Emotions strangled me as she slipped into my thoughts. When I first saw her sitting at the edge of that jetty—so innocent, so unguarded—something in my heart had awakened.
It hadn’t mattered that my allure failed; she’d come to me willingly. She’d looked into my darkness and answered it with light.
But now I knew she had a darkness akin to mine that lived within her. I’d succumbed to mine, and she’d chosen to be good.
She was all that I wasn’t. And I’d sworn I’d do everything to shield her from this dark, dangerous world, but I’d failed. I’d been unable to protect her from me. Frommydarkness. I’d broken her heart.
I turned away from the hordes of Mer growing ever greater on the dunes and rubbed a webbed hand down my face. I should have known my scars would extinguish her light, that I’d taint her with the shadows I carried. I should’ve walked away before my pain left its mark on her.
They say the broken only know how to break. Perhaps they’re right.
I won’t let what my father did to me compel my actions.
I will not let my love destroy her.
My knuckles cracked.
No.
I would lead my people into battle, and we would face my uncle—face Manannán. I would enjoy every second of ripping his throat out with my teeth.
I’d been better since she came into my life. My healing magic had returned, and I’d managed to keep the bloodlust at bay, but now . . . now I had nothing left to lose.
After Manannán was defeated, I would find the Trinity, and a new daywould come. A day when my people would be free of the blood-hungry Drowned and the Shadow, a happy ending where she didn’t have to die.
Then I would do what I should have done when I first saw her sitting at the end of that jetty andwalk away.
