He didn’t move, didn’t blink.
Fear taking hold, Darci slipped her hand into his bloodied one and struggled to keep her tone calm. “It’s me,” she said quietly, stroking his palm with her thumb. “It’s okay—it’s all over.”
Three, painful heartbeats later, he blinked. A harsh exhale escaped him, and his warm fingers tightened around hers, awareness bleeding back into those wild blue eyes. Even though he didn’t speak, the chill inside her eased.
“At least that’s concluded,” Nora remarked from behind her.
Darci didn’t want to let go of him, but she had to speak to Nora. There were no words for what she’d done.
She pivoted and threw her arms around her friend, grimacing at the twinge in her ribs as she hugged her. “Thank you,” she whispered, her throat thick with tears and gratitude. “For everything…”
Nora squeezed her gently as if aware of her injury. “It wasn’t much, but I’m glad I was able to help.”
There were so many things she wanted to say to Nora, but right now, she just wanted to leave this horrible place and put their lives back together again. “I’ll call you, okay?”
“No…” Nora sighed, blowing her green-streaked, black bangs away from her eyes. “It won’t be possible. I’ve been called back home to Stygia. I’ve tarried far too long in your world. My sire requests my presence. He’s probably furious that I slayed his heir, and my punishment awaits.”
Her father would seek retribution because she killed a monstrous demon? “Tell him what he was. What he did!”
“I think he knows.”
Then it struck her. Nora’s sire was the Sin of Envy. Oh, crap!
Darci tried to be positive. “Maybe he wants to makeyouhis heir.”
A faint smile tipped Nora’s mouth. “It’s better than dying, I suppose, but then I would not be able to visit this world as often as I’d like. Besides, females do not inherit such vast capabilities as to become the Sin of Envy. But, whatever awaits me, just know I’m glad we are okay—”
“Wait, I wanted to invite you to our wedding.”
A tinge of regret darkened her brown eyes. “I cannot.”
“It’s not in a church but at the castle,” Darci protested.
Nora shook her head, her gaze shifting to Blaéz, who remained silent then back to Darci again. “Thank you, but I cannot enter there either. It’s just how things are. Besides, Maloch complained about it enough times when he tried tracking your mate over the centuries.” Then she smiled. “My felicitations on your upcoming nuptials. I only wish you happiness, my dear friend. Until we meet again…” She squeezed both Darci’s hands, and in a swirl of green mist, she vanished.
Darci stared at the empty spot where Nora had been, wishing things were different, but Nora was right. With immortals, there were laws binding them, laws none could evade.
Slowly, she turned to Blaéz and realized that they were alone in the dim basement. The other Guardians had left. When, she had no idea.
“Blaéz—”
He shook his head, his jaw tight. “Later. I just want to get out of this godsdamn place.”
