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I bristled, but didn’t speak, both annoyed and curious as I felt his heart shift.

‘I see you, Voski. I see weakness and strength. I see power and vulnerability. I do not lie to myself—or to you—about who you are. And what I believe will happen is this: You will struggle at times. And perhaps make decisions you regret. But you have learned love.

‘Love feels weak, because it spurs us to offer our power to another, outside of ourselves. It feels fragile, because it allows us to be hurt. But there is power in it that exceeds any level of darkness.

‘When your mate consumes you, it isn’t the Cruors’ rites that call to your soul. It’s the Creator’s bond of love. She is the other half of your heart, and she fits with you. When you cling to each other, you are stronger. Harder to move. More difficult to destroy. That is not weakness.’

I swallowed as Kham filled my mind with images—Grace and me, standing, holding each other, our feet spread to brace while storm winds buffeted us. But we didn’t fall.

Grace and me, curled together in the dark, where the air was cold, but our skins warming each other, and the vapor of our breath removing the chill from each other’s noses.

Grace and me, aboard Kham and Koa, zipping through the sky at high speeds. There were others in pursuit, dark clouds with flashing lightning. But with four sets of eyes, four sharp minds, and four voices, we could warn each other of anything approaching from any direction. And so, we flew on, safe.

There was a pause then, as if Kham were reluctant to show me the next thing. And my chest went tight. But then the picture bloomed to life, and I swallowed a lump in my throat.

Grace and me, laying face to face on the bed, with a small, swaddled bundle between us. A tiny, pink, chubby face, with even tinier, perfectly formed fingers curling over the top of the swaddle. A small bundle of love—dependent, weak… utterly vulnerable without Grace and me.

And yet, that tiny heart felt no fear. It swam in love. It swelled with trust.

There was no darkness within it.

I sucked in a breath at that sight. ‘Was that… are you… Kham, what are you saying?’ The dragons used visuals and sensations to communicate, rather than language. They learned our language for us. But this imagery could be conjured from their own minds, or it could reflect memory, or it could be prophetic. The dragons sometimes heard the voice of God.

‘It is a picture of what your future could be, Voski,’ he said quietly. Warmly. ‘It is a picture of what waits for you on the other side of fear. It is love. And it is worth fighting for.’

My breath grew short and I swallowed again. ‘Do you know? Is Grace—’

‘Real love gives of itself. Which is why it feels weak,’ he said quietly. ‘But when two souls choose love, where one costs itself to offer what is needed, the other gives into that gap. And so, both receive what they need. And so, both are stronger than before, despite the giving.’

‘I understand. But the baby—’

‘Listen to me,’ Kham growled. I went still, then nodded. ‘Wherever you are uncertain, wherever you fear… choose to offer love. Even if it is received, but not returned, you have given light. You’ve walked in it. There is no shame in loving another who does not love you—that is the great deception. You are not lessened by offering yourself. In love, you learn and grow, and become stronger to meet the next purpose. It is only when your mind turns dark, and you set love aside to take for your own gain that the shadows grow stronger and begin to weaken you. Think on it. In selfish need, nothing exists but to take. In selfless giving, both hearts overflow to the other, both needs are met. You are twined together, and strengthened. Where one is weak, the other may be strong. Self-sacrifice is not weakness. It is the gateway to strength. You and Grace will be formidable if you remain in love.’

I wanted to groan. ‘But we fight Cruors, and they don’t love! They won’t make any choice, except for selfish gain!’

‘Which is precisely why bringing more darkness against them only increases their power of the dark. If you don’t wish to be consumed by what you hate, fight it with light, Voski. Fight selfish ambition with self-sacrifice. When you stand against what is wrong without fear, when you no longer believe they strip you of your will, they will lose all power over you. The Creator will make your love a shield.’

I frowned. ‘I’m not sure I understand—’

‘The Creator made you for power, Voski. The Cruors… your mother, they tried to take what was given to you with love, for your strength, and twist it into something perverted and dark. Don’t allow it. Take what you possess and use it only for good. Bring only light.’

‘No one can use the dark magik for good.’

‘Exactly.’

I gaped. ‘You want me to just let them attack while I leave myself—and her—undefended?’

‘I want you to see that the Creator’s light and selfless love are more powerful than their darkness. But you cannot do that while you insist on wielding their darkness in retribution.’

‘It’s not revenge! I’m desperate to keep us both alive!’ All I could see in my head when he said that was myself, curled around Grace, as we were pummeled with the weapons of my mother’s power. Tortured, killed… because I wouldn’t fight.

Kham growled. ‘That is not what I foresee.’

‘Then what—’

‘Sit with these thoughts. Sit with your fear and examine it alongside that. The sun is up. It’s time for me to return to my mate, and our rest. You and Grace will need much from each other, and the shadows will hover. I never deny that the darkness wants to hurt you, Voski. I’m only telling you, you cannot fight wrong with wrong.’

‘I know that, but—’