Epilogue
Dear Arwen,
You are not one of them.
I’m sure you’ve realized that by now.
By tomorrow morning, you may hate me for what I’ve done. Perhaps you’ll hate me for a very long time. But I need you to know that I have always had your best interests at heart, even when protecting you meant making choices that could destroy what exists between us.
Things are more dangerous than you know. I wish I could explain everything to you. I truly do. But for now, I can only explain what I’ve done and why.
Tomorrow, the Dean and the Council will learn the truth about your bonds to Maddox, Atticus, Maylo, and Alexi. I imagine that is a shock to hear, and I know it will leave you with more questions than answers.
Councilor Willshire has been assuring the entire Council that you will never have ties to Pride.
But now, the revelation of your bonded status with Atticus is imminent, and there is nothing I can do to stop it now.
That alone will have consequences. Two Council heirs bonded to the same woman will immediately draw the full Council’s attention, and they will see the shift in influence as a threat.
Even if your own Councilor stands with you, along with Gluttony and Pride, you would still be viewed as an enemy by more than half of the Council.
I do not want you to become the target of assassination attempts, political maneuvering, or campaigns designed to turn the factions against you before you have even had the chance to understand what is happening.
That is why I made the decision I did.
By revealing your bonds to Lust and Envy as well, your influence will be distributed across the Council rather than concentrated between two factions.
With Greed already in such a precarious position, this gives the Councilors more reason to view you as a potential ally rather than an immediate threat.
It does not guarantee your safety. And it certainly does not mean they won’t try to use you for their own purposes.
But it’s safer than being a target.
There is one more thing I must ask of you… please continue to keep our bond a secret.
I know I have given you very little reason to trust me, and I know asking you for this after everything I have done may feel like an impossible request. But I am not asking this for my own ends.
I need to remain in a position where I can protect you. If our bond is revealed, I lose that position. I could be removed from the academy entirely, and Sloth has very little influence with the Council now.
If they know about us, I will not have the influence necessary to help you when you need it most.
I already know you will be furious with me for making these decisions without giving you a say. You should be.
I wish circumstances had allowed me to tell you everything before making decisions that affect your future. But I didn’t have that luxury, and neither did you.
Perhaps in time you will understand why I did what I did. Perhaps you will even forgive me.
I promise you that one day I will explain everything.
It’s all for you.
My heart,
Nikolai Gabriel