Aeron wasn’t so quick to agree. “You’re getting there. No doubt. It’ll still take more practice.”

He offered Nick a proud smile. “Just remember, your temper will always be the key to unlock those powers, and you’ll have to ride herd on that temper for all your days. As the Malachai, hatred will forever be your weakness. Your undoing. That special place where you’ll want to go for comfort. But it’s the one place you must avoid at all costs, less you want to eat your neighbors and family.”

“Yeah … no. Think I’ll pass.”

“Wise choice, lad.”

Livia straightened and watched him with a peculiar light in her eyes. One Nick wasn’t quite sure about. But he didn’t have time to worry over that. Let her have her tantrum later. Honestly, he was tired of dealing with her and her theatrics. The more he was around her, the more grateful he was for Kody, who never brought drama to his door—other than the demons who followed her there that she couldn’t elude. Yet that wasn’t her fault. She always did her best to get rid of them first.

Right now, he had to save his mom and Caleb. For all he knew, his unknown, mysterious half-brother was nearing the end of his test.

And Nick had to beat him to it. While he honestly would be glad to hand over the reins of Malachai to someone else, anyone else for that matter, he couldn’t allow his mother to stay asleep.

They had to get the berries to wake her. That was his goal.

Nick launched his wings, but kept his human body. Ah yeah, now this was cool. “So … shall we fly to the Nemed?”

With a nod of approval, Aeron turned into the ball of ghost light, and led him through the forest with Lerabeth and Livia trailing behind them.

Now that Nick was able to access his Malachai powers without them taking him over, they were able to reach the tree in a matter of minutes.

Nick also realized that his mission had been a manufactured trick by Chronus and Tiamat. The tree was so tall that without his Malachai wings, he wouldn’t have been able to reach the berries at all. They hung too high. But there was also another problem.

He frowned up at the fruit that was nestled along the leaf-filled branches. “Do I pick the black, green, or red berries?”

“Blackberries,” Livia answered.

“Nae!” Aeron shouted as Nick reached for them. “Nemed blackberries are for death. The green are unripened fruit. The red are what you be needing to revive your loved ones, boyo.”

Livia scoffed at him. “He’s lying to you, Nick. For once, listen to me!”

Nick growled low in his throat, tired of Livia’s eternal bickering and whining. “Lerabeth? Which is it?”