Page 166 of Change

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Bianca

Fall

Jameson’s sharp laugh rebounded throughout the cabin, breaking through the screaming winds. The onmyoji clutched the seat; glee heavy in his expression as his focus remained on the spot where Titus had fallen.

“That’s one problem solved.” His grin widened. “A dragon with a useless wing shouldn’t exist in this world.”

My heartbeat echoed in my ears, and the edges of my world darkened.

He didn’t think he could fly.

This was my fault. He’d been trying to find informationfor me, when he was taken. And he’d been so wonderful, waiting patiently, and had fought for me, wanting nothing in return.

I never even told him I’d be his mate, and he helped me anyway.

“What areyoudoing?” he asked, his mirth suddenly gone.

The wind pulled at my hair, and I couldn’t tell if the roaring in my ears was from the plane or from the warning screaming in my mind.

“You’ve been concerned about the wrong person.” Speaking was effortless now, and the words crossed my lips before I could stop to consider them. I took one last look at the man.

Why was I scared of him in the first place? How was he ever intimidating? Now that I really looked at him, it was obvious. He was a lot like me—except evil.

Something about the system scared him, and he allowed his fears and preconceived judgements guide his decisions. I might have felt sorry for him once.

But now I couldn’t find it in me to care.

His weakness had hurt Titus. I looked out of the wreckage, but the cloud cover was too dense to see. My heartbeat echoed in my ears at the thought of Titus being gone forever.

There was no way I could ever forgive him.

“Youcantalk?” His skin had paled considerably and his voice suddenly wavered. Before—when I’d summoned Kiania—he’d been curious and angry—but now he was the one afraid. “Who are you?”

Good. Now he had reason to fear.

“I’m the person who is going to kill you.” A sense of serenity washed over me. I’d made a lot of death threats in my life, usually only in the privacy of my own thoughts. And never did I fully intend to go through with them.

This, however, was something different. It was a promise, but for another time.

There was something more important to take care of first.

The wind whipped across me as I was suddenly falling through the air. For now he’d get away with everything, but I’d no doubt we’d get another chance.

My shoulders burned as the distant ground loomed ever closer—and I mentally berated myself for not taking heed of my intuition about high places. This entire thing would be so much easier if we couldbothfly.

But I’d give anything for it just to be one of us.

Titus seemed to be unconscious, although the distance between us grew shorter within seconds, and he went from a distance speck to within reach.

As soon as he was within reach, I clutched at his shirt, holding on with everything I could. I wouldn’t questionhowI’d caught up to him, but it didn’t matter in the long run.

If I didn’t get him to shift soon—andfly—we’d both die within the next few moments.

But upon closer inspection, he’d apparently been hit on the head, and was freely bleeding from a cut somewhere behind his ear. He might even have a concussion—not that it mattered right now; that was something that could be addressed later.

Not when we were nearing the ground with bone-crushing speed. My back ached, and the wind pulled at my hair and what was left of my clothes; it might be a fruitless hope born of desperation, but it seemed as though we were slowing down.