Angel of Fire - Chasing Destiny - Book Three ***COMPLETE!!!***

Architect of Tragedy

Chapter 38

Vycandor hung his head down low as if ashamed. When he spoke his voice was full of regret. "Kill or be killed. Is this what we've been reduced to?"

I thought about that for a moment. His unexpected apathy toward the possible extermination of the entire human race was seriously getting on my very last nerve.

Just who's side was he on anyway?

"Oops, I didn't know I was supposed to let the Dark Ones win. What was thinking?"

His dark eyes met mine in a glimmer of challenge. "That's not what I meant, Chaos, and you know it."

I pointed over his shoulder at the desolate beauty of a broken city, broken dreams, and broken souls caught in the middle of a war as old as time. "I'm not sorry for breaking rules I didn't make. Now, if you're finished, there's someone else who could use our help before it's too late."

"What about Jade?" Vycandor inquired matter of factly.

I sucked in my breath to the point of almost choking. "Shit. I forgot."

"If that maniac has harmed even one hair on her head, he's going to be sorry."

"Aww, look who's getting all protective over his kitty," I purred.

"It's not like that," he replied defensively. "Jade is my spirit animal. Nothing less, and nothing more."

I tilted my head to the side feeling oddly possessive. "Why don't you go and tell her that?"

He reached out to take my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Look, we can argue about this once she's safe."

"What about Thomas?"

Vycandor arched a brow. "What about him?" When I didn't answer right away he took my silence to mean betrayal. "You formed the bond with me, not him. Remember? And I plan to protect what's mine." My continued silence only served to further incense him. "Surely you are not trying to imply that rescuing Thomas is more important than rescuing Jade? If so, then we have a serious problem."

I pulled my hand out of his grasp. "You're the one with the problem. I'm not your property, don't hang your shit on me."

"First of all," he began, pausing to smooth his long rain soaked hair out of his face, "don't speak to me like that. And..."

I interrupted him before he could get to the second part. Instead of the strange magnetic connection we normally shared, it felt like our souls were in mutiny. "I don't have time for your little games, mind tricks, or otherwise. Thomas needs me. You go rescue Jade from Doctor Drool and meet me back at the castle. Got it?"

I gave him serious eye contact before extending my wings in an explosion of fire and feathers. With one flap to gain enough altitude to clear the confines of the cockpit, I beat my wings faster and harder to pick up speed. Heart pounding in my ears, I scouted the ground below in an effort to make sure I wasn't being followed.

So far, so good.

I'd already been surprised once today by a creature holding a still beating heart. I wasn't in the mood to be surprised twice. At least, not if I could help it.

Satisfied I'd left no survivors, much to Vycandor's obvious dismay, I flew high above the clouds only slowing down when I neared the formidable looking castle that continued to hover in a most menacing manner over the now destroyed city of Kalamazoo, and circled the sparkling crystal turret chamber located high atop the soaring keep with its many towers and pointy spires.The place definitely had major creep factor.