“Gideon, please, we—”
“Now!” he shouted, reaching over and grabbing me with his free arm. “Say the words.”
Crying, I ripped away from his grip. “This isn’t right.”
Gideon glared at me. “What help can you be to anyone if you're dead? You want to change the world, so stay alive to do it.”
The bell chimed again. This time shouting and the clang of metal followed.
“You can stay once I open this, but he will kill you. He can hear everything we say. He knows that we’ve been working together. Any hope you had of a future here left the moment you kissed him.”
I had committed treason.
Even if I wanted to stay and fight, I would be executed, and Kane’s fury would unleash on every human. My mistake could be the start of a war between our people, and I couldn’t let that happen.
I didn’t know how I would fix this, but maybe if we subdued Kane, I could make him listen, explain myself, and maybe that future we’d both glimpsed wasn’t gone.
With a nod, I repeated the ancient phrase, stumbling over the words. Gideon repeated it, much clearer than me, and the gate opened.
Gideon dropped Kane, rolling him away with the tip of his boot. I stared at Kane, regret and shame coursing through me like a wild vine.
“This isn't what I wanted,” I said, staring at the Deathless One who would surely never show me his real self again.
“No, but it is the choice you made.” Gideon held out hishand, urging me to take it and betray everything I was born to be.
Another loud chime, reminding me that Gideon hadn’t lied about the Lich King. At least if I went with Gideon, I’d be safe from whatever monsters were invading the castle. I didn’t know who was the bigger threat, Kane or the Lich King.
I took Gideon’s hand and stepped into the Dryad Realm, hoping Kane would wake in time before it was too late to save his home.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Kane
I’m goingto kill her.
Rip her apart with my bare hands.
I lay on the ground, staring up at the sky, the metal clang of war at my doorstep. Unable to move or yell or do anything but stay here and wait.
How could I have been such a fool?
Her mouth had tasted of wine and warmth, something I hadn’t allowed myself since I’d returned from the Dryad Realm so long ago. For a moment, I believed there could be more between Deirdre and me than pain.
Then she’d poisoned me.
Gideon… I suspected as much from him, but what had he promised her in return? Anyone who saw her face would know who she was, and now with the rune on her arm, there was no escape for her. Not only would I be looking for her, but so would the Lich King, and we still didn't know what he wanted with her, but it wasn't good.
Even if he promised her a way to escape her fate, he’d never be able to fulfill that promise.
My arms tingled faintly, numbness slowly receding, but at too slow a rate.
Breathing in and out, the only thing I could do was wait.
I knew it wouldn't be long and as soon as it was gone, I was going in after them. I didn't care how much time had passed. I would find them both.
Gideon would suffer the most. I wouldn’t kill him outright, and his family would be exiled, all lands and titles removed. The entire line wiped out if I could.
And Deirdre…
