The fingers hold tighter. He can’t let go—everything is working against us. Fate, love, magic—everything is telling us what to do. I have to kill him to release him from Aoife’s control.
My blood will not save him. But my love will.
Tears leak from my eyes as my face reddens. I can barely see, my lungs screaming for precious air. I mouth ‘I love you’ on silent words and hold up a shaking hand. Kaden exhales, closing his eyes.
My beautiful fingers sway and move, practiced techniques that used to scare me. Not any longer. This is me—what I am. A blood witch who loved a cursed Dark Fae, an enemy for so long. And now, I’m choosing him over the world.
If I kill him, I die with him.
“Where one goes,” he says, voice cracking.
The other follows.
It’s effortless to find his heart, to see it in my mind. Aoife never gave him the potion—either she was too confident I wouldn’t be able to kill him, thought the bond prevented it, or she needed a way to kill him, I don’t know. But her mistake is my way in.
With a flip of my fingers, the heart combusts and Kaden’s eyes wide. No pain escapes his lips, but his hand drops from my neck.
I cough and cry, falling to my side as an unimaginable pain sweeps through my chest. Sharp, invading, it’s a dagger that saws deep.My heart.It’s dying without him—because I killed his, and this is the pain of a broken bond.
Kaden drops next to me, eyes cold. Fresh sobs leave from my lips,my chest heaving. Air is pointless, life is bland. Nothing matters without him.
I taste copper on my tongue and everything starts to shake.Shock. I’m going into shock.
I’m dying along with him.
The Hadeon appears over me, three faces, all sad looking down at me. One licks my cheek, the other nuzzles me, while the third sighs. I try to smile, to reassure him. I chose this. I would rather die with my mate than to live on. I saved him—I chose him over the world.
I only hope the world will survive without us.
There’s a bright glow as my vision blurs, fading away. A searing heat spreads over my body. I assume death would be cold, but this is a soothing heat. One of calm and love and I slowly drift away, knowing that where I go, Kaden will be waiting for me.
“Love, open your eyes.”
Inhaling, I cough, neck sore and mouth dry. Blinking, I glance up into the warm eyes of my husband, his rough palm, full of scars caressing my cheek. Behind him, the golden walls of Aoife’s room shine in the darkness.
We’re still here. Still night. How?
“What happened?”
He helps me into a sitting position, and my head spins. My throat is on fire and everything tilts, but I concentrate on Kaden’s lips. On the feel of him. His heat warming my side. My Kaden. He’s here—alive.
Gently, he inspects my neck, eyes darkening. I don’t know what he sees, but it’s murderous.
“How are we alive?”
He lifts my chin, turning my head to the side. There lies the body of the Hadeon. All eyes are closed, faces serene. No breath stirs his chest.
“No.”
Crawling to his side, I touch his stiff bristle fur, praying for a heartbeat. Nothing is there. He doesn’t move, just lies as if asleep.
A cry falls from my lips and I drop my head to his chest. “I don’t understand.”
“Hadeon are gifts fromSeti,” Kaden explains quietly. His hands rub my arms, chest at my back to provide comfort, a hand on the protector’s neck. “They’re sent to protect those who are worthy.Setimust have sent him for this purpose.”
“He gave his life for us.”
“For you,” he agrees. “And when you were brought back, so was I.”
