“Thathas nothing to do with why we are stuck in this damn book and Raja also isn’t stuck here considering I just saved Jewel. He should be trapped in this hellhole of a book, and you should not be. I don’t even know why the hell I’m talking to you.” Myanin pushed up to her feet and dusted her hands off on her pants.
“It has everything to do with it,” Shade argued, “because what you just did was both impulsive and impertinent. Were you listening to what Raja said? He didn’t say it had to beasacrifice. He said ithadto be her. It had to be the healer you tossed out or else he’d be free. But were you listening? No.” Shade shook his head. “You were too busy being?—”
“I was too busy trying to figure out a way to save people that I care about,” Myanin yelled. “You don’t know me anymore, Shade. I’m not the girl I was all those centuries ago, so you don’t get to tell me what or why I was doing it. He said a sacrifice, and the ultimate sacrifice is to lay down your life for someone else.”
His brow rose. “Is that what you thought you were doing?”
She was going to slap him. That’s all there was to it. And possibly even kill him. There was no way Myanin was going to spend all of however the hell long she was going to be stuck in theNushtoniawith Shade and not go insane. Which meant he had to die. It was simple. Who would blame her? And did it matter at this point? “Can you please re-fly your ass back out of this hellhole? This is my hellhole. I claimed it fair and square when I threw Jewel out, and I would like to spend the rest of hell in peace.” There. She didn’t kill him,andshe was diplomatic. Someone get her some damn cotton candy. Oh, wait. There is none in her new version of eternity. Ugh.
“Sorry, princess.” Shade sighed. “But you’re stuck with me. And I hate to shatter your newfound sense of self sacrifice. But you freed Raja and most likely got Jewel killed. So kudos to you.”
“I hate you.” It wasn’t the best comeback. But her mind was running over his words, and it was all she had.
“You’ve told me that many times. Get a new insult.”
“You’re a son of biscuit eater, and you deserve to choke on slugs for all of eternity while I’m fed cotton candy by mymate. Oh, and you’ll be watching me be fed cotton candy by mymate,while you choke on those slugs.”
Shade stared at her for a moment, then nodded. “That’s better. You’ve got potential.” He pushed up to his feet and rested his hands on his hips. “Oh, and look around, gorgeous. Your mate’s not here.”
Chapter 13
“Life isn’t fair. Until a person realizes that and accepts it, they will lack contentment. There will be no peace in their life. We are created, we live out our purpose, and hopefully we realize that loving others, showing kindness and selflessness,isthat purpose. And we remind others that they are loved by their Creator and that one day they will leave this life and go home.” ~ The Great Luna
The clearing was chaotic, but Jewel barely noticed. She was weightless, her consciousness swimming somewhere between reality and the void. The sound of voices, shouts, and the crackling of theNushtonia’spower faded in and out like a broken melody. Her body felt too heavy to move, and yet somehow, she was moving—rushing upward, as if she were being carried on a current.
The next thing she knew, she was wrapped in warmth. Strong arms held her close, and the scent of cedar and rain filled her senses, grounding her in a way nothing else could. Jewel’s head lolled against a broad chest, her cheek pressed to the steady thrum of a heartbeat. She knew that rhythm. She knew it as intimately as her own.
“Little Dove.”
The voice was raw, deep, and filled with an emotion so fierce it shattered what little composure she had left. Jewel’s eyes fluttered open, and, through the blur of tears, she saw him. Dalton’s face was inches from hers, his eyes blazing with love, fear, and a desperation that mirrored her own.
“Dalton,” she whispered.
Her mate. Her heart. Her soul. He was here. He had come for her.
“Jewel Black.” His voice broke on her name, as one hand cradled her face as though she were made of the most fragile glass. His thumb brushed away the tears streaking her cheeks, though his own eyes glistened with unshed tears. “I’ve got you,” he said hoarsely. “I’ve got you. I’m not letting go.”
Jewel’s breath hitched as a sob escaped her throat. She tried to speak, to tell him everything she needed him to know, but the words stuck, tangled in the knot of emotion choking her. She could feel his warmth, the rough calluses of his hands, the faint hitch in his breathing.
And then he kissed her.
It wasn’t just a kiss. It was everything—desperation, love, heartbreak, and hope all wrapped into one soul-searing moment. His lips were warm, firm but gentle, moving against hers like a plea, a promise. Jewel clung to him, with her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt as if she could anchor herself to him and never let go.
The taste of him was familiar, comforting, but beneath it was the tang of salt from both their tears. His scent— cedar and rain and something uniquely Dalton, something that had always felt like home—enveloped her. As Dalton’s lips pressed against hers, Jewel’s world slowed, as though the universe had granted her this one fleeting moment of peace amidst the chaos. The warmth of his kiss spread through her, chasing away the cold that had seeped into her soul. Her hands trembled as they fisted in the fabric of his shirt, and she anchored herself to him, to this moment. She could feel the flood of emotions—all of it pouring into her through the bond they shared, a bond that had always been more than just a connection of souls. It was life itself.
In that moment, memories flooded her mind—unbidden but welcome, each one vivid and sharp as though she were reliving them. Jewel saw the first time she met him—not in person, but in her mind, when she’d been unconscious and lost in darkness. She’d thought she was dreaming when his voice, deep and steady and strong, had reached out to her and pulled her back from the brink. She’d never forget the way he’d said her name like it was a prayer, like it was the only thing keeping him tethered to the world.
Jewel thought of the early days, when she’d fought him every step of the way—too stubborn, too scared, to trust in something as powerful as the mate bond. She’d thrown up walls, and he’d torn them down, brick by brick, with his patience and his unwavering belief in her. She remembered how his eyes had softened every time he looked at her, as though he were seeing something she couldn’t.
The struggles they’d faced rose next, a whirlwind of pain and joy. The times they’d fought, their arguments fierce and fiery, yet always ending with apologies whispered against each other’s lips. The battles they’d endured, side by side, his body always a shield between her and danger. The nights she’d cried in his arms, her heart breaking under the weight of her mistakes, and how he’d held her as if his embrace could take her pain away.
And then there were the moments of joy—the moments that made it all worth it. Jewel saw his smile—that rare, breathtaking smile that had always been just for her. She remembered the way he’d laugh when she teased him. His laugh was a deep, rumbling sound that had always made her chest feel warm. Jewel thought of the way he touched her when he made love to her. How his hands trembled over her flesh, as if he was scared he’d break her. And after he’d look at her, his eyes filled with awe, making her feel like she was the most beautiful woman in the world. He’d always made her feel that way, like she was something precious, something worth fighting for.
Her mind clung to those moments, but the ache of what could never be crept in. As his lips moved against hers, she saw the future she’d dreamed of but knew she’d never have.
She saw the two of them in a home of their own, somewhere quiet and peaceful, where they could finally breathe. She saw herself waking up to the sound of his laughter, their bed filled with warmth and tangled sheets. There was a child, their child—a little girl with Dalton’s eyes and Jewel’s mischievous smile. In her minds eye he was holding their baby in his arms, his expression soft and full of wonder. Her heart broke at the realization that she’d never get to see that look on his face.
She saw a lifetime of love, of growing old together, of standing side by side through every storm. She saw herself cradling his face with hands lined with age but still filled with the same love that burned in her now.
