“Wait. You can’t,” I asked.
“Aileen, go back to the clearing,” Liam ordered. He’d taken a knee in front of Nathan, placing one hand on the back of the other’s man’s neck.
I stepped toward him.“He’s your friend.”
“That’s why I have to do this.” His voice was a quiet hum. He’d already accepted this as his only course.
“It’s okay, A. It’s for the best this way,” Nathan said, trying to comfort me.
Bullshit. This was not happening. I wasn’t letting it.
“We stopped it in time. There’s no reason to kill him,” I said, looking around at the others.
Thomas was unmoved. He’d retreated behind a mask, watching the events unfold with a closed expression, his bearing as unruffled as ever.
“This is a mercy,” Liam said, his voice raw.“Now leave.”
I refused. There was another way. I just needed to find it.
“Thomas,” Liam said.
Thomas sighed, turning toward me. I dropped my gaze, knowing he’d try to compel me to go back to the clearing. Not this time. Not with Nathan’s life hanging in the balance.
“Don’t do this. We can find another way,” I said, desperate.
I didn’t want to stand over another grave. I didn’t want to have questions about whether I could have made a difference ifI’d just been a little faster, a little smarter.
Thomas grabbed my chin, exerting pressure on it as he slowly forced me to face him.
“Liam, I can break it,” I said, resisting. It was like trying to resist gravity—impossible.
My chin lifted and I slammed my eyes closed.
“Wait,” Liam said.
To my surprise, Thomas did. I opened my eyes, slowly, tentatively, not trusting the easy capitulation.
“Let her go,” Liam said.
Thomas and he locked gazes, a wealth of unspoken words exchanged between the two. Thomas turned back to me, studying me as if I was some rare creature.
He released me and stepped away.
I turned to Liam, taking in the other enforcers at a glance. There was hope on Anton’s face, while Daniel looked guarded, not quite trusting. Nathan’s expression was resigned. He’d already given up hope.
“Can you really break the compulsion?” Liam asked.
I jerked my shoulders.“I don’t know, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t try.”
The woods were quiet as Liam stared at me. I waited, anticipation drawing my nerves tight as I tried to will him to have faith in me, to take a chance even though every instinct he had told him it was pointless.
“Okay,” he said.“We’ll try.”
Relief made my knees weak. I didn’t think he’d change his mind.
I stepped toward Nathan. Liam stopped me.
“Not here. The magic is rising. The hunt will begin soon,” he said.
