“I won’t let that happen,” I whisper, letting out a shuddering breath.
Arianna’s corner of the table is growing darker and darker. “Vivi – I’m begging you. Don’t do this. You have no idea what these people are capable of. What they’ll do to you if you don’t follow their whims. They will break you, shatter you, only to bring you back and do it again, more painfully, every time. You don’t come out of there whole. Even if we get you out, you won’t be you anymore. Trust me.”
More darkness pours from her hands, and I stand to hug her. She clings to me, shaking.
“The Guardians tried to break me. The things you experienced – Cassandra did, too. But she got out, and I will, too. They can break us all they want. We will always rise from the shattered pieces.” I squeeze her tightly before pulling away to look her in the eye. “We come back stronger, Ari. Always.”
Her lip quivers, and she nods. “Promise me you’ll come back.”
“I promise.”
I don’t focus on how sour the lie tastes as I turn to the rest of the table. “I’m going to get dressed. We’re doing the handoff. I refuse to sacrifice my friends.”
I don’t wait for more argument. I just leave.
I hurry to pull on my fighting leathers. Corrupted bond or not, I’m going in armed. My thoughts drift over to possible avenues of escape until the crushing realization hits.
If I leave, Need can just pull more hostages from my realm. She knows how to get to me now.
I swallow thickly.
I’m not getting out of that castle unless it’s crumbling behind me.
I touch the necklace Sin gave me, and my hands shake as I pull it off. I don’t want Leon to get his hands on it. It’s precious to me.
Oh god, Sin.
He’s going to be devastated. Not only that, but he might just go ballistic enough to use his Destroyer powers and murder the Council. My pulse races, knowing I have no time, but I run to the cloak I took on my first day here, digging into the pocket and pulling out the notebook. I scrawl out my note, unable to stop the tears streaming down my eyes.
Sin,
By the time you see this, I’ll already be gone. Need has my mortal friends, and I can’t let her kill them. I’m going willingly. I’m so sorry for leaving this way.
They won’t hurt me, not when they need me. Please don’t come for me, not when this is the only way to keep everyone safe.
I love you. I wish I could have told you in person.
I’m yours, and I love you. Always.
Your Kitten
I leave the note on the table next to his bed, laying the necklace he gave me on top of it before finding the others. They’re all waiting in the sitting room for me, looking sombre.
“Who’s taking me there?” I ask, not wanting to waste another second.
“Me,” Arianna and Morgana answer at once. They turn to each other, surprised.
“The second Need sees you, she will murder you, just so Sin is out of a Keeper,” Arianna snaps.
“And the second Sin returns home today and finds that Vivian was handed back to the Council, he will MURDER whoever did it,” Morgana snaps back. “With the Keeper bond, I have the best chance of coming out of this alive.”
Magnus distracts me by handing me a small comb. It’s the enchanted one that I’d joked was Fae birth control when I first saw him here. His gaze locks on mine. “Just in case, my little enigma. Until we win this war, and you return to us.”
I smile softly at him and nod, not trusting my voice. I tuck it into one of my pockets and try not to focus on if I’ll ever see him again. Our allies are waiting to see who I’m aligned with. If the Council has me, then I don’t think there will be much of a war.
He hugs me, and I turn to Rosie, who is fighting back tears. She pulls me into a hug, both of us shaking, but neither saying a word.
When she releases me, I step back, looking at Morgana and Arianna. “Well, who’s it going to be?”
