Page 119 of Hero of Havoc

Exhaling, I press my palms against the ground, ready to rise up, but before I can move a single inch, Teddy shakes his head, pressing his hand against my chest.

“Please, Princess, stay where you are so we can get a second assessment, because none of this is normal,” he states.

I grimace. "There's nothing normal about being a phoenix,” I mutter, and he grins.

“That's true, but this is even less normal than your normal.”

I roll my eyes as the distant sound of wings flapping in the sky echoes around us. So it's no surprise a few moments later when a flash of green appears overhead, landing a few feet away before Baron appears over Alaric’s wing.

“Ivy!” Alaric breathes, his words directly in my mind, and I grimace, attempting to hide it as a smile, but I fail miserably. “What's going on?” He starts toward me, but Baron lifts a hand to him.

“Give her a minute,” the dragon rider commands, and Alaric huffs, smoke billowing from his nostrils as Baron drops to his knees on the other side of me.

“What the hell happened?”

I part my lips, ready to tell the story, but Teddy beats me to it.

“Her mother appeared out of nowhere. She’s mad about the fucking relic that Leonardo left for Ivy. She wanted it, and the second she realized we didn't have it, well, she only got madder,” he explains truthfully. “She went to burn me alive, and someone…” He gives me a pointed look before continuing. “Someone jumped in front of me, sacrificing herself, a fact we need to circle back to later on,” he clarifies, his firm eyes never wavering as I shake my head.

“The flames were never meant for you,” I state, and his brows furrow.

“What makes you say that?”

I clear my throat. “Part of the reason I know I died is that afterward, I had an out-of-body experience where I could still see what's happening around me. It’s only for a few moments before I'm plunged into the depths of fire, being a phoenix and all. In that small window, I heard what she said to you about how she wanted to use you against me, which is the only reason you were being kept alive. Her intention was always to burn me. She just wanted to see if I was willing to jump in front of you to keep you safe,” I admit as Baron drags a hand down his face.

“What do you mean by your out-of-body experience?” Baron grumbles.

I struggle to swallow past the lump in my throat.

“Her mom killed her,” Teddy mutters, and Baron glares at him.

“You should have called me sooner,” Baron insists, and Teddy scoffs.

“Of course. Next time we'll just pause Sapphira Hayworth, another phoenix, and ask if she can wait a minute for my good old friend Baron to get here, just so there's no irritation later on.”

A giggle parts my lips, despite the situation not being funny.

“Smart ass,” Baron says with a sigh, returning his attention to me. “What happened?”

All the amusement is gone again. “Her flames were green, and they burned right through me.”

He shakes his head. “That's not possible. You don't resurrect this quickly, and your memory usually takes a lot more work than this.” His concern echoes Teddy's words from earlier, and I nod, despite being a little unaware in comparison to their knowledge.

“There are answers we need here, answers we don't have,” I admit, pressing my hands into the grass, and this time, when I try to sit up, Teddy doesn't stop me. “But I don't know who I'm supposed to trust on this campus right now.” I pin my knees against my chest, draping my arms around my legs.

“There's got to be someone we can turn to,” Teddy states, and I nod.

“There is,” I breathe, sandwiched between the attention of both of my hated mates. “The dragons.”

“Yes, the dragons,” Alaric adds, snapping my gaze toward him. “I will take you there in a heartbeat. The congregation will provide answers if they have them. I vow it to you,” he insists as Baron rests his forehead on his hand, taking a deep breath.

“Why does my dragon feel so intent on being your savior? It's my job,” he grumbles, and Alaric scoffs.

“Do you want to fight for the right?” Alaric pushes back, and I giggle.

“What is he saying?” Teddy asks.

"They’re fighting over me, but right now, we need to understand what the hell is going on.”