Niko comes to this realization at the same time I do. Finnick flies to his side, landing on his brother’s shoulder, the normal, carefree joking demeanor replaced with the valiant warrior he’s trained to be. Finnick is small, but weak and defenseless he’s not.
The celebration shatters in an instant, replaced by a thick, choking tension that settles over us like a storm cloud. Fear lingers in every breath, every glance. Once again, Evangeline is being dragged into a war she never asked to fight.
It kills me that their bonding ceremony was cut short—that their moment was stolen—but there’s no time to grieve it. She’s not safe here anymore and needs to be moved so she’s not hurt.
My mind shifts into war mode, sharp and unrelenting. Only two things matter now:
Protect those I love.
Defend our kingdom.
“The dragons wouldn’t be patrolling tonight, would they?” Niko asks, his voice clipped and serious.
“They should have spotted the Nephilim if they were.” That’s not to say they aren’t. Nephilim are known to slip through defenses, even with their large size. Sneaky, vile creatures.
“Of fucking course,” he mumbles under his breath. He looks over at his mother and Finnick before stopping to stare at Evangeline. Pain and anger warp his features, and I know what he’s going to say before he says it. “Perhaps it’s time to get people out to safety.”
We’ve discussed this. Many times. Moving our people out of the kingdom. If we did that, our land would be completely lost to us. It would stop death for a while, but these lands are enriched with fae magic. Over time, we would weaken and potentially lose our access to magic. That’s only if we couldn’t reclaim our lands from the Nephilim.
It’s the absolute last option because, not only are we risking ourselves—we are the last line of defense for Pixie Cove.
“Not yet,” I urge, knowing it has been a contention between us. I understand Niko’s need for safety—I want it just as much—but abandoning our land will only set us back. We still have time, and with Evangeline here?—
I clamp down on that line of thought. No, she can’t get involved. Not yet. She’s too valuable to us, and risking her safety would put us all in more danger.
“We need to get Evangeline out of here,” I demand.
“What?” The shock on her face gives me pause. A fierce determination I haven’t seen radiates off her. “No, I need to stay with you both. The Guardian brought me here for a reason. I’m not just going to run and hide.”
“You mean nothing to us dead,” I hiss, earning a growl from Niko.
“Watch yourself, mate,” he seethes.
But that’s exactly what I’m doing, even if he’s so highon his new mating bond, he can’t see it. “Evangeline will only hinder us. She’s mortal, with a very mortal body. You’ve seen what Nephilim have done to trained fae guards.”
The heat in Niko’s eyes dims, but his posture is still rigid. He wants to argue with me, but he also knows I’m right. She may be the key to winning this war, but we haven’t figured out how. Her body is fragile, and exposing her to this will only distract him. Hell, it’s going to distract me. Both Niko and I will concentrate better if we aren’t worried about Evangeline.
“Zephyr,” a soft feminine voice pulls my attention away from Niko. Evangeline stands before me. She moved as silently as a shadow, looking up at me with gorgeous honey-brown eyes. Her thick lashes give her a doe-eyed look, a picture of innocence.
An innocence that will, regrettably, be stomped out of her soon enough.
She reaches out a hand, placing it on the side of my face. My body tenses, heating at the touch. I can’t see Niko, but I feel his gaze on us. “Zephyr, I will be okay. Let me help. I don’t have to be in the fight, but don’t send me away either.”
“It’s too dangerous.” My voice is rough, even to my own ears.
“Maybe.” She shrugs. “But I’ve spent too long dreaming about the world not to defend the one I’m given. Let me help.”
My resolve is quickly crumbling. Something has changed within her, at such an inopportune moment. Damn her. And damn Niko just because. “Fine,” I gritbetween my teeth. “But you have to remain with someone at all times.”
“She can remain with us,” Lady Thalia says. “Finnick and I will protect her.”
Finnick puffs out his chest. She is in capable hands with them, but I still don’t have to like it.
“Take her to the infirmary,” Niko speaks up on my behalf. “Someone needs to make sure the sick and weak are taken care of. I entrust their safety to you.”
“You better hurry, then,” Lady Thalia says just as the screams get louder. Now it’s not only Nephilim, but blood-curdling screams of fear and pain.
Niko wastes no time scooping Evangeline up and kissing her within an inch of her life. I try to look away, but I’m drawn to them like a moth to a flame. They break apart, their chests rising and falling with a mixture of need and adrenaline. “Stay safe.”
