“The valravyn are dealmakers,” Ozias explained. “They are not good or evil. They are neutral. To break their deal is to break the curse and return to death anyone who made the bargain.”
Ben nodded. “So if the valravyn thinks you’re helping Koios, it could break the bargain?”
“The deal would be nullified and the broken one’s life could be forfeit. I do not know the terms of the deal, but valravyn usually deal in death. It is too big a risk to bring to this place of healing.”
“It’s too big a risk to bring anywhere,” Solomon clarified. “Ozias, go. If you have anything about valravyn in your magic books or whatever, we could use all the information we can get.”
Solomon flung his arm toward the door and opened a portal. Ozias shot a look at Koios he couldn’t quite read. It was almost pity. Maybe guilt. But before he could question it, Ozias went through the portal, and it closed behind him.
Koios’s fingers itched to be at a keyboard. There were always answers. He simply had to find them.
“Don’t even think about it,” Nyx said. “I’m already googling, but I’m not even sure what I’m reading. These dudes apparently eat the dead or something? And…oh, now that’s interesting.”
“What?” Koios asked.
“There’s kind of a legend that the valravyn would return someone from the dead in exchange for their firstborn child. That kinda rules you out, though, right? If we all have the same mother, then Iris would be the firstborn.”
Myths were never as straightforward as that, and certainly not ones found by doing a simple search.
“Ozias wouldn’t be able to break a death maker’s curse,” Solomon explained. “Hecate’s law must leave no room for misunderstanding. If there were a way, Ozias would have known it.”
“So he can’t fix my wings,” Koios said, his voice barely more than a whisper.
“I’m sorry, Koios,” Solomon said. “There’s nothing Ozias can do to help. We’ll look into things on our end, but I don’t want to give you false hope.”
Then the alpha turned and left through a portal, which snapped closed behind him.
“Well fuckballs,” Bailey sank down on the end of Koios’s bed and frowned. “So much for easy peasy lemon squeezy. Poof, magical cure.”
Logan wrapped an arm around his mate’s shoulders. “We’ll find another way, then.”
But they wouldn’t, not if Koios had been cursed by a valravyn. If the hell prince himself refused to break Koios’s curse, who else would take up the challenge? No one, that’s who.
“Okay, he needs rest. Everyone out,” Ben said. “And don’t even think about arguing with me, Iris. He’s had a hell of a day, pun intended, and I really don’t want to have to start his heart again. We’ll talk about this after he’s had some time to recover.”
Everyone listened to Ben’s stern command and began filing out of the room. His siblings all brushed his feet through the blanket as they passed, and he made certain to look them all in the eyes. They needed to see that he would be okay.
Nothing had changed, after all.
When only Ben, Logan, and Bailey remained, Ben leaned against the bed and stared into Koios’s eyes. “Of course, you’d be cursed. You never make things easy for me, do you?”
“Where’s…the fun…in that?”
“Yeah, yeah,” Ben griped. “So, we’re going to have to get you better the old-fashioned way. Heart monitor at all times, and we continue your physical therapy. We’ll run some tests and keep everyone updated.”
The bubble of rage Koios kept so tightly contained threatened to free itself from its cage. He fought it back and stared into Ben’s eyes.Gentle Ben. Ha.There was not one ounce of gentleness in that stare. It was pure stubbornness and determination.
Ben believed every word he said.
Koios believed him, too.
“When can he come home?” Bailey asked.
“In a few days,” Ben replied.
He continued that stubborn stare, but Koios didn’t have the energy to fight him.
Ben nodded, then turned his attention to Logan and Bailey. “I’m counting on you two to keep his siblings calm, cool, and as collected as that motley crew can be.”
