Nebula sighed softly. “This is the only way. If I die at just the right moment, she won’t have time to react. You’ll have your opening.”
“But Pandora won’t be able to fight her after she frees you,” Skel croaked.
The room was thick with emotion.
“I love her as if she was my own child,” he said, voice raw. “I love Pandora with everything I have, and I know you all do too. She can do this, and she will prevail. That’s why I need you to promise me something.”
“Anything,”the five of us promised at the same time.
“Take care of her. Protect her. Don’t let her do something reckless because of me when fighting Sybil.”
Skel exhaled sharply, looking away, rubbing a hand over his face. His shoulders shook once before he forced himself to breathe evenly again. “Oh, come on, Nebs. Don’t make her do this.”
Reed swallowed hard, his hands curled into fists on his knees.
“You know how much she loves you,” I told Nebula, my voice thick. “Thiswillbreak her.”
“I know.” He sighed again. “But she has you five, her dad, and Jenni. And I trust you to be there for her. She’s not alone anymore. I need you to be there for her. If you want to live a happy life with Pandora, without dark magic taking over the Demon Capital and possibly Kalista as a whole, then you have to let her do this.”
No one spoke for a long time. The weight of what he said settled over us. It pressed into my chest, making it hard to breathe.
Bram cleared his throat. “Since you’re manifested, I might as well mention that I wrote something,” he said. “For you.”
Nebula made an intrigued noise. “Let’s hear it.”
Bram took a shaky breath and recited,
“To sacrifice, to save.
A soul snuffed too soon.
Our love will protect yours.
You will not be lost to the Veil.
For you will feel the Fates' embrace.”
Nebula went silent for a few moments. “Thank you, Bram. It was lovely.”
Reed turned his face away, but I could see the way his shoulders trembled.
“Great poem.” Dex reached out and gripped the back of Bram’s neck in support as his jaw tightened.
“We’re going to get revenge for you, Nebs,” Skel said roughly. “And we’re going to protect her. That’s a promise.”
“Thank you all,” Nebula murmured. “Truly.” His soul sucked back inside his skull as he de-manifested.
None of us moved.
None of us spoke.
The weight of his absence filled the space he had just occupied, and his skull was still wrapped in Pandora’s arms as she slept.
Finals were next week for them, the mission was after that, and if everything turned out okay, graduation would be next.
We would manage, I was sure—but none of us would ever be the same.
46
