“Do what?”
Archer stepped closer.“I didn’t get to that part yet.”He took Lyra’s hand, twining their fingers as he had whenthey’dgone up the stairs to Silva’s.“I want to do the Cobra with you.”
Lyra’s heart jumped.“Butit’snot stable.You could be overwhelmed.Youwillbe overwhelmed.”
“I can handle it.If you can.”
Kye looked at Lyra.“There won’t be any risk for you.”
“I’m not worried about me.”Lyra turned to Archer.“Look what happened to Jeremy.”
“That was different,”Kye said, her expression shadowing at the mention of him.“What messed him up was the memories returning.How bad it will be for Archer, wewon’tknow.”
Seeing Lyra’s tense expression, he brushed her hair back from her face in a tender gesture.“Don’tworry about me.You can be myguardianDragon.”
Kye said,“The only side effect for you, Lyra, might be that what you feel for him, the bond between you, will be forged in steel so strong that you may never be able to walk away from him.”
Archer looked serious.“In other words, you may be stuck with me.”
“And he will, in effect, be stuck with you.Bonded the same way.The Cobra inures Archer against your feelings.He’llstill feelthembut theywon’tbe painful.It will allow him to feel desire for you as well as your desire for him.”
Lyra arched one eyebrow.“Only me?”
Kye grinned.“Let’s just say that you’ll never have to worry about him cheating.”
“That won’t be an issue anyway,”he said, rubbing the back of Lyra’s neck.
“And to be clear,”Lyra said.“Cheatingwouldn’t have even entered my mind.”
Kye met Lyra’s gaze.“It’sa big decision.Youdon’thave to decide now?—”
“Yes.”Lyra leaned into his touch.“I want to do it.How does this work?”
“First, I stand between you.”Kye took each of their hands, becoming a link between them.“Lyra, you must give me some of your Dragon power.It’slikean Essex.Archer, you, too, must offeryour power to me.I combine them, then send the mixed essence back to each of you.Like a blood transfusion.You’llhave some of his essence, Lyra, andhe’llhavesome of yours.That’swhat enables him to tolerateyouremotions.And you…you’lllikely feela bond so powerful, no other man will be enough for you.”
Lyra shrugged.“That’salready the case.Until I met Archer, I never felt anything real.”
She glanced at him, smiled, then looked back at Kye.“Can it everbe broken?I mean, Idon’tthinkwe’llever want to break it, but could…well, could someone else break it?Just to be horrible?”
Kye nodded.“There might be a Crescent so jealous thatthey’dtry, but no, no one can break the bond.Not even you.The only way it breaks is if one ofyou shoulddie.You’ll…survive.”
Lyra frowned.“Why did you say it like that?”
“It’snot been tested, but I imagine that once you are so bound together, the surviving person will be shattered, empty…in a way much deeper than normal grief.It will be up to you to pull yourself together and find joy in whatever way you can.In new ways.ButI’mnot sureyou’llever want to fall in love again.”
Lyra and Archer traded a glance.
He said, “Another risk I’m willing to take.”
“Me, too.”
“Okay then.Ifyou’reabsolutely, one-hundred-percentbecause-you-can’t-go-back sure.”
“We are,” they both said in unison.
Kye took them both inwith a grin.“Let’sdo this.Relax, close your eyes.You’llfeel pressure as your power leaves.You must release it without fear.”
Lyra closed her eyes.Her Dragon tingled withtrepidation.Do this for me,please.She felt part of her essencepullaway, leaving behind a void in her soul.Kye’s hand heatedinher own, and she tightened her grip.Something punched her in the stomach, a force of heat and electricity and—her eyes welled up—Archer.She felt his beautiful energy intertwined withhersthe way their hands had been just minutes ago.Felt what he felt for her, too, such affection and, dare she think, love?
