He stands slowly, as if he’s not used to the movement, glidingaround the table and chairs. His clothes are ratty, dirty, and there’s a smudge on his cheek.
Stopping short of me, his hands clench and unclench as if he wants to hold something. I blink, brows furrowed as the silence pulls on us all.
Finally, he sighs. “You look just like your mother.”
Startled, I step away, mouth dropping. “You knew my mother?”
The entire room holds it breath, the atmosphere stilling. Something is coming, a wave of reckoning and I’m not sure what.
My fingers darken, my magic rising as I clasp the cloak at my neck. His eyes fall to them and he smiles sadly.
“Her fingers used to do that too when she was feeling a big emotion. Usually anger. Usually at me.” He swallows, gathering courage. “You probably don’t remember me, Maximillia, but I remember you.” There’s a pause and I wait, feet shifting, as he seems to find the words.
“I’m Baris. Your father.”
My knees buckle, a sharp memory striking me at the name. The smell of sandalwood and soap. A gentle hug. Sure hands holding mine in a foggy forest. But the face is still blank.
Kaden moves so quickly, his hands catching me as I go, Baris grabbing my palms.
“My father?” My words crack. “That’s impossible. You’redead.”
But as I say it, I see the resemblance. The same nose, the same hair, the same pointed chin.
On Cella and Ger’s brow, my father is alive.
“I want to explain everything to you,” he whispers, eyes pleading. “Everything, Max. But your mate is fighting a battle for his soul and if we don’t do something, he’ll be lost. And he can’t be. Not yet.”
I look up at Kaden, and it breaks my heart to see him changed.Because of me.
Everything else can wait. Kaden matters more than the past. “What do we need to do?”
“Solidify the bond.” He waves his hand at the space betweenus. “Being claimed by a Dark Fae combines two souls into one. Not too different than a Heartbond, though the effects are much more extreme.”
I snort. “You mean how if he dies, I do, and vice versa?”
“Among other things. Have you experienced the soul connection?” At my confused look, he nods. “It’s there. The merging of your essences. A way to tap into the other—feel them, assess them, draw on their strengths. In your case, maybe use their magic. If we can solidify the bond, complete it, Kaden might be able to access your strength. Use it to fight back the curse. Cage it again.”
“For how long?” I bite my lip, running my hand over Kaden’s fuzzy cheek. “Will it last forever?”
“No.” He sighs. “It’s only a temporary hold. At least until we find the general and work with Kaden for control again. Until then, he’ll have to rely on you. You will have to help him keep his beast in check.”
There’s a pause, heavy, as the implication hangs around us. It’s still my choice. Still my responsibility.
It’s an easy choice. Kaden chose me. So, I’ll choose him.
“What do we do?”
Baris shrugs limply. “We marry you.”
Chapter
Thirty-Six
MAX
As a child, I would read late at night when the village would sleep, and fantasize about the hero who would love me, save me and accept me for what I was. He would be brave and loyal, and wouldn’t fear me. As I grew older, those dreams morphed into cold realities. Most people did not want to be around someone they considered evil.
I never thought of marriage or a wedding the older I got. They became old secrets, buried within my mind, long forgotten.
