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She looked up at me earnestly. Her green eyes brighter than ever, her lips parted in anticipation of my response.

What had happened here didn’t matter. She was all that mattered. This beautiful woman and her strength. I had made a promise to her, and I was going to keep it.

“Together,” I whispered, bringing my forehead to hers.

She placed a kiss on my lips.

Yes, I reassured myself again. Whatever had happened here meant nothing, so long as she was by my side at the end.

It was quarter to midnight, and there was still no sign of Adrian.

I wanted to see him and wring his fucking neck, for a couple reasons. But right now, I was mostly pissed at him for hiding his magic from me.

More pissed at myself that I never realized he was hiding it.

And opening a portal to Ten . . . raising an army of beasts . . . Adrian would have no reason for doing such a thing. But Bryn had seen it herself. And described it in such a way that made me believe her.

My eyes searched for her in the crowd that had gathered outside the Dome. There were more people here than any council meeting to date. Each council member having at least ten of their strongest guards with them.

I grinned. They were all here for me.

The members were worried about what I’d do if Bryn survived her trials, only to re-emerge powerless. They knew it would take an army to take Bryn away from me.

But the council had stayed away from her so far, all of them huddled in their own groups with their guards. Those of them with powers, in tune enough to sense the change in her.

I could feel her aura before my eyes found her speaking to her father and his men. His most trusted guard, Logan, was standing by her side. Keeping watch.

Possessiveness curdled in my stomach like rotten milk as I watched him look at her, then check the perimeter around her.

I should be the one standing next to her.

That got my feet moving away from Sigrid and Cal, and toward her.

I reached their group and nodded to Callum, ignoring Logan, her father nodding back, offering a smile.

I would need to speak with him and Bryn’s mother sooner rather than later about my actions.

They both deserved to hear the truth after all these years.

Bryn smiled warily as she slipped her hand through mine.

I gave it an encouraging squeeze and leaned down to whisper in her ear. “I didn’t think it was possible for you to get any more gorgeous,” I murmured, releasing a hint of shadow so it curled against the stunning glow of her magic, “but you look absolutely enchanting tonight.”

A faint blush spread across her cheeks as I brushed a quick kiss against her lips.

With her hand in mine, I faced the crowd. “It’s almost midnight. Let us make our way inside.”

I looked for my guard that was usually stationed outside the entrance of the Dome, Charles’s bushy blond beard a beacon in the night, but he was nowhere to be found.

Instead, I nodded to one of my other guards, signaling for them to drop the Nullifiers.

Dutifully, the guard reached inside his pocket and removed a remote. With a quick press of a button, the discs lowered at a synchronized pace.

For the first time, we would be allowing everyone to keep their powers upon entering the meeting. It would be necessary for Bryn to display her own.

I caught her looking hesitantly at the discs on the ground and spoke so only she could hear as I guided her inside. “It will be a quick demonstration. Easy. I promise. We can work on mastering your craft later.” I tried to keep my tone neutral to help keep her calm, but I was fighting my own nerves, too.

She pushed her shoulders back and put on a brave face as we walked to the center of the room.