“Oh, shit! That's right. The Dwarves made Gleipnir. If anyone can open it without a key, they can.”
“Yup.”
“But we don't need to take that chance. I can get the key when she goes to sleep. Then I'll set you free.”
“We should risk it. She's gone to get Freya's cloak. We have to stop her.”
“We can't. She probably has it already.”
“And what is she going to do with me when she gets back? You heard her. I'm not just here to stabilize the machine. She wants to study me.”
“No, she wanted to study your effect on the machine, and she's done that.”
“Has she? All she did was determine that I can stabilize it.”
Ty frowned and looked toward the door. He knew as well as I that Agwusi would be back at any moment. As he considered things, I considered him. This was the perfect opportunity to keep my promise to Trevor. I didn't want to do that to Ty, but what was the alternative?
I could see it play out in my mind. If I asked Ty if he wanted to stop loving Agwusi, he'd say no. He'd say no because that's what anyone would say when in love. The only exception being a brokenhearted one. When the person you loved didn't love you back, all you wanted was to be rid of it. But that wasn't the case with Agwusi and Ty. He wouldn't give her up. Not Ty. He would fight for their love even if it meant fighting his own family. I knew that because Ty was a lot like Trevor, and that's the way Trevor loved me.
And I had made Trevor a promise.
Watching Ty out of the corner of my eye, I reached for the Love Magic inside me. It came to my call in a whirlwind of butterflies. I felt their wings flapping in my chest, but instead of summoning the blissful warmth of true love, their passage left me cold. Love Magic has many aspects and many ways to use them. Love giveth and Love taketh away.
The butterflies shivered out of me and slipped into Ty. He didn't even notice. They were little insect ninjas, flying through him unknown until they found what they were after. I knew the instant they connected with his love. The hungry cold inside me warmed. It fed on Ty's love, draining him like a vampire. But love is not finite. As I pulled it from him, the potential for new love took its place. I wasn't taking everything, just the love he had for Agwusi.
Even as the warmth made me sigh in relief, I knew it wasn't me who fed on love. I had more love than anyone deserved. I didn't need Ty's. But I had commanded my magic to take it, and it did. My Love Magic stole every ounce of love he had for her and purified it to fuel itself. I gasped along with Ty as Love consumed love. Suddenly, power surged through my veins. I felt refreshed and invigorated. It was a high unlike anything I'dfelt before. This was what had tempted Aphrodite into becoming the cruel goddess she'd been when I met her. The power was addictive. But I saw deeper than it. This power was intended to foster and protect love. It didn’t destroy Ty’s love, but instead transmuted it so that I could pass it to the next person I blessed.
A sigh brought my head around. Ty was staring forward, his shoulders loose and expression relieved. But as I watched, he frowned. His hands clenched into fists.
“Ty?” I whispered.
His blue eyes shot my way. “Agwusi is putting the entire world in jeopardy. She tricked me into coming here. She made me believe in what she was doing, but it was all a lie. I was a fool to listen to her.” He shot to his feet. “I need to get you out of here.”
A sound came from the corridor, followed by, “I'm back!”
Ty spun into a fighting stance, facing the door.
“Ty!” I hissed.
“Shh, V.”
“Oh, no,” I whispered.
Agwusi sashayed into the room wearing a glorious cloak of golden-brown feathers. She was delighted, smug, and completely unprepared for Ty's change of heart. He punched her. Right in the face. And she crumpled. Even after she fell to the floor, he continued to punch her until her bones broke and buckled inward.
“Ty!” I screamed. “Stop! Oh, fuck! Ty!”
Searching her body, he said, “I needed to make sure she wouldn't get up immediately. She'll be fine, V. Although I should kill her. It would end our problem.”
“No, it wouldn't, and I have a better idea. Find the key, and we can transfer the chains to her. We'll force her to tell us how to dismantle the machine.”
Ty grunted and then opened his hand. In it was a golden key. He stood up and hurried over to me. Crouching beside me, he unlocked Gleipnir.
“Oh, my goodness.” I moaned in relief. “I forgot how uncomfortable these chains were.”
“You've worn them before?” Ty picked up the chains and fastened the manacles on Agwusi's wrists.
“Freyr used them on me once.”
