Veyka had carried many of them herself. She’d used her void power to bring the wounded to the healers, and eventually to help arrange the dead for burial. She moved between Annwyn and the human realm so often, I struggled to keep track of her.
But whenever I reached across the golden thread of our mating bond, I found it stronger than the day before. The darkness was not gone completely. It had been there before and would always linger. But the succubus was gone. We were far from whole; I could not even say that we were healing. It was too soon for that. But we were alive and we were together.
The last of the evening light was ebbing when Veyka took my hand.
We waited for the supper we’d shared with our Knights and other leaders in the command tent, still standing up on the hill, to be cleared away. But we did not wait for the others to leave before slipping out ourselves.
I did not ask after our destination. It didn’t matter. Wherever she led, I’d follow.
We walked in silence for a long time. Past the ravine with the rift to the human realm waiting at the bottom. It had been used so frequently over the last week that a path had worn away.
The goldstone palace stood in the distance, silhouetted against the gray sky. It had been cleared out and cleaned, refugee courtiers and servants alike working together to scrub away the stains left by the succubus’ occupation. Tomorrow, or the next day, we’d be able to take up residence again. Many of the courtiers already had, as well the survivors from the city below. Those that wanted to return to their homes were offered help rebuilding; those that were undecided given quarters in the palace.
The moon had just crested the tall, fronded trees when Veyka stopped in the middle of a clearing. The clearing where we’d first met, and she’d pretended not to be the queen of the whole Ancestors’-damned elemental kingdom. Where my beast had chased her down and then pleasured her with his tongue.
Would you like me to shift?I offered. I’d be happy to renew that happy occasion with a repeat performance.
Veyka elbowed me.I want to look up at the stars.
She settled down into the sand and wispy grass, lying flat onto her back. My cock hardened instantly.While I fuck you?
Veyka rolled her eyes and patted the ground beside her.
I laid down beside her, already planning how I would take her this time. She might deny it, but the ring of blue glowingaround her pupils told the truth. We both knew how this evening was going to end.
She reached for my hand, lacing our fingers together as she stared up at the sky. “Born under a double moon...”
She was looking at the stars, but I was looking at her. I waited for her to recite the rest of the prophecy, but she let it trail off without finishing, harassing her lower lip with her teeth instead.
“I need to go to Avalon,” she said quietly.
I rolled up onto my side. She had my full attention now. “Why?”
Her teeth paused their assault, allowing the corner of her mouth to twitch. “Do not worry. I don’t intend to harm my half-sister.”
“You’d be more than justified,” I said honestly. The Lady of the Lake may not have meant us harm, but she hadn’t offered aid either. She’d kept the magic of the Sacred Isle contained, leaving Annwyn and the human realm to our fates. If Veyka wanted to exact justice, I would be more than happy to watch.
Veyka’s fingers tightened around mine. “Cyara told me that it is Diana’s wish to remain in Avalon and continue her training as the Lady of the Lake’s apprentice.”
“She was the Lady of the Lake’s apprentice.” In some ways, it was the last piece of a puzzle slotting into place. Of course Gorlois had not stolen just any acolyte from Avalon, but one of the most powerful. It explained the depth of Diana’s devastation at what she’d lost—and Percival’s near-fanatical protection of her. Maybe some part of him had always hoped to return her to that lost path.
I heard the sand slide beneath Veyka’s head as she nodded.
“What do you intend to do?” I asked.
“I will tell Diana about Percival’s death,” Veyka said. I knew the sadness in her voice was not for Percival, a man she’d barely been able to stand in life. The sadness was for Diana—thesister left behind. And for herself. Because even after emerging victorious against the succubus, the inalterable truth remained. Arthur was still gone.
She cleared her throat, pushing down the emotion. There was something more there, I could sense. But I also knew that my mate would tell me when she was ready. There was no rush—not with a thousand years stretching out before us.
“Morgyn will find that I am not content to let her hide in Avalon any longer. She will keep Diana in Avalon and train her to become a priestess. If anyone has earned the right, it is Diana.”
The ferocity in her voice left no doubt in my mind. The Lady of the Lake was formidable. But Veyka Pendragon had looked into her own heart of darkness and emerged back into the light. Formidable was not even close to a sufficient description for my mate.
The stars brightened with each minute we lay in the silence of the clearing. The temperature dropped steadily as the minutes ticked by, but Veyka made no move to stand, and I was content to lay with her forever. Eventually I’d shift into my beast form and offer her his warmth.
There was one more place we must go after Avalon.
A single star fell across the sky, leaving a faint glittering tail in its wake.
