“It terrifies me. Because I’ve spent my whole life hiding what I am, protecting myself from being used or controlled or turned into a weapon. And you... you make me want to stop hiding. Want to be seen completely, even the parts I’ve kept locked away.”
Magnus’s expression softens into something that makes my heart ache. “You think I don’t feel the same way? Mountain Cats don’t bond lightly, Lyra. We choose once, forever. Opening myself to you means trusting you with everything I am, everything I’ll ever be. That’s terrifying.”
“But you’re doing it anyway.”
He leans his forehead against mine. “Because a life spent safe and alone is no life at all. Because I’d rather have one day of being completely known by you than a century of half-existence.”
The tears come harder now, and he holds me while I shake. Not from cold, but from the overwhelming weight of being understood, accepted, chosen.
“I want you,” I whisper against his chest. “Magnus, I want you so much it hurts. But I’m terrified of what that means.”
“I know.” His arms tighten around me. “But we don’t have to decide everything tonight. We don’t have to have all the answers.”
“But tomorrow?—”
“Tomorrow we fight. Tonight...” He pulls back enough to meet my eyes. “Tonight, let me take you somewhere. Away from the stronghold, away from warriors and plans and the weight of what’s coming. Just us, for a few hours.”
“Where?”
“There’s a cave system in the high peaks. Sacred to Mountain Cats, but I have access. It’s quiet. Private. Beautiful.” His voice drops. “Safe.”
I should say no. Should stay here, rest, prepare mentally for tomorrow’s assault. But the thought of spending what might be our last night before everything changes in a quiet place with Magnus, away from everyone else, is too tempting to resist.
“Take me,” I say.
His smile is relieved and anticipatory all at once. He shifts to snow leopard form—wings spreading magnificently—and gestures for me to climb onto his back. I’ve never ridden a shifter before, but I settle into position, gripping his fur, trusting him to keep me safe.
The flight is exhilarating and terrifying. Magnus’s wings beat powerful strokes, carrying us higher into the mountains thanI’ve ever been. The stronghold falls away below us, torches and fires becoming tiny points of light against the darkness.
We fly for maybe twenty minutes before Magnus begins to descend toward a peak that looks no different from any other. But he navigates with the certainty of familiarity, landing on a narrow ledge before an opening in the rock face.
I slide off his back as he shifts to human form. He takes my hand, leading me into the cave. It’s pitch dark for a moment, then his ice magic flares to life, creating luminescent patterns on the walls that provide soft, blue-white light.
The cave opens into a larger chamber, and I gasp.
It’s stunning. Ice formations hang from the ceiling like frozen waterfalls, catching Magnus’s light and reflecting it in a thousand directions. A natural hot spring steams in the center, its warmth fighting the cold to create perfect temperature balance. And the walls—the walls are covered in ancient carvings, generations of Mountain Cats leaving their marks.
“It’s beautiful,” I breathe.
“This is where Mountain Cats come to contemplate major decisions. Life choices. The elders call it the Chamber of Certainty, because here, away from everything else, you can find clarity about what you truly want.”
He’s brought me to a sacred space. Given me access to something deeply meaningful to his culture. The trust in that gesture makes my throat tight.
“What do you want, Magnus?” I ask quietly.
He turns to face me fully, and the intensity of his expression steals my breath. “You. In every way. Forever. With no doubts, no fears, no walls between us.”
“That’s a lot to want.”
“It’s everything to want.” He steps closer, not quite touching but near enough that I feel his heat. “But I won’t push. Won’tdemand what you’re not ready to give. Tonight is about being here. Everything else can wait.”
I look at him—really look at him. This warrior who’s chosen me despite every logical reason not to. Who’s patient with my fears, respects my boundaries, trusts me completely. Who makes me feel seen and safe and brave all at once.
And I make my choice.
“I don’t want to wait,” I say, my voice steady despite my racing heart. “I don’t want to go into tomorrow with things unsaid, with connection incomplete. I want...” I step closer, closing the distance. “I want you, Magnus. Tonight. Now. Completely.”
His breath catches. “Lyra?—”
