“I was referring to a precious treasure you had a long time ago, in another life.”
Dyna’s heart pounded, her chest rising and falling as she fought to breathe. She stumbled back, her vision skewing. “No.”
Leoake tutted, shaking his head at her. “Not so clever after all, are you?”
Dyna looked back at the tent. Cassiel had already lost so much, and she had now taken a part of his future from him beforethey ever knew what it was. She pressed her shaking fists into her stomach, feeling the urge to vomit.
“No need to fret yet. You won’t give birth to my prize for several more years.” He shrugged. “Well, given that you survive the island. There is plenty of time before you need to tell your mate you have bargained away his firstborn son.”
Son. Herson.
Dyna stifled a sound that was between a scream and a whimper that tore from her gut. She sank to her knees in the wet grass facing the tent, too shocked to do anything but stare at the canvas.
“Why?” she asked shakily. “Why do you want my child?”
“Why do you think your son’s first life ended before he could be born? A half-breed is one thing, but can you imagine what power the progeny of a sorceress and a Seraph would have? Your son will wield unimaginable power unlike anything this realm has ever beheld before.” Leoake grinned, eyes eerily glowing. “Like his mother who can cross into dreams, he will cross intoworlds.”
Dyna shook. “You already knew this would happen.”
“Of course. Iseeeverything.” Leoake cackled. “You have the same look in your eyes the first time you unintentionally bargained your son’s life away. Sheli wasn’t so clever.” With an exaggerated sigh, he slumped back as if he were exhausted. “It took very careful planning to ensure every piece fell into place exactly as needed for this moment. Beginning with leading Rawn to Xián Jing and veiling his memories, to influencing every step you and your Guardians took after that, until now. So try to stay alive in the meantime, fair maid. If you or your mate die, I will be forced to wait another age to try again.”
Dyna’s fingers tightened over the bronze pieces in her hand, and it burned in her shaking fists.
He did this to her. To them.
All to merely to steal her unborn child.
“Well, not all is lost if you do die.” Leoake tapped his chin thoughtfully. “I have other progenies out there who may serve me fine if you do. Consider it my contingency plan.”
“You are truly evil, aren’t you?”
A mischievous smile spread across his delicate features as he rose to his feet. “How can you expect me to be anything shortofwicked? If you thought the end of this journey would have a happy ending, well, then you haven’t been very heedful.”
Goosebumps prickled her skin with his insinuation.
Soft fur rubbed against Dyna’s arms, and Azulo looked up at her, whining. Conveying something he couldn’t say with words.
The Druid can see all fates but his own.
Dyna opened her fist. The bronze key had reforged itself into one piece again, mended by her broken heart and her rage.
Leoake approached to pick up Azulo, running his fingers through his blue fur. “Sometimes, the strings of fate cannot be unwoven from the web. Yet there are times when all we are left with are choices. When the time comes to relinquish your greatest wish to me, I will remind you again that you chose this.” He turned to go. “Until then.”
Taking a breath, Dyna rose to her feet. “You keep mentioning the way of fate,” she said. “I am continuously told how my life is meant to be, but in this life, I have already decided I alone will shape my fate.”
She spun around and jammed the key into Leoake’s right eye.
Screams tore from his mouth, and he flailed back, dropping Azulo.
“You didn’t foresee that coming,” Dyna hissed. She tore out the key, letting it drop to the ground with a dull thud.
The Druid blindly stumbled for the forest, his screams echoing through the trees. His blood glistened on the grass like drops of rubies, surrounding his golden eye and the key.
The geas throbbed painfully on her wrist. It bound her throughout the known universe, but she swore to find a way to break it.
“Tell your master my son is not his to have,” Dyna said, meeting the blue fox’s frightened gaze. “The next time he comes, I will take his other eye.”
CHAPTER 88
