afraid. Not after the visions she’d seen. Not after the images of death and war. “He said she tricked him.” Her eyes met Emily’s, confessing all of the doubt and worry she’d been pressing back. “He said she was smarter than they gave her credit for, and she’d deceived them all.”
Aern’s focus was still on Logan, and Brianna realized she’d missed the implication. “You mean that’s why they’re staying clear of Aern and Morgan?” Because they could turn a shadow with their sway. They were the only ones strong enough among the Seven ; only the pair of them left that were of the dragon line.
T he man’s warning was back, his promise that they’d saved her, that she and Emily were somehow comparable to Morgan, to Aern. That there was something special enough about the two of them to cause a disruption, to put their lives and the lives of their family in danger. “It’s the prophecy,” she said. “They want us because we can destroy their power. And because we can create it.” Her gaze came up to meet Aern. “In you.”
In the Seven.
Emily’s grip came free of her blade. “She tricked them, Brianna. She put us here to hide us.” She paused, taking a breath, and there was no question it was shrouded in relief. “From them. From the shadows.” Not from the Seven. Not from Aern and Logan. She stared at Brianna. “So what do we do now?”
Brianna couldn’t help but smile at the turn her sister had taken, but it was only half-hearted, because her answer was too real. “We get ready to fight, because the shadows are coming for us. For the Seven.”
Emily kicked the toe of her shoe around the leg of a low table, drawing it close to sit in front of her sister. “Great. I guess if I’m going to be a shadow, now’s as good a time as any.”
Chapter Twelve
Aern
“ That is so weird.”
Aern laughed, watching as Emily marveled over the heat radiating from her palm. Her power had begun working almost immediately, and they’d left Brianna alone to recover before she started another round. Emily had been practicing ever since.
“Is it taxing you yet?” he asked.
She considered that, shook her head. “Doesn’t seem to be. I think Brianna must just be working harder than the rest of us.” She pursed her lips. “This is going to take her a while.”
She was right; building a force formidable enough to fight the shadows wasn’t going to be quick. Seth would be next, and Eric. Ellin if she felt up to it. Brianna was going to start with the team leaders, the strongest soldiers, and make as many connections as possible before the men from her visions came. But they still hadn’t found Brendan, and Aern couldn’t help but scour the maps and ledgers once more.
Emily shifted in her chair, the paperwork on Aern’s desk fluttering at the edges before a breeze flipped it into the air. He slapped a hand over the pages, catching all but one before they blew onto the floor. “Maybe you should practice that one over there.”
She glanced doubtfully toward the corner of the room, a shelf of ancient books and documents, some sort of bronze sculpture. “That stuff looks expensive.”
“I would imagine,” Aern said. The Council interiors hadn’t changed much through the last few years. Morgan’s focus, and now Aern’s, had been on the constantly transforming security needs and system upgrades. While Brendan might have been busy procuring art for the Division houses, Council’s only concern was keeping their leaders safe. Not that Brendan hadn’t had ample security, just not at the level of Council. Aern ran a hand over his jaw, knowing that none of it would be enough for what was coming. No amount of prevention would have averted the Westlake property from being reduced to ash.
“How strong do you think you can make it?” he asked.
“In here?” She quirked a brow, surveyed the room again. “I think I could do some major damage, to be honest.”
“I’m thinking of
Aern’s focus was still on Logan, and Brianna realized she’d missed the implication. “You mean that’s why they’re staying clear of Aern and Morgan?” Because they could turn a shadow with their sway. They were the only ones strong enough among the Seven ; only the pair of them left that were of the dragon line.
T he man’s warning was back, his promise that they’d saved her, that she and Emily were somehow comparable to Morgan, to Aern. That there was something special enough about the two of them to cause a disruption, to put their lives and the lives of their family in danger. “It’s the prophecy,” she said. “They want us because we can destroy their power. And because we can create it.” Her gaze came up to meet Aern. “In you.”
In the Seven.
Emily’s grip came free of her blade. “She tricked them, Brianna. She put us here to hide us.” She paused, taking a breath, and there was no question it was shrouded in relief. “From them. From the shadows.” Not from the Seven. Not from Aern and Logan. She stared at Brianna. “So what do we do now?”
Brianna couldn’t help but smile at the turn her sister had taken, but it was only half-hearted, because her answer was too real. “We get ready to fight, because the shadows are coming for us. For the Seven.”
Emily kicked the toe of her shoe around the leg of a low table, drawing it close to sit in front of her sister. “Great. I guess if I’m going to be a shadow, now’s as good a time as any.”
Chapter Twelve
Aern
“ That is so weird.”
Aern laughed, watching as Emily marveled over the heat radiating from her palm. Her power had begun working almost immediately, and they’d left Brianna alone to recover before she started another round. Emily had been practicing ever since.
“Is it taxing you yet?” he asked.
She considered that, shook her head. “Doesn’t seem to be. I think Brianna must just be working harder than the rest of us.” She pursed her lips. “This is going to take her a while.”
She was right; building a force formidable enough to fight the shadows wasn’t going to be quick. Seth would be next, and Eric. Ellin if she felt up to it. Brianna was going to start with the team leaders, the strongest soldiers, and make as many connections as possible before the men from her visions came. But they still hadn’t found Brendan, and Aern couldn’t help but scour the maps and ledgers once more.
Emily shifted in her chair, the paperwork on Aern’s desk fluttering at the edges before a breeze flipped it into the air. He slapped a hand over the pages, catching all but one before they blew onto the floor. “Maybe you should practice that one over there.”
She glanced doubtfully toward the corner of the room, a shelf of ancient books and documents, some sort of bronze sculpture. “That stuff looks expensive.”
“I would imagine,” Aern said. The Council interiors hadn’t changed much through the last few years. Morgan’s focus, and now Aern’s, had been on the constantly transforming security needs and system upgrades. While Brendan might have been busy procuring art for the Division houses, Council’s only concern was keeping their leaders safe. Not that Brendan hadn’t had ample security, just not at the level of Council. Aern ran a hand over his jaw, knowing that none of it would be enough for what was coming. No amount of prevention would have averted the Westlake property from being reduced to ash.
“How strong do you think you can make it?” he asked.
“In here?” She quirked a brow, surveyed the room again. “I think I could do some major damage, to be honest.”
“I’m thinking of
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