Page 81 of Radiant Shadows

The trip had been a failure, at least in its intended purposes, but it had brought me closer to a witch and a vampire, two beings that shifters hated above all others.

This was the reason we were at war. Not because vampires were pure evil and witches were untrustworthy. It was because no one was willing to trust each other. But if there was anything I had learned, it was that we were stronger together.

I might have failed to share that knowledge with my fellow shifters as Director of the Dome, but I wasn’t done fighting yet.

Pulling the zipper around the last of my belongings, I looked up at Igneaus Summers, the Shifter Politics and Phoenix Mastery teacher. “I need to speak with someone before I go.”

Igneaus looked down his nose at me as if I was inferior to him. At this moment, it was hard to believe those same eyes had ever regarded me with respect.

“Lord Dracul is allowing you to say your goodbyes,” Igneaus said. The other four shifters from the military were present, staring at me with expressions of contempt. “We will escort you to whoever you desire to speak with. But know that the morepeople you speak to, the more likely it is that word will get out about your traitorous actions.”

I had been around the school long enough to know that word of myvampire dealingswould get out in no time at all. There would be grand speculations about my involvement with the blood suckers. Rumors would likely spread that I’d had a hand in Hadrian’s attack on Arya and her friends. I was only glad I wouldn’t be around to hear any of it.

“How gracious,” I deadpanned. “Will you send for Arya Walker?”

The phoenix shifter tilted his head and studied me. “Of all the people in the school, you desire to speak to a student?”

I nodded. “If she’s the only one I get to speak to before I leave, I’ll consider that enough.”

Igneaus didn’t immediately respond but continued staring at me as if debating whether or not he should send for Arya.

“Please,” I said, injecting humility into my tone. “There are things I’ve been meaning to tell her.”

Igneaus sighed heavily. “I don’t think General Dracul would approve of such a visit.” He held up a finger. “But...like Celeste said, you’ve done a lot for the shifter world. If this is the last time you get to talk to her, then I’ll see it done.”

I nodded in thanks. At leastmyyears of dedication and loyalty had amounted to something.

He tapped rapidly on his smartwatch and looked back at me. “I sent her an emergency summons.” His watch blinked with a green light, indicating she was on her way.

“Thank you,” I said, taking one last look around the room I had called home for the last seven years.

A moment later, the door of my quarters flung open, making me jump and spin in that direction. The five military shifters leaped protectively in front of me, taking defensive stances.

Over their bulky shoulders, I saw a seething Kai, his chest rising and falling rapidly, and his face flushed a wild crimson.

“What the hell is going on here?”

“Mr. Inari—” Igneaus started.

“Don’tMr. Inarime, you fire-spitting pigeon. Has the shifter world gone mad? First, one of our greenhouses gets destroyed, and now Caesar gets ousted for supposed vampire dealings?”

“Watch your tongue, Kai,” Igneaus cautioned. “That kind of disrespect will not be tolerated here at the Dome.”

“Respect?” Kai replied incredulously. “Do you honestly think I care about respect right now? The greatest shifter of our time is being thrown out of the one place that needs him the most. Well, if you throwhimout,I’mgoing with him.”

My heart swelled at hearing my life-long friend speaking so boldly. Kai and I had been through so much together. We’d bled together, killed together, lost loved ones together. Our shared trauma had made us brothers, but as much as I loved him in that moment, I didn’t want to risk him getting incriminated right alongside me.

“Kai, don’t do this,” I said softly, even as I threw him an appreciative look. “The school needs you.”

Kai whirled on me, pushing through the soldiers that were each easily twice his size. “Don’t even start.Lord Draculis the last person I’d ever work for. Can you imagine me having to report to his resting dick face on a daily basis? No. I’ve already submitted my resignation, and I’ve packed my bags. I’m coming with you.”

My heart warmed and broke at the same time as I looked sadly into my friend’s eyes. I knew there was no changing his mind, and maybe this would be a good thing. But was Kai really willing to follow me where I was going?

“Kai, are you sure you want to do this?” I asked. “While I appreciate the gesture, I’m not sure you’re prepared to follow me this time.”

He gripped my upper arms firmly. “Brother, there is no place I wouldn’t follow you, whether it’s a brothel in Tijuana or the pits of Hell.”

I laughed, remembering that unfortunate misadventure in recruiting our current Mao Mastery teacher, Vauna Vex.

---