“We have no other option,” Angel shot back. “But before we risk heading into the darkness with extra weight, I’m going to fly myself first to ensure this is the right direction.”
Before Reece could protest again, her gorgeous angel wings popped out of her back and she flapped them strongly, heading out to hover in the shadows beyond the cords. Almost instantly, she was difficult to see.
The scent of storms and sand rose around us. “Mate, you need to get your ass back here,” Reece demanded. “You don’t have thousands of layers of power at your control any longer.”
“I don’t,” she agreed, and I wondered what that story was. Not that I’d dare ask when we had much more pressing shit to deal with. “But I have my bond with you, and the new layers we’re building. I will not falter.”
In the dull light, Reece’s face could have been carved from stone. His entire body too as he seemed to be fighting the instinct to leap from his cord and wrestle his mate to safety. Angel didn’t say anything else, allowing him to come to his own conclusion.
“Go,” he finally bit out, “but you better come back, Lale. In one damn piece.”
“Always, love,” she smiled sweetly. “You can’t get rid of me that easily.”
Her wings flapped harder, and to the sound of her mate’s grumbles she disappeared into the darkness. Reece’s energy flared, the bite of sand harsh against my skin. Which was an odd sensation, since there was no actual sand in the vicinity.
“You hanging in there okay?” Len asked. As I turned his way, the cord swinging slowly, a brief smile tilted up his lip. It added some warmth to my energy, which in turn bolstered my barrier.
I attempted to laugh it off. “Just a little fatigued. Trying not to embarrass myself by being the first to fall in this crew of god-like creatures.”
Concern replaced his smile. “You’re expending more energy than you realize in keeping that darkness at bay. I’m helping a tiny amount, but the bulk is you. You amaze me with your continued strength, little Storm. Even if the Fates did choose you as my mate, I’d have made the same choice among the trillions of beings in the worlds.”
And just like that, I could have swung through these fucking cords for another ten years. Yeah, I wanted to be a strong independent female, but I completely believed I could be that and more with the support of a true mate.
“I would choose you, too,” I said softly. “Every fucking day. The Fates did well.”
He leaned in to kiss me, but before our lips met, the sound of flapping had all of us turning toward the abyss, ready to see Angel.
“Soon, mate,” Len murmured from behind me, the brush of his power like lightning across my skin. “Nothing will stand between us and cementing this bond.”
I believed him, especially if we could repair the line and figure out how to break the final strands of glamour over me.
Then, finally, we’d have a chance at true happiness.
36
SAMANTHA
The feeling of sand against our skin faded as Angel returned clearly unharmed, her wings strong and sure as she closed the distance. “Mate,” Reece growled. “What took you so fucking long?”
It didn’t matter how badass you were, these alpha males worried the moment their ladies were out of sight. Exactly how it should be.
“I was less than ten minutes,” she shot back with a smile, hovering effortlessly before us. “I only went as far as the next land, which looks safe to approach. I should be able to easily ferry everyone across.”
Mera’s fiery wings expanded and she took off just out of Shadow’s reach to hover near Angel. “I can help,” she said.
At the same time, Shadow rumbled, “Get your fucking ass back here, Sunshine.”
“I can help!” she repeated with more force. “We don’t have time to fuck around, beast. If we don’t save this damn line, the worlds will fall, and not even you could keep me safe.”
His face was creased in thunder. “I could and would keep you safe. The worlds be damned.”
Judging by the amused looks on everyone’s faces, I was almost certain they’d had this argument before. “We would all let the worlds burn for our mates,” Lucien said, tone light and chipper, like he was discussing his favorite hobby. “But maybe we should attempt to save them first, just for ease of where to live when there’s only darkness left in the abyss.”
Shadow let out a growl and released his hold on the cord, disappearing in shadows before he reappeared near Mera. Those shadows wrapped around them both, before they vanished once more.
“Hope he knows where he’s going,” Angel said with a low laugh. “The path through this deep is not without many dangers.”
Len shrugged. “There’s a reason none dare to tread here, except those too stupid to heed the warnings. But Shadow is his own special entity, and he wouldn’t risk Mera. He’ll probably just follow your energy trail.”
