She reached in through the bond and shoved aside all the darkness, all the blame and guilt, and held the little boy who had no one. Who was rejected for being Nephilim. Who lost his mother and father. Who grew up into a young man too afraid to trust others or to love until he found it. Then he loved so much that he gave up everything out of fear of losing it, even when it destroyed him.
The pieces of his soul lay scattered on the ground around him like shards of glass. That very soul already died for her once before because they had promised to find each other again.
And they had.
“You’re not alone, Cassiel,” Dyna murmured to him, stroking his hair. “I’m home.”
CHAPTER 87
Dynalya
Dyna kept her fingers over Cassiel’s pulse, counting each steady beat. He was so still. He didn’t dream anymore. When she attempted to dream walk again, there was nothing there. She told herself it was simply because his mind was resting at last. So she could only pray that the life force she had given him had been enough.
She had poured everything into him. Found reservoirs of Essence she didn’t know she had, and she was nearly drained. Dyna leaned back in her chair, blinking tiredly at Cassiel’s enchanted tent. The rush of the falling cascades was all that kept her company as she waited.
It had been two days without change. If he didn’t wake, Dyna didn’t know what she would do.
Something soft brushed against her ankles, and she yelped. A blue fox with a gem on its forehead yipped at her.
She smiled tiredly. “Oh, hello, sweet one. What are you doing here?”
Azulo scampered outside. Dyna followed and found Leoake outside by her campfire, sampling the vegetable broth she’d been cooking.
Dyna frowned. “I was wondering when you would return for the key.”
“You were successful, I take it.”
She didn’t answer, aware of the weight in her pocket.
Leoake returned the ladle to the pot and took a seat in the nook of a tree, reclining back as if it were a comfortable chair—or better yet, a throne. He crossed his legs. The light glinted on the gold rings adorninghis fingers and pointed ears. “And now you are contemplating ways to keep it.”
“It’s certainly a thing of value to hold the key to Mount Ida’s door. Primarily given that said door opens to the In Between.” Dyna reached into her pocket and pulled out the two broken pieces in her palm. “I know what you plan, Leoake, but I will sooner destroy this key than allow your schemes to be realized.”
He laughed. “Is that so?”
“You were shifty with your words when we made our first deal, and I listened to them carefully when you came to initiate it. Our agreement was that Iretrievethe key. You said nothing about returning it to you.”
His golden eyes narrowed. “Clever.”
“I thought you might think so. It’s unlike you to make a mistake.
“Who said it was a mistake?”
Dyna stilled at the smirk playing on his lips.
“As it happens, I no longer have a need for the key. For you see, what you traded to save your mate’s life gives me exactly what I need.”
“What do you mean? The Sol Medallion can open the door to the In Between?”
The Druid canted his head, and that same smile slithered across his lips. The smile that told her she was a fool. “I never mentioned a medallion. In your panic, you failed to listen carefully the second time we made a deal.”
She stared at him, her body growing cold.
“You traded your greatest wish, which is indeed a treasure, but not the kind you would think. And not one that would come to be … if your mate had died.”
Her insides twisted with muted horror.
I care nothing for gold and jewels.He had told her that before, and the fae couldn’t lie.
