Free Soul Blaze by Aprille Legacy Page A

blatantly defied Iain and Netalia and started a
revolution.”
    “I’d rip through any universe just to make sure you
were safe,” he murmured quietly. “As for the revolution...
well, let’s just say that was a by-product of fatherly love. I
needed a small army to get you back.”
He kissed me on top of my hair on then let me go.
    “Now, I feel I’ve been selfish keeping you all to myself.
I think there are some students who very much want to
see you.”
I grinned widely at that. As much as my body yearned
for power, my heart ached for my friends.
“Where are they?
~
I didn’t have a chance to knock on the door once before
it was thrown open.
    “You’re here!” Yasmin screeched and pulled me into a
hug. Two more people joined us, and I looked up to see
Rain and Ispin grinning down at me.
“Can I get in there?” someone asked, and I peered
around Ispin’s curly hair to spy Dena.
I opened my arms to her. She held me tightly.
“Thank you,” I whispered. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said, but
she was grinning. “But I’m glad you made your way back.”
    I returned the smile. I knew she was hiding the fact
that I’d told her my human name. It was probably better
this way.
I hugged Theresa and Petre, then looked around.
“Dustin said he’d be here soon,” Rain said, perching on
the table. “He was on guard duty.”
Guard duty? I began to ask, but then remembered. “Oh,
right.”
    Everyone in the room shifted uncomfortably. Just as
Petre opened his mouth to say something, there was a
light knock on the door and then Dustin entered, towing
Raven with him.
“Hello,” she said to me, somewhat subdued. “Good to
see you again.”
    “You too,” I said, smiling. I remembered bringing down
the rogue scout with her in the woods outside the
Academy. “What are you doing here?”
    I hadn’t meant to sound like I was accusing her of
intruding on our private reunion, but when she glanced
worriedly at Dustin, I felt like I’d swallowed a small
pebble. I suddenly remembered his interest in meeting her
when I introduced her to the group.
Oh.
    Dustin, oblivious, hugged me as tight as anyone else
had. I beamed at him, momentarily forgetting my
consternation about Raven.
    “Thank you,” I told him warmly. “I’ve been informed
that you were a major player in bringing Iain and Netalia
down.”
    “I’d like to think myself somewhat responsible,” he
said. “But I just wanted to get you out of there. It didn’t
take a genius to figure out what was going on.”
Didn’t it? I still felt like I was swimming out of my
depth.
“Mother sends her greetings,” Petre said from beside
Rain. “She and Father will be here soon with my siblings.”
I smiled, but something about his sentence stood out to
me. Then I figured out what it was.
“Siblings?” I asked, my eyes wide. “Plural?”
“Yes,” he confirmed, his eyes sparkling. “Little baby Sky
is one year old now.”
Tears brimmed in my eyes as I hugged him again.
    “Congratulations on a little sister,” I told him, punching
him lightly in the arm. “How does it feel to be a big
brother?”
He rubbed his arm, pretending to be miffed.
“Well, I was already a big brother, Sky. Oh, and Samlin
is dying to see you.”
    I brightened even more, if that was possible. Petre’s
little brother Sammy was one of my favourite people in
the world. I looked forward to seeing him.
    “Does anyone know what’s going on?” I asked the
group as a whole, sitting in a chair just below Rain, who
still presided over the group on her table. “Because I am so
confused.”
The group as one, looked to Dena. I followed their
gazes to meet my best friend’s eyes.
    “Well, it’s been a year since you were banished,” she
began. Everyone was settling in and I realised there was a
lot to tell. “Everyone was really shaken up about it, and
there was almost a full-scale rebellion just from the