It was well past midnight by the time the festivities ended.

Cass found herself on the edge of a Spire, the city of Velillia below her, Alyx's mother's workshop behind her. Alyx at her side.

The two of them stared down at the city.

Salos had left to stalk Kohen. Kelstor was in the dragon's lair in the palace, catching up with his mother and siblings.

It was just the two of them and the night and the wind.

Alyx played with the end of her sword's pommel, refusing to look Cass in the eyes. It was obvious her thoughts swirled around her.

Finally, Alyx said, "You saved my brothers."

Cass nodded. She hoped that was a good thing in Alyx's book, but knew things probably would be simpler for Alyx if she hadn't.

Alyx wouldn't have lost her bet if the boys had died. She wouldn't be exiled by her father if they'd died. She'd be heir to his title.

"Kohen," Alyx said. "Is he a demon?"

"He definitely was one. What he is now…" Cass shrugged. She was increasingly sure that word didn't mean anything.

"Did you fix him?"

Cass shrugged again. "I don't think he's going to eat any more souls." That was decidedly not the answer to the question Alyx asked.

"You don't think he will?"

"I don't think anyone has ever done what I did. A god went and congratulated me on it afterward. That's how experimental what I did to him was."

Alyx's eyes bulged as she looked at Cass for the first time that evening.

"But I think I smoothed out the edges of his soul so he shouldn't have the instinct to shove things into his broken edges," Cass continued.

"Is that why demons are like that?" Alyx asked, her voice shaking as she spoke.

"That's how Salos explained it to me."

The mention of Salos hung between them. The wind gusted, tugging at Cass's bloody robes and pulling free strands of hair. Wind begged to run off with it. The night sky had never looked so appealing.

"Kelstor said I can thank you for freeing him," Alyx continued instead.

Cass shook her head. "I was just using him as a hammer. His level was a lot closer to that captain's than mine was. I'm glad you were there for him."

She still wasn't sure how that fight would have ended if Alyx hadn't been there to bond with him. Would he have died at the hands of the demon or the paladin captain? Or would he have killed the two of them, leaving Cass alone with the feral dragon?

His request for Cass to kill him echoed in her head. She shook the voice away. It hadn't been necessary in the end. That was what mattered.

"He was my mother's dragon," Alyx said.

Cass nodded. She'd gathered that at some point that evening.

More nodding. They fell silent. Neither of them had broached the real topic.

Cass wasn't sure she wanted to. Strictly speaking, she didn't need Alyx from here. The duchess had named her a hero. If the duchess couldn't get Cass home, Alyx had no chance.

But it had never been about what Alyx could do for Cass. Never.

They had been thrown together by chance and circumstance, with nothing binding them except that twisted fate. There was no reason to cling to Alyx. But there was also no reason to let her slip away.

Cass took a deep breath and forced the words out. "I'm sorry."

Alyx shook her head. "It's not your fault. I didn't remember the specifics of my bet with my father, either. Even if I had, Ahryn would have died if he hadn't bonded with Emenes."

Cass shook her head. That wasn't what she was trying to apologize for.

"Even so," Alyx continued, her misunderstanding unabated. "They both would have regretted it if she bonded with someone else. I discounted him, and for it I lost my bet. That's all. You shouldn't feel responsible for that."

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Thank you, but that wasn't what I was apologizing for."

Alyx raised an eyebrow. "Then what?"

"I ran off the other day," Cass said. "I shouldn't have run off like that. That isn't how adults have a conversation. And I wouldn't have gotten in trouble with the cult if I'd stayed in the mansion."

Alyx shook her head.

Cass kept talking before her arguments could come. "And you may have a point about demons. They are dangerous."

Cass had seen the danger Kohen had presented. He was only level 33, yet he easily took down wave after wave of paladins at and above that level and fought toe to toe with the captain at level 40. That was all because of the demonic powers he'd held. There was a very real danger in letting something like that out into the world.

"But I'm not going to do anything differently. I will not betray Salos. I need you to respect that."

Alyx's lips thinned into a narrow line, her eyes staring harder into the night. "No. I was out of line. I'm sorry I pushed you to kill him. I didn't—" She shook her head. "Salos is important to you. I understand that. I should have understood that then."

Silence filled in around them again. The stars shimmered in the distance, cold astraum in a sea of darkness.

"And I'd be a hypocrite to critique you now." Alyx's hand clenched around her sword hilt. "Kelstor told me. Dragons are demons."

Ah.

"It seems impossible. But it's true. Isn't it?"

Cass nodded.

A strained sigh escaped Alyx's lips, released with her resignation. Her shoulders sagged. Exhaustion hung around her like a cloud. In a single night, her world had changed completely.

A sympathetic smile slipped over Cass's lips. "Welcome to my world."

Alyx rubbed her face into her palms, the smallest groan rumbling from her chest.

Cass patted Alyx's shoulder. "I'd say you get used to it, but I'm still waiting for that to happen."

"How do you do it?" Alyx asked.

"Do what?" Cass's head cocked to the side.

"You said your world has no magic. No skills, no stats, no system. I can't imagine such a world. I can't imagine surviving in such a world when this is all I've known, and I can't imagine the reverse is any easier.

"One small piece of my world shattered today, and all I can manage is numb acceptance. Should I be mad that I've been lied to this whole time? Should I be honored to know the truth? Should I accept it as truth and move on? Should I swear vengeance on the god responsible?"

Alyx's voice shook as her hidden emotions cracked through her facade. "Were the Copper Crescent right? Are dragons dangerous monsters waiting to explode into civilization-destroying madness?" Alyx shook her head, walking away from Cass and the Spire's edge. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't—I shouldn't dump this on you. You—" Alyx took a forced deep breath, grasping at her composure. "You should stay in our guest room tonight. We owe you that much, at least."

Cass could feel the formal walls coming back up. She shook her head. "You don't owe me anything, Alyx."

"I have not forgotten that you saved my life or the sacrifice you made to ensure I acquired the Major Blessing. Tonight's actions cannot be ignored, either. Kelstor owes you his freedom. My family owes you the lives of my brothers. How can I claim not to owe you?"

Cass sighed. "No. No. No. I'm done with that. Did you break into the temple to save the dragonlings or me?"

"Well, once I knew they were also there—"

"Me, got it, thank you," Cass cut her off. "You skipped dragon events to find me. You bet your future on a chance to find me a way home. You threw yourself into a fight with a demon and a level 40 fighter to rescue me. We only won because Kelstor was there."

"But my family—"

"What family?" Cass shouted. "You don't like them!"

"I like Ahryn well enough," Alyx muttered.

"Don't shoulder the debts of people who hate you."

Alyx looked away, Cass's words echoing in the night. Her hands clenched around her sword pommel. She whispered, "But you care so much about your family."

"And my family doesn't try to murder or disown me! It's not the same."

"Then why did you put so much effort into rescuing them?" Alyx said 'them,' but they both knew she meant Kohen.

Cass looked away. It was foolish. It was soft. It very well might get her killed one day. But she had too many reasons.

No one deserved to die a demon.

She didn't want to kill.

"He's Ahryn's brother, too," Cass said finally.

Alyx looked away.

"But your father made it clear tonight. No one will thank you for paying their debts. Forget them. You don't owe me."

Alyx glared at the dirt between them. "Why do you do this?"

"Do what?"

Alyx's hand clenched around her sword hilt. "Cut away everything."

"Everything?"

In the smallest voice, Alyx whispered, "Every pretense."

Cass shook her head. "I don't understand."

"You should just say it if you want us to go separate ways."

Cass raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You don't need to systematically remove every reason I have to be near you."

"You'll never believe this, but that clears up exactly nothing."

"Why are you always obtuse?" Alyx's voice rose. "I'm saying that my debt is the only tie we have to one another. Without it, we're strangers."

Cass squinted at her. "What is this now?"

"You aren't waiting for me to find you a way home," Alyx said. "The duchess can do that better than I can. You don't need me. And how can you trust me? I advocated for Salos's death. We're probably worse off than strangers."

The wind whipped between them.

Cass restrained a sigh. "Is that all you think of us?"

Alyx didn't look up. Her gaze remained fixed on the ground. She nodded. "I couldn't hope for more."

Cass actually sighed that time. "You're an idiot."

Alyx hazarded a glance up.

"You're an idiot," Cass said again, catching her eyes. "I'm gonna pretend we didn't have this conversation, because I think you'll be embarrassed by it in a minute."

"What?"

"We should talk about where we're going next," Cass continued. "Obviously, our plans may change once I've gotten a look at the Vault. But right now, I'd like to look into some of the god's strongholds. Do you have anywhere in particular you'd like to go?"

"Where we are going next?" Alyx repeated dumbly. Her eyes widened. "You—You still want—"

Cass stopped and waited for her.

"You're not still mad at me?" Alyx asked.

"Do you still want to kill Salos?" Cass asked.

"Well, no, but—"

"If I can forgive Salos for trying to kill me that one time, I think I can forgive you for being scared enough to suggest killing him." Cass's tone dropped like ice as she added, "Just don't do it again." And then she was back to her cheery self. "We should probably not tell him, though. He's not particularly forgiving."

"Thanks, I—Wait. What was that about him trying to kill you?"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.