He looked over his shoulder. “I am no one to you, not anymore.”
The treehouse shimmered, and Not-Bane hung his head. “Time to wake up, Miss Raven.”
Rory sat up,covered in a sheer layer of sweat. Despite the magic blocking her memories, her brain remembered. Why else would she have such lucid dreams that caused feelings so strong she thought they were real?
Something in her chest stuttered with heartache, like watching the third-act breakup of a romance movie. The only difference was she had missed the beginning of the movie and didn’t know what was happening. That’s what her life felt like.
Frustration wasn’t a good enough word to explain how she felt. Who was this man in her dreams, and why did he feel familiar? Shelonged for someone she didn’t know anymore because her memories were packed away, just out of reach.
She wished the vague recognition didn’t plague her so she could move on with her life, but it did, and she couldn’t.
Not without knowing who she left behind.
10
VINCULA
“She’s remembering,”Caius said the second Sam walked into his office. “I could see it on her face.”
Sam’s wings tucked tightly against his body as he ambled across the room. “That is impossible. The magic cannot be broken.”
“She’s myAeternum. Maybe the magic doesn’t work as well on her,” Caius replied. “We can’t let that happen, or at least, if she remembers, we need to convince her it’s all in her head.”
He wanted her to remember him so he could touch her, kiss her, tell her how much he loved her, and hear her say she loved him, too. But it wasn’t safe. His chest ached every time he looked into her questioning eyes.
“She is not remembering,” Sam asserted as he reached into his pocket and took out an apple. “It is your heart fabricating what you want to see.”
Maybe he was right. Caius ran a frustrated hand through his hair. It’d only been four days since she left, but it felt like a lifetime. All he wanted was for her to live a full life before they were reunited in the aether, but if Gedeon ruled Erdikoa forever, that would neverhappen. If Cora was Gedeon’sAeternum, and he trapped her soul, then he would never have children, and Caius and Adila had to stay in their positions as well.
TheRoyalsruled in their positions until the Lux ruler had three children to inherit their powers and positions. If Gedeon had no children, there would be no one to inherit their thrones, and he’d rule forever. They all would.
Unless he allowed Gedeon to kill him.He shook off the intrusive thought. His brother could not be allowed to rule forever. There was no telling what type of ruler he would become. Nothing was amiss in Erdikoa as of now, but that could change at any moment. Power could corrupt even the purest of souls.
Gedeon’s soul was already black, and Caius shuddered to think of what too much power would do to his twin.
“I need you and Lauren to spy on Gedeon when you switch shifts,” he said abruptly. “Do it at night. Rory will be asleep and unaware of what you’re doing.”
Sam dropped onto the bench, and Caius thought it might break with the force. “How are we to do that undetected?”
He ignored theAngel’ssarcasm and flicked his hand in Sam’s direction. “You can shift into whatever animal you wish. I have faith you will find a way in without drawing attention to yourself.” Sitting back, he studied his friend. Any other time, Sam would tell Caius to fuck off, but it was for Rory, and the commander would do anything for her.
“What are we looking for, exactly?” Sam asked after a brief pause.
Caius tried to suppress his triumphant smile. “We need to monitor my brother to ensure he doesn’t know about Rory.”
The smile slipped off his face. If Gedeon found out about her, Caius didn’t know what they’d do. His only choice was to break through the barrier before then.
“Just do it,” he said with finality. “And find Kit before you go. See if she’s made any progress.”
Kit stood on a ladder,reaching for a book on the top shelf, praying to theSeraphimshe didn’t fall to an early death.
“What have you found?” a booming voice said from behind her.
She jerked, making the ladder wobble, and she knew her time had come. Two large hands grabbed the ladder, holding it still.
“You are not very coordinated,” Sam said and stepped aside for her to climb down.
When she stepped off the last rung, she sniffed indignantly. “And you are an asshole.”
