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One

“I can’t believe it. I’m sorry, Alex,but it just sounds so… impossible.”

Alex nodded in acceptance, knowing the story she’d just finished telling her three closest friends sounded fantastical even by Medoran standards.

“Trust me, Dix,” Alex said, swiping her third chocolate bar from the stash on Bear’s bed, “I know it sounds mental. But I’m telling you, I’ve spent the last three-and-a-half weeks in the past.”

Breaking off a square and popping it in her mouth, she noted the incredulous expressions on her friends’ faces. She couldn’t blame them. They’d already had enough emotional upheaval that night to last them a lifetime, beginning with the return of Jordan—something neither Bear nor D.C. had dared believe possible. And yet, after Alex had managed to Release him from Aven Dalmarta’s Claim earlier that evening, she’d delivered him safely to the academy, arriving in the food court partway through the welcome-back dinner. With the other students chattering excitedly and sharing their adventures from the Kaldoras break—not to mention, none of them having known Jordan was even under Aven’s control—their return hadn’t warranted a single batted eyelash. D.C. and Bear, however…

In hindsight, Alex realised she and Jordan should have planned their arrival differently, since the moment D.C. had clapped eyes on Jordan, she’d launched herself into his arms with enough force that he’d stumbled backwards. Wrapped around him, she’d burst into tears, with sobs so violent that he’d had to carry her to the Med Ward for Fletcher to give her a sedative.

Bear, on the other hand, had been struck silent. But when he and Alex had followed Jordan and D.C. outside, he’d reached for Alex’s hand and gripped her so hard that it was a wonder her bones hadn’t shattered. She’d taken in his haggard, disbelieving face and known he was only silent because his other option was to succumb to his own emotional breakdown. Seeing the pain warring with hope in his eyes, Alex had untangled their fingers and wrapped her arm around his waist, pulling him close as they’d hurried towards the Med Ward.

Darrius, Hunter and Caspar Lennox had burst into Fletcher’s domain after having witnessed the scene in the food court, but other than assuring them Jordan was no longer Claimed, Alex had disclosed no further details. Instead, she’d requested that she and her friends have a few hours alone together, partly to avoid an on-the-spot debriefing, but mostly so she could consider what could be shared, and what should be kept secret.

“Let me see if I have this straight.” Bear pilfered the half-eaten bar from Alex’s hand and threw it to Jordan, who was lying with D.C. on his own bed. Catching Alex’s frown, Bear added, “Don’t look at me like that. You’re going to be sick if you eat any more.”

Her stomach was already beginning to churn uncomfortably, so she conceded. “Go back to what you were about to say.”

“Right,” Bear said, resting his arms across the top of the chair he was straddling beside where Alex sat on his bed. “So you travelled back in time thanks to a draekon you bonded with, then you hung out in Meya for twenty-five days where you befriended Aven before he went all super psycho bad, and during your time there, you found some old book that explained how to save Jordan.”

“And when you returned here, it was in the middle of a war breaking out between the Meyarins, with Aven’s best friend having escaped prison to murder the king, and one of his gifted humans placing Roka under some kind of sleeping spell,” Jordan jumped in. “Yet somehow in the midst of Aven taking over Meya and Claiming everyone left in the city, you managed to be my hero and safely bring me home.”

Alex winced inwardly at Jordan’s misled belief that Niyx was responsible for killing King Astophe. In truth,Jordanwas the one who had murdered the king, under Aven’s mental command. But Niyx had made Alex promise to repress Jordan’s memory and conceal the truth so that he could remain by Aven’s side, acting as a double agent.

“That about sums it up,” Alex said, having left out a few details, such as her having Claimed Niyx to save his life thousands of years ago, and that they were still bonded, at least to a degree.

“And you actually got to train with Roka back then? As a Meyarin?” D.C. asked, sounding as if the very idea was enthralling.

“Sure did,” Alex answered truthfully, even if it was more Niyx than Roka who had taught her how to access the Meyarin blood in her veins and fight like one of the immortal race.

“It all sounds mad,” Bear said, scratching his cheek, “but I can’t ignore the physical evidence.” Seeing Alex’s puzzlement, he added, “Your skin. It’s different.”

Alex choked and glanced at her hands, worried the glow of hervaelianabond with Xiraxus was now visible. But while her heightened senses could make out the golden shimmer of her skin, there was no way Bear should be able to see it.

“Uh, what do you mean?”

Hearing her strangled tone, he sent her a questioning look. “It’s winter here, but you said it was summer there. And you’re definitely more tanned than when Dix and I saw you in Woodhaven a few days ago.”

Alex released a slow, quiet breath. “I’m tanned. I have a tan.” She swallowed and nodded. “I did spend quite a bit of time in the sun.”

“He’s right,” D.C. said, scrutinising Alex. “No way should you have that much extra colour, not without being burnt. And you’re not pink at all.”

“So you believe me on the basis that my skin is darker?” Alex asked wryly. “Thanks for the trust.”

“Hey, I was there for part of it and Istilldon’t believe it,” Jordan said, finally peeling back the wrapper of Alex’s chocolate bar and finishing it off.

“Don’t get us wrong, Alex,” Bear said, reaching out to pat her knee. “We’re stoked that you figured out how to free Jordan. But even you have to realise it might take us a while to process everything you just shared.”

“Take all the time you need,” Alex said. She then amended, “But in saying that, try and limit it to overnight, yeah? Because now that Aven has control of Meya, we need to start preparing for what’s coming. And I could really use you guys by my side.”

“We’ll always be by your side, Alex,” D.C. said. She offered a teasing smile and finished, “Even if we do think you might have been knocked out in Combat one too many times.”

Alex rolled her eyes and took the gentle ribbing with grace while her friends chuckled, then she rose to her feet.

“Where are you going?” Jordan asked, sitting up and drawing D.C. with him, since his arm was wrapped tightly around her. There were shadows lurking in his eyes, shadows he was trying to mask, but Alex saw hints of them all the same. While he was acting just like his old, cheerful self, the scars from his time with Aven would likely be with him forever. Alex’s certainly would—both the physical and the mental ones.

Giving him a smile of reassurance, Alex answered, “There’s only so much time before Darrius comes barging in here demanding explanations.” She paused. “Or Hunter, more likely. I’m going to go fill them in while it’s all fresh. Relatively speaking.”