‘Brynn?’
Kaelric’s voice was filled with alarm. I braced against the stone and let my breath settle enough to answer.
‘I’m sorry.’
There was a pause before he spoke again.‘What? You’re too far. I can’t… where are you?’
‘I’m at Steel Mountain.’
‘Steel Mountain? Why?’There was disbelief in his voice.
‘When the Creator let me come back to you, he did so with a request.’
‘What request?’he growled.
I placed a hand on Val’s hilt.‘That I help your mother end magic, no matter the cost.’
‘End magic? No.’The word wasn’t said with anger. It was a realization breaking open.‘Brynn, wait. I’m coming to you. Just tell me where?—’
‘You won’t reach me in time.’
The bond went as tight as a pulled bowstring. His next breath shuddered through both our chests. A heartbeat of silence passed while wind scraped along the stones around me, rushing into the cave.
‘I forbid you, Brynn, and this time I am your alpha, and I can control you if I wish.’His voice was low, roughened from sleep and fear for my safety.‘I just got you. I’m not letting you go.’
Shock ripped through me at that. He wouldn’t dare.
‘He would if he thought it would keep you safe,’Val told me.‘But I can shield you from his power.’
I could never ask a mother to go against her son like that.
‘Kaelric, the Elites have taken magic too far. They got drunk on the power. We have to end it. I promised.’You didn’t break a promise to the Creator of all that was.
‘I don’t care!’He was frantic, breathless.‘It sounds dangerous. I won’t allow it. Just wait for me. I’m coming.’
My grip tightened.‘You can’t stop me.’
That stopped him. I felt it, the hit, the truth of it, the way our bond shook. I felt his power slide over me, but it didn’t stick. Valkaryn was stronger.
‘Brynn.’He said my name like he was in agony.‘Come back down. We’ll find another way.’
‘There isn’t one.’
Another long breath, slow and broken at the edges.‘At least wait for me. Don’t go into that mountain alone.’
Something in me lurched hard at that, but I forced it still.‘I have your mother. I’ve never been alone.’
The bond strained again, harder this time, like he was trying to push through it with his whole body.
‘I can’t lose you to this.’
‘You won’t.’That was a lie. I had no idea the cost of what I was about to do. To rip magic from the entire world? I might explode this entire mountain for all I knew. But I trusted the Creator, and I would not go back on my word.
He hadn’tcommandedme to do it. He’dasked. Like a father would ask a child for a favor. I didn’t want to let him down.
‘Brynn.’His plea was wordless this time. Our bond filled with so much love and adoration that I was overflowing.
‘Tell him I love him,’Valkaryn said.‘And that I won’t let you die. That he will see you go gray in your older years.’
