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“Actually,” she said, tossing Juliette a wicked grin of her own, “you have a choice. Surrender or die. Lysander,” she shouted. “You’re up.”

The angels arrowed from the sky. In less than a second, the Eagleshields were on their knees, heads bowed, winged warriors holding swords of fire at their necks.

“Wow, that was easy,” she said. Hopefully, the Harpies would not realize the angels—who lived by a code of conduct Kaia didn’t pretend to understand—were not actually allowed to hurt them without “just cause.” Whatever that was.

Lysander swooped Bianka into his arms, cooing at her, demanding to know what had been done to her.

Bianka kissed her man, then glowered back at a stunned Juliette. Though kneeling, the leader of the Eagleshields didn’t look properly cowed. “Told you that you were dumb to mess with an angel’s consort.”

“But…but…”

“Yeah,” Kaia said as she watched the realization finally sink in. “You were defeated that fast.” She snapped her fingers in a parody of the gesture Juliette had used to summon Bianka. “And now that that’s taken care of, let’s discuss a little business. Lysander, will you tell your flunky to nix the fire sword on the brunette and only the brunette, please?”

A moment passed in heavy silence. Then Lysander gave a stiff nod and the dark-haired angel who had Juliette corralled backed away, the flickering sword soon disappearing altogether.

Juliette popped to a stand but didn’t try to run. Wise of her. Kaia would naturally have followed her and the end result would not have been pretty.

“There are only three clans left who can take first prize,” Kaia said. “Mine, yours and the Skyhawks.”

“Not true,” a female said weakly.

Kaia’s mother limped from the shadows to stand beside the angels.

She met Tabitha’s emotionless gaze, trying not to panic. Tabitha had yet to heal. There were smudges of fatigue under her eyes, her shoulders were hunched and her legs shook, as if nearing collapse.

“What are you doing here? Planning to protest my place in the finals?” Kaia lifted her chin, proud of herself. There’d been no hint of her own emotions in her voice. No tremor to give her away. “Well, you can—”

“No,” Tabitha said, shocking her further. “Taliyah told me what was happening. That is why I’m here. I choose to withdraw my team from the competition.”

“What?” Kaia and Juliette gasped at the same time.

Tabitha nodded, the movement almost toppling her. “I simply wanted you to have a chance to prove yourself to the clans, without any aid from me. And so you have. I am no longer needed. And as you can see, I am no threat at the moment.”

Kaia was utterly speechless.

“If that’s true, why did you taunt me?” Strider demanded, speaking up for the first time. His fury lent strength to the words.

“She taunted you?” Kaia gritted out, anger helping her find her own voice. “When?”

It started at orientation, she heard him say inside her mind. Before Tag. He could speak into her mind? She’d known some couples could do so, but she’d never expected to be one of the lucky. Bonus!

Tabitha’s chin rose, a mirror of Kaia’s own stance. So that’s where I got it. Huh.

“I didn’t taunt you, you stupid man.” Amber eyes shimmered with rage. “I warned you of her enemy’s intentions. You’re welcome, by the way. You gave me nothing but grief for my generosity.”

“Don’t call him stupid,” Kaia snapped. Only she had the right. But, uh, her mother had tried to aid her? “And why should he believe you? You hate me.”

I’m fine, baby doll. Don’t worry about me.

There was the slightest softening of Tabitha’s expression as she returned her attention to Kaia. “You’re my daughter…Kaia the Wing-Shredder. That is why he should believe me.”

Kaia the Wing-Shredder. The name echoed through her mind, a dream come true and so much better than the one she’d once given herself. “I—” Didn’t know what to say. Never in a million years—or fifteen hundred—had she expected to hear those words leave this woman’s mouth.

“Just so you know, I do not hate you. Yes, I was genuinely angry that you disobeyed me all those centuries ago. Yes, your actions were disappointing. You were supposed to redeem yourself, but you never did and I tired of waiting. When I realized you’d found your consort, I knew you would either lose yourself completely or at last discover the warrior you were always meant to be. And yes, that means I’ve been keeping tabs on you all this time. That means I also helped ambush you—for your own good. I was quite proud that you fought off the Hunters and figured out our plan.”

That wasn’t a confession of love, either, Kaia noted. But then again, abrupt, harsh and unchangeable, that was Tabitha. Was she a liar, though? No. Never. Tabitha stated her thoughts and that was that. Always. Knowing it, Kaia felt her chest swell with emotion she could no longer hide. Her mother did not hate her!