storm (Legion Of Angels #4)(25)

One hour. That’s roughly how long I’d gone without thinking about Nero. I didn’t know what to do about us. After spending the first few hours of our journey to the Elemental Expanse playing out one scenario after another inside my head, I was no closer to knowing what to do—and I’d come to the conclusion that obsessing over it wasn’t good for my sanity.

“So, Nero and Damiel nearly killed each other today,” I told Captain Somerset. Thinking about Nero might not be good for my sanity, but it was a good distraction from thoughts of my impending death, curtesy of a wayward bolt of lightning. What good was sanity if I weren’t alive to enjoy it?

“That’s nothing new. That’s what angels do. They can’t stand one another for too long.”

“It’s more than that. Nero hates his father. And I can’t figure out why.”

“Nero claims Damiel was a cruel and brutal father,” she replied. “But I think the true reason Nero hates him is he sees Damiel’s darkness in himself. He fears he will become like Damiel, just as cruel, just as brutal.”

“And what do you think?”

“I think that when you choose to become an angel, you invite that cruelty and brutality into you. The magic changes you. It brings you closer to the gods. You gain great power, but you also lose something: empathy for humans. You see them as fleeting moments in the vast expanse of time. You concentrate solely on the bigger picture, and in doing so forget that it is in those moments that we truly live, not in the cold, logical confines of our immortality. There is more to life than duty, honor, and the constant push to the top. There is friendship. And love.”

“Can you become an angel and remain yourself?” I asked.

“No. Becoming an angel changes you.” She turned her head, glancing sidelong across the rock face at me. “Being with an angel changes you too. As a lover, they are spectacular. But as a partner, they are the stuff of nightmares.”

“Are you speaking from personal experience?”

“Yes,” she said darkly.

“I have enough nightmares without piling on more. Last night, I dreamt I was drowning in a volcano.”

“You’re nervous about training with the Dragons.” Her words echoed Nero’s.

“I’ve heard the experience isn’t pleasant.”

“No, it’s not, but it will make you stronger. If you survive,” she added.

“You’re not helping.”

She continued anyway. “You dreamt you were drowning in a volcano. The reality is far worse.”

“You know, I’m suddenly finding myself missing Nero’s dark pep talks. I never should have shared my nightmares with you.”

“Probably a good idea. Don’t be so trusting. Don’t expose your weaknesses.”

“In other words, don’t trust anyone.”

“Trust your friends,” she said as we finally reached the top of the mountain.

The sun parted the clouds, its glistening beams of light pouring down on the castle, making it shine like a million tiny diamonds. A soft hum, resonating with magic, sang out from the walls, and the expanse below responded. The land and castle were linked, their magic intertwined.

“But be careful who you call a friend,” Captain Somerset finished.

She stared across the rocky mountaintop, where Jace and five others stood in front of the castle, waiting. Nero had warned me about Jace too. They were right to warn me. Colonel Fireswift’s son was talented, hardworking, and ambitious. That ambition toed the line of cruelty. Jace wanted to be a good person, but that was in complete opposition to his desire to be a powerful one. I often wondered which part of him would win out in the end.

“Who is that standing with Jace?” I asked Captain Somerset.

She looked at the woman, who was wearing a full leather uniform despite the heat. The emblem of a hand, the symbol for telekinesis, marked her as a captain, a soldier of the sixth level.

“That is Kendra Fireswift,” Captain Somerset told me, frowning. “Colonel Fireswift’s first born.”

“Jace has a sister?” He’d never mentioned her.

“Yes, but you’ll find her more like her father than her brother.”

“So, she is Jace’s mentor for this training.”

To take part in the Dragons’ training, each of us had to bring along a mentor. That right there told me how intense this experience would be.

Kendra Fireswift returned Captain Somerset’s gaze with obvious distaste. Her perfect nose turned up with presumed superiority.

“I take it you two know each other,” I said.

“I helped train her once,” Captain Somerset replied as we approached the castle. “She was arrogant even then, an attitude fueled by her uncanny ability to best her peers at everything. She rose through the ranks quickly. Becoming an angel is her life’s mission, and I fear for the world should she ever get her wish.”

“Captain Somerset,” Kendra Fireswift greeted her. “Still training the poor, underpowered soldiers? You always did have a soft spot for charity cases. How very altruistic of you.”

“There’s nothing altruistic about it.” If Captain Somerset had smiled any harder, her face would have broken. “I’m just doing my job. At the Legion, we serve. We don’t seek glory.”