makes me feel worse, even as I reach up and cup Jaxon’s face so he knows that I understand. So he knows that I feel the weight of the world he carries on his shoulders and that I won’t add to it. Not right now. Not over this.
“Fine,” I whisper, even though I know, deep down, that it’s the wrong thing to do. “I’ll go with you. But you have to promise me something in return.”
“Anything,” he answers as his hands tighten on my own.
“If we actually manage to get the heartstone—and survive—you have to promise me that we’ll have this conversation again before we use it. You have to promise me that you’ll give me one more chance to change your mind.”
“You can have as many chances as you want,” Jaxon answers me as he brings my hand to his lips. “I won’t change my mind, but I’ll listen to what you have to say. I’ll always at least listen, Grace.”
It’s not enough. Not close to enough. But it’s all he can give me. So I’ll take it for now and hope for a miracle.
94
Some Days the Glass
Really Is Half
Empty
“I’ve got bad news and more bad news. Which do you want first?” Xavier says the following night as soon as he enters Jaxon’s tower where the rest of us have gathered. Unfortunately, there’s absolutely no levity in his face as he asks.
“Is that even a real question?” Macy rolls her eyes. “If things are that bad, just tell us.”
“Okay, bad news it is, then.” He runs a hand over his face, as if bracing himself to deliver the worst. “I was just making the rounds, checking things out. And there’s absolutely no way we’re getting off campus tonight.”
“What do you mean?” Jaxon demands. “We have to get off campus. We need to find the heartstone tonight, or we won’t be able to free Hudson before the Trials.”
“Yeah, no shit,” Xavier answers. “That’s why I called it bad news.”
“There has to be a way,” Flint says. “The tunnels—”
“I was just down there,” Xavier answers. “They’ve got them closed off, with armed fucking guards standing at every single exit.”
“Armed?” I ask, startled at the image of weapons here at Katmere. “Armed with what?”
“Magic,” Jaxon answers quietly. “It’s all they need.”
“What about the battlements?” Macy asks. “The dragons—and Grace—can fly off the towers—”
“Yeah, they’ve got people up there, too. A lot of them.” Xavier slumps down against the wall and says, “We’re fucked.”
“We can’t be fucked,” Flint says. “We have to do this, so let’s figure it out and get it done.”
“That’s what we’re trying to do, dragon. Do you have any more suggestions, or do you just want to bitch about it?” Mekhi asks.
“I don’t see you with any better suggestions, vampire. And I was just trying to make a point.”
Mekhi snorts. “The point has already been made. So either put up or shut up. We don’t have time for any more shit.”
Flint holds a hand to his ear, pretends to listen really hard. “And what’s your plan again?”
“Can you give us the rest of the bad news?” I ask, hoping to break up the insult trading before we have an all-out brawl on Jaxon’s floor.
“What do you mean?” asks Eden from where she’s sprawled across the end of the couch.
“Xavier said he had bad news and more bad news.” The room goes silent as we all look at him. “So what other bad news is there?” I ask a second time.
“Oh, I heard the Circle called for champions to play in their stead, some of the fiercest warriors in the world, but your uncle Finn threw down. Said if Cyrus had the balls to accept a challenge, then he could damn well fight himself.”
The churning in my stomach rises tenfold. I groan. “That’s not just more bad news. That’s awful, horrible, we’re-all-gonna-die news.”
Xavier grins now. “Oh, sorry, no, that’s not the bad news. Apparently the king is scared shitless to meet Jaxon on the field—for good reason—so he still insisted on champions. And your uncle agreed…but they have to be Katmere students.”
Okay, yeah, that’s pretty bad news. I don’t want to fight for my life against other teens. But at least we won’t be facing off against Jaxon’s parents. Or Flint’s mom, who is a complete badass.
“So who did he pick?” Jaxon asks, and he sounds as grim as I feel.
“Cole was the first to agree,” he answers, “and he’s out for blood…of course.”