Well… once upon a time, Sephtis had told me the only thing that could possibly control Death was Fate.
It was a big gamble.
A risk, and I had no idea what the result would be, but…
Well… Caiden had pressed the petal into my palm and told me that Fate had brought me my soulmate.
So Fate was the only thing I could think of to get him back.
“I see,” Aiden said, and his eyes flicked between my chest and back to the knife Gethin had been using. “And you were going to… sacrifice yourself to get his attention? Is that a go-to for humans?”
There was weight to the question I didn’t quite understand, but I nodded without thinking. “I’ll do anything to get him back. Sephtis doesn’t deserve to suffer because he got stuck with a soulmate like me.”
“Hm.” Aiden looked me over again, and then flicked his eyes back to Gethin. “You. Stay put. I need to have a few words with you when this is over and done with.”
Over and done with.
“Fuck off, Aiden. I haven’t done anything wrong. Coleaskedme to stab him.” Gethin’s eyes turned to me. “Right?”
“He wasn’t going to kill me or anything. Just… make a bit of a mess.” Even to me, it didn’t sound good, but…
“Right. Well… if you wanted to make a mess, Cole… there are better ways.”
“Aiden, wait.” Gethin was moving toward us, but it was too late. Aiden tilted his head as he looked at me, and then he stretched his hand out and pressed it to my chest.
There was a burn, and it kept moving.
Moving.
Moving until it was inside me—moving until I felt his fingers wrap around my heart andsqueeze.
I couldn’t breathe.
I couldn’t think.
All I could do wassee.
A life before—two young men falling in love, when there weren’t buildings and cars. When the world was new and the soul in Sephtis’s chest was stillhuman.His eyes were a beautiful golden brown…
He washuman.
Human andmine.
We’d always belonged together, and as Aiden twisted his hand and squeezed my heart until I felt Vitality start to spill over his fingers… I knew one simple truth.
Sephtis had always been mine. We’d always been connected… and nothing could tear us apart.
Chapter 32
Sephtis
I felt it—asharp sting that ripped through my chest. I was still standing there, staring at Death… and he stared back at me.
And then there was another squeeze, another wrench of agony. Something waswrongwith Cole.
Something waswrong,and whatever it was called to me. I’d broken Death’s hold on me with Caiden’s soft whisper, and with Cole’s voice calling my name… I widened my eyes.
“Don’t.” Death’s voice was a hiss. A warning. But I didn’t have to obey.
