“I can,” Luke muttered before resuming his pace toward the signs of life. “And can’t.”
I smirked and caught up with him.
He didn’t glance in my direction when he said, “Don’t smile.”
“This is much better.” I laughed. “Something truly beautiful is happening down here. I wonder if life—and other things—will exist here soon. But it’s kind of sad that it’s turning beautiful while the human world is suffering. It’s almost like… it’s preparing for something.”
Luke’s reddened gaze landed on me. “You like it,” he stated, not asked.
“It’s better than miles upon miles of darkness.” I crossed my arms and tsked. “Even your own domain is happy and coming to life knowing you’re leaving. Doesn’t that tell you something?”
“You always liked the human world…” Luke sighed and kept walking. “And now my domain looks like it.”
A blush swept over my cheeks, and my heart fluttered inside my chest. That response sounded just like Shadow. He usedto grumble constantly about how much I liked being in the human world. The yearning—for something different between us—would never ease. With every step I took beside my mate, I wished our fate could be different.
It could be if only Luke allowed it.
“What does this mean for your evil souls?” I asked, walking alongside him, kicking my boot through the grass. It already seemed a couple of inches taller than it was a few minutes ago. “They haven’t escaped, have they?”
“No.” Luke flashed his fangs in a rare smile. “Strangely, that place is untouched and entirely under my control.”
“Then who controls this?” I gestured to the surrounding field. Just a few feet to our left, more trees formed. One grew enormous—almost as big as the ones in Grim’s woods. The moment the tree finished forming, another skeletal bird winked into existence.
I smiled and watched it fly away.
“I wonder…” Luke’s expression was almost—dare I say—tender.
Fluttering my lashes, I asked, “You want to kiss me, don’t you?”
His lips curled despite the scowl he tried to hide it with. “You are crueler than I.”
“How so?”
“Teasing me with what I yearn for—and always using it against me.”
My chest tightened uncontrollably as I reached for his hand. “Luke, I’d never—”
My powers vanished.
The loss was always so sudden. I hated how terrible it felt—like I’d lost more than a limb. My strength had been part of me for so long, and even though I didn’t get to use it often, not having it still felt wrong.
“Hades,” I mumbled.
“Did you heal completely?” Luke asked, grabbing my hand and inspecting my skin.
“Yeah.”
“Good.” He dropped my hand and turned. “Let’s go.”
“Where are you taking us, anyway?”
“The crossover.”
Unease slammed into me.
“You’re vulnerable, I’m weakened, and Hell is open,” he continued. “If Harvest were to try something, now would be the perfect time.”
I ran to catch up with him. “Can I at least have a weapon?”
