“Caelan,” I begged, tears thick in my throat. “Please. No matter what happened between us, I never wanted this for you. I swear to you I will help.”
But Caelan pushed himself up from the floor and stood.
Ethan came over. “Caelan. A banshee’s scream is never wrong. Let her help.”
Caelan’s look of betrayal would live forever in my nightmares. “I do not need her help. Evie means nothing to me. She made her choices, as did I, and now we will both live with them, come what may.”
Ethan stared at Caelan and slowly shook his head. Ben came up. “Caelan, perhaps you should?—”
Caelan bared his teeth and shoved his way through the two Lords. Soren came up and watched him go. “Idiot,” he said sadly. “I’ll miss the crabby sonofabitch.”
Ben choked out a laugh. “You dark bastard.”
Soren grinned unrepentantly. “If anyone will find a way out, it will be that slippery prick.”
As Caelan’s broad back disappeared around the corner, I could only hope Soren was right.
Not long after,all of us gathered around Rowan’s kitchen table. Declan and Hope stood together by the counter munching on cheese and crackers. I was too wound up to eat anything, and Rowan was pacing back and forth, his face a mask of concentration.
I felt awful. No matter what I felt for Caelan, I didn’t want him to die. I didn’t want any of the Lords to die, but Caelan and I had been through so much together. Being self-aware was a curse because I knew we’d never have the relationship we once did, nor did I want one, but our camaraderie was shattered too. I doubted we’d ever be able to sit in a room together without being antagonistic toward each other.
None of it mattered. Caelan was marked for death. Banshees never lied.
And speaking of the banshee, she also sat at the table, her pale countenance even whiter than normal. Tess had little information, only a vague notion of a timeline.
Within a few weeks was all she’d say. She didn’t know where the threat came from, when it would strike, or how it would happen.
We’d gone through a few plans, but all of it revolved around Caelan’s cooperation, and we all knew he would not give it if I was involved.
I could take his land by force and take him against his will, but doing so would shatter him. Taking his choice away would break something inside me, and I refused to consider the option.
A few hours later, everyone but Rowan had gone their own way, leaving us in a quiet kitchen.
He sat down beside me.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
Rowan put his hand over mine. “You loved him, may still love him. Caelan is a lucky man to have someone love him so fiercely.”
I swallowed hard, the truth forcing its way through my lips. “I don’t love him anymore. Not like that. Too much has happened. His hatred for what I represent broke us. I—I can’t love someone like that. Maybe I never loved him like he needed. I don’t know. But letting him die…” I shook my head. “I can’t do it, Rowan. No matter what he’s done.”
“Then we will save him,” he said simply.
His words crack another piece of stone from my heart, and another, and another. As my barriers fell against his goodness, I rose from my chair and straddled his lap, my hands cupping his face. “Give me time,” I whispered.
His hands buried themselves in my hair, and I leaned forward, my lips brushing over his. I place one of my hands over his heart and feel the strong, steady beat. How could I have missed this? Was I so blind to not see how he felt about me every time he looked at me, every time he held a hand out when I stumbled? A tear snaked down my face.
Rowan reached up and brushed it away. My body trembled at his touch.
“You shall have all the time you need,” he responded.
Epilogue
THE MOTHER, THE MAIDEN, & THE CRONE
“Stop this madness,” Cliona snapped. “You would poison the world to see your goals realized?”
“I would do much worse,” the ancient goddess responded. “Don’t act so high and mighty. We all know what you did for your daughter. How is this any different?”
