“No! It’s impossible,” she stares at me, her eyes bulging wide and ugly. “Who are you?”
Cadel grips my hand. The world feels right again, for a second, before it doesn’t. He lifts my wrist to his mouth and bites deep.
I moan.
“Stop them!” she shrieks.
I bite his upper arm, and the bond surges between us. The molten core freezing inside me, solid and real. My breath catches, and I press my hand over it.
Cadel cups the side of my face and stares down at me.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see her swing her knife at Walker, but Legion steps in front of the blade. It cuts deep into his neck.
“Legion!” I shout.
Legion makes a sound of pain, but he looks more shocked than anything. His blood sprays out, faster and faster.
Walker catches him and cradles him as they crash to the ground.
“No!”
Legion tries to talk, but he can’t say anything. He holds onto Walker, clinging to him. He gurgles and coughs up blood.
Then he goes still and silent.
Walker shifts his weight. “No,” he whispers.
“Walker, now listen to me,” the goddess starts.
“Lucian? Wake up? Please? Baby?”
I hold on to Cadel’s hand, watching, unable to look away.
“Luce, please.”
I take a step towards him, and Cadel lets go of my fingers. I keep going even as I almost decide to turn back.
Walker sits there numb, staring at his omega. When I can see his face properly, all I can think is: his face will give me nightmares forever, and is that how I looked?
I kneel by his side, reaching out cautiously and touching his hand. He turns his head towards me, his eyes so haunted that I don’t think anything is going to bring him back.
“I can’t,” he says.
“I know.”
He squeezes my hand. “Everything I did was to keep you bothsafe.”
“I know,” I whisper. “It’s okay, we understand.” And I do. I really, really do.
“He died anyway. Where are the gods? Where are they?”
I stare at him, a memory trying to shake its way loose. It’s hidden, but I can feel it, and then I can.
“Pray,” I whisper.
“What?”
“Pray for his soul, for him to find happiness, to wait for you. Pray, Walker.”
