Douglas makes a face as he and the other bounty hunters fall into step with us. “You can’t call dibs for someone else, you fucking?—”
“Stop there, or I’ll have to disappoint my keeper by slaughtering you and your friends,” Crypt says in a too-eager tone.
The bounty hunter glares at the incubus. “You’re lucky I haven’t ended your miserable fucking existence for killing my dad.”
“Your dad,” Crypt parrots distractedly, clearly bored of the conversation as he busies himself with checking out Maven’s incredible ass in her tight dark leggings as she walks ahead of us.
It would be a lie if I claimed I wasn’t just doing the same thing.
“How do you not fucking remember?” Asher Douglas snaps at Crypt. His fist clenches white around his gun as his hellhound walks obediently behind him.
The Nightmare Prince shrugs. “I kill a lot of people. Try being more specific.”
“You drowned him in his own blood, you sick motherfucking freak.”
“Hmm. Drowned in blood. Oh—right, him,” Crypt nods, finally checking back into the conversation, grinning as if they’re discussing a fond memory. Then he levels Asher with a hard stare. “That bloke was abusing his wife in a sickening number of ways. He more than deserved it.”
“No shit. That’s why I vowed to put a bullet in his head—then you had to go and fucking steal the chance from me,” Asher mutters.
My brows go up. What an unexpected response.
Crypt says something flippant in reply to the hunter, but my attention turns to Maven again as I finally have a moment to relate to her the message I received.
My mentor told me Zuma and her lover left the Sanctuary,I tell her in fae through the bond.
She stiffens but continues walking.Why did he let them leave?
He didn’t.
Maven is quiet for a long moment, thinking.Wherever Engela is shouldn’t matter.
My attention latches onto the Divide where the humans are emerging. The gray wall is wavering and shaky, as if its instability has only worsened since we’ve been here.
What happens if the Divide falls before you can restabilize it, my blood blossom?I ask.
Then I fail. I can only weaken and stabilize it—it can’t be rebuilt from nothing.
Then, where Engela isdoesmatter. Because if anything happens to her—I begin, frowning as I realize that elemental is the only thing standing between Maven fulfilling her purpose as a revenant.
Maven looks over her shoulder at me briefly, her dark eyes determined.The humans need to get through the Divide. That’s our top priority. As soon as they are through, we’re taking the etherium filled with the life forces of the Immortal Quintet to the nearest temple, which is twenty minutes away. Any priest or priestess can bless the stones the way we need to finish refortifying the Divide. We can do this.
As always, her fierce determination leaves me breathless.
As we near the cemetery, the bounty hunters break off to help the arriving humans. Many are in terrible condition, so it’s a relief when I finally see several ambulances drive onto the far end of the field from an old dirt road. More vehicles also begin to arrive, the drivers rushing to open the backs of their vans to offer water bottles, food, and other emergency aid to the countless wide-eyed, filthy humans who just escaped captivity. Others offer jackets and gloves for the cold.
I don’t miss the relief in Maven’s expression as she witnesses all the help gathering for those she just freed.
She cares deeply for these poor humans.
And as I watch hundreds more stream into the mortal world, I can see why. They’re a stark contrast to legacies, who believe the weak should be culled. Instead, I watch as the humansprioritize the weakest and most vulnerable among themselves, supporting one another and ensuring those who need help the most receive it first.
Though these people appear haunted and frightened by this new world, and although they most carefully conceal their emotions just as Felix and Maven do, their eyes are still full of great hope. Many whisper quiet, genuine thanks, while others fall to pray to the gods in gratitude.
Fascinating. These humans have none of the powerful abilities that my quintet possesses, yet they emanate quiet strength and resilience. All the suffering they’ve gone through, and not a drop of bitterness toward the gods.
Reaching out to squeeze Maven’s hand, I join the Reformists in welcoming the Nether humans into their new lives.
39
