Chapter 21
Twenty-One
Avalon
Before
“Ihope the Goddess knows what she’s doing, because I’ll never give you up, Avalon Halhed.” Vox’s lips were so close to mine that I got lost in the declaration.
Something niggled in the back of my brain, an anxiety beating in my chest. Something was wrong, but it wasn’t Vox. I wholeheartedly agreed with his statement. He was mine, and I’d fight Fate itself to keep him.
I looked over at Lierick, who was frowning. “Do you feel it too?” he asked, and I nodded. Braxus whined loudly, which was all I needed to know.
We’d been here before.
“Get the book!” I told Lierick, and he sprinted out of the room.
“What’s happening?” Vox demanded, and Hayle sat up on the bed, frowning at Braxus and Alucius as they said… something to him.
“We’ve been here before. I’ve reset time. I don’t know why.”
Hayle shook his head. “The hounds don’t know either, but it was bad. That’s all they can tell me. Whatever happened was catastrophic, but they don’t know the details.”
Braxus whined again, and I squatted down in front of him. He licked at my face, and I scratched his ears. As Alucius paced, I reached out to stroke a reassuring hand down her coat. “It’ll be okay. We’ll fix it.”
Lierick reappeared in the room, holding the book. I felt Vox’s power settle over my skin, silencing this conversation from prying ears. Grabbing the book, I skimmed the pages as I read about my future. A future that would never come to pass now.
In its wake, there was only rage. “Fucking Eugene. He is a dead man.”
I passed the book to Hayle, and Vox read over his shoulder. By the end, his body was vibrating with anger.
“I should have gone further back,” I said to Lierick. “We could have stopped him from hearing the conversation at all. Maybe asked Hayle’s dad to take off the tal that prevented Vox’s soundproofing. So many better options.”
Hayle shook his head. “My father would never take his tals off in front of a Vylan. No offense.”
Vox raised an eyebrow. “Your father is a smart man. No offense taken.” He looked at me. “This was your anchor point. We’ll work with it.” He leaned forward and kissed me softly. “I don’t regret not losing this moment.”
I flushed pink. “Me either.”
Hayle cracked his knuckles. “Now that’s settled, I vote we find that slimy little fucker and make him talk. And then silence him forever.” Gone was my affable Soul Tie, and in his place was the Heir to the Third Line—the fierce warrior, bred for battle. Protective to an almost rabid level.
May the Goddess have mercy on Eugene’s soul, because Hayle Taeme certainly wouldn’t.
And neither would I.