Page 87 of Radiant Shadows

“I shifted in an attempt to protect the Lowry family from the attackers, but I was caught off guard, and the vampires were quick. I had three on my back, holding me down before I couldfinish shifting, and they were far too strong for me to throw off. Manipulating the weather would’ve put the Lowrys at risk. And that’s when Julian came.”

Kai blinked once, then twice, then three times. “A vampire...turned on his own and took down three vampires?

“The three on me, yes,” I said with a nod. “But he killed the three other vampires going for the Lowrys first.”

“Why?” Kai asked in confusion. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad he saved your life. But why would he fight his own kind to save a few shifters?”

I sighed, slumping forward. “Julian Asher is a complex man. He hates what he is. But he hates the vampire cause more. After being a part of the destruction of The Island, Julian cast himself out from Hadrian’s forces. After having numerous discussions with him, he moved to Chicago to keep an eye on vampire activity. There are many reasons the Dome has remained safe for as long as it has—your technology, for example, has shielded us from evil eyes. But Julian has ensured that vampire activity has stayed at a minimum here. Until Kendall Green spilled everything to Hadrian.”

Kai shook his head as he processed all this, then looked up at me with a pinched brow. “Why haven’t you told me about any of this before?”

I chuckled humorlessly. “Because I was afraid of exactly this outcome. You’ve known me most of our lives, and you still distrusted me when I told you it was true.”

He frowned, then nodded guiltily. “Fair point.”

I slumped back against my seat on the train. “As it turns out, I didn’t actually have to tell anyone to be condemned for it. Arthur was determined enough to do his own digging.”

“Bastard,” Kai muttered angrily.

All I could do was nod. I should’ve been smarter about covering my tracks once I knew Arthur was interested in Arya. I should’ve deleted my correspondence with Julian immediately every time. But I’d been a fool, secure in the false assumption that my fellow professors would stand by me. Celeste was the biggest blow of all.

“You should tell Celeste what you told me,” he said, always having the uncanny ability to read my thoughts.

I shook my head. “Her prejudice against vampires is too strong. I doubt she would ever find my actions justified.”

“You have greater reason than anyone I know to hate vampires,” Kai argued. “They killed your parents and destroyed the school you called home. And yet you were still able to see the good in one of them. I believe Celeste as heart enough to hear you out.”

“That’s only because you’re hopelessly in love with her,” I retorted, but I regretted it immediately as pain crossed his features. “Anyway, even if she did believe me, it’s too late. Arthur’s in charge of the Dome. Not even Celeste’s vast wealth could remove the military at this point.”

Kai frowned in agreement, combing his fingers through his foxy tufts of black hair as we both accepted our defeat on this matter.

“So where is this Julian dude?” he asked after a moment. “He sounds like the perfect addition to our band of exiles.”

Ah, there was the other shoe I was waiting to drop. But Kai needed to know everything.

“Yeah, about that,” I began, then paused. “Actually, let me just answer your question first. Julian returned to Heritage Prep a few days ago. I had asked him to return to Hadrian’s service as aspy, to see if Hadrian knew anything about the prophecy.”

“Okay, and did he?” Kai asked.

“As far as Julian had been able to discover, no,” I said, bolstering up what remained of my emotional strength to tell Kai the next part. “But, um…there’s one more thing you don’t know, which involves Julian.”

Kai looked at me expectantly, curiously, and the blood drained from my face in apprehension of how he might react.

“Uh-oh,” Kai said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this pale. Okay, just let me have it.”

Leave it to Kai to be so blunt.

“Alright, you know that witch Celeste and I were talking about the other day?” I began.

“The one you were proposing we bring into the school and Celeste brutally shot you down?” Kai replied. “How could I forget?”

I nodded, my heart beating a million times a minute in preparation of this confession. “Well, the truth is, I believe I’ve imprinted on her.”

“What?” Kai burst, and I honestly couldn’t tell if he was outraged or excited.

“I know, it’s unconventional but—”

“That’s great! I was always hoping some lucky lady would come along and capture your heart. And it actually makes sense that she’s a witch, come to think of it.”

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