He did not look up. “I need one minute. Hold on.”
Nadia’s grip tightened on me, and she pressed her forehead to mine. Her trembling hands slid to my jaw, and through her touch, I felt her heartbeat. It was slow, too slow. I felt each beat echo through the bond in a dull, unsteady rhythm that pushed fear into my ribs.
“I’m right here,” she whispered.
“And so am I,” I told her.
Her knees buckled first. I caught her as best I could, but the ritual drained my strength faster with every breath she took. Ambrosia’s loss was like a vacuum, draining all the life-force that was being taken from me. Nadia’s weight sagged into me. I lowered us both down until we were lying on the cold floor together, our bodies pressed close. The stone pulsed under us with the dying remnants of the spell. Nadia clung to my shirt with what little strength she had left.
“Cristian,” she murmured. Her lashes fluttered. “I don’t feel right.”
“I know.” I gathered her closer, even though my arms felt heavy. “It is the bond. It is taking from you because of me. I am so sorry.”
She shook her head and forced her eyes open again. “No. Don’t apologize. If we go, we go together. It’s not the worst thing.”
A sharp pain shot through my chest at her words. I cupped the back of her neck. Her skin felt too cool. “Nadia, look at me.”
She did.
“You deserved a full life,” I told her. “You deserved more than this. More than me.”
Her fingers curled weakly against my chest. “I wanted you. I chose you.”
I lowered my forehead to hers again. Both of us were shaking. The ritual kept pulling at my core, the bond at hers. Our breaths thinned out. Our pulses slowed in a matching pace that terrified me.
Her lips brushed my jaw. “I’m not scared.”
“I am,” I admitted. “Not of dying. Of losing you.”
She gave a small, tired smile. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. “You won’t lose me.”
I pulled her fully into my arms. The world narrowed to the two of us on the stone floor. Everything else blurred. Hammond’s crying faded. Cassian’s coughing quieted. Even Ezra’s frantic typing seemed far away.
Nadia’s body relaxed against mine. She rested her head on my shoulder. “Stay with me,” she whispered.
“I am here,” I said again. “I will go wherever you go.”
Her fingers slid into my palm. Our hands locked together.
The room darkened around the edges.
We lay there in silence, our foreheads touching, our breaths falling into the same slow pattern. Her pulse and mine drifted closer. Almost matched. Almost gone.
Ezra swore under his breath. “Don’t do this. Either of you. Hold on. I’m so fucking close.”
Nadia curled closer to me. “Cristian… I love you. I wanted to say it when it mattered.”
“It matters now,” I told her.
Her eyes softened. “Good. Then I’ll tell you again. I love you.”
I shut my eyes and held her hand against my chest. “I love you,” I said. “I always have.”
Her breathing slowed. My heartbeat stuttered. We sank together. We did not let go.
Ezra’s laptop gave a sharp ping. He sucked in a tight breath and sat back on his heels. “I found the override. Cristian. Nadia. Do not move.”
I held on.
