Chapter Fifty-Three
My head whipped around, and my eyes fell on Lynn. She shuffled towards me, pushing past everyone else, and dropped down next to me. “I have only my soul, and my wolf.” She refused to meet my eyes. She was fully focused on Hades. “Is that a fair enough trade?”
“Lynn.” I reached out to her. “Why?”
She turned and hushed me. Hades smirked. “Are you both willing?” He tilted his head. “I need to hear it from both of you.”
Lynn nodded. “I, Lynn Wetherstone, agree to the trade.” Megan whined, and it slipped from my lips.
Why is she giving up her life? Megan hovered at the edge of the trees, torn. I knew Nix, and she was feeding power to the tether, trying to keep it alive, but they were losing.
I don’t know. I answered my wolf inside my head.
Lynn’s eyes shifted to a burning copper, and her eyes turned to me. “I, Kona, agree to the trade.”
Another whimper broke free. “Kona…why?”
She smiled. “Lynn won’t say it, but I will.
” Kona turned to me and grabbed my free hand.
“Because she is broken. We are both broken. In a fundamental way that we are both sure will never fully heal.” Her eyes dimmed, and she allowed me to see inside her.
All the pain, the hollowness that she had been hiding.
My hand tightened in hers. “We could go on. We could try to live without that fundamental piece of ourselves. Or…” She leaned in to me and kissed my cheek. “We can do this.”
I watched her eyes change back to Lynn’s. “You said you were getting better.” I managed to get out. My heart broke even more. I cupped her face. “This is my fault. I should have saved you sooner.”
She shook her head as she smiled. “You did everything you could for me, Amy.” She leaned into my hand.
“You gave me space when I needed it, a safe space to process everything. And you listened.” She closed her eyes.
“But more importantly…” She sighed. “You gave me my revenge.” Her eyes snapped open.
“I’ve done everything I needed to do. Let me do this for you. ”
“I don’t want to lose you either.” I shook my head as I leaned my forehead against hers.
“You have to lose someone. You heard the man.” Hades chuckled softly. “A soul for a soul. My soul for Rowan’s and Kona’s for Erubus’s.” She turned to Selene. “Would that be a fair trade?” I felt hope bubble up, but I pushed it away. Either way I looked at this, I was losing someone I loved.
Selene looked at Hades. “It would be for me.”
Hades stared at Lynn for a moment then he turned his eyes back to me. “I will agree with a caveat.”
I felt my chest tighten. “What is the caveat?”
Hades stared at me for a minute. “There will come a day that I will come to you both with a proposition. And you cannot turn it down.” His eyes bore into me.
I opened my mouth, but he held up his hand.
“You can’t ask questions, and you can’t say yes now, and then change your mind later.
You have to swear today that you will say yes.
” I felt fear grip me. “I can promise you it will not cause harm to anyone. And it will be within your power.”
I stared at him for a second. “Will he be whole?” I was terrified I would sacrifice one for someone broken.
“What do you mean?” Hades lifted his eyebrow.
“Will Rowan be whole? Exactly the same as he was before he died. Nothing broken inside of him, no fresh horror waiting to shatter his mind. Whole, healthy, and safe.” I sounded panicked, and I was. Lynn gripped my hand trying to calm me down.
Hades nodded. “Your mate will be complete and unharmed. He will remember everything except his time in the Underworld.” He held out his hand. “Do you agree?”
I turned to Lynn. “I can’t ask this of you.” I bit my lip so hard I drew blood.
“And you aren’t.” She pulled me into her arms. “I offered.” She pulled away to look at my face.
“As a Gamma, my job is to protect my Luna.” She turned to my mother and nodded.
“I did everything I could to protect her, and it cost me my soul.” My mother rocked back as if she had been hit.
Lynn smiled sadly as she turned back to me.
“I don’t regret it.” She reached to rub the tears from my face.
“But if I can give the rest of my life to protect my Queen…I would do that in a heartbeat.”
I hiccuped as I cried. “But I’m not in danger.”
Lynn leaned in. “But you are.” She cupped my face.
“The Amy I know is so full of love and life that she would do anything for anyone. You gave everything you had for werewolf kind. Who you are now…after Rowan died, this isn’t you.
” She kissed my forehead. “I know your family and your friends will agree. Rowan has become your heart, and without your heart…you aren’t you.
” Lynn sat back on her heels. “I refuse to allow you to live like this. Not when I can save you.” She grabbed my hand and pushed it into the god’s waiting palm. “She agrees.” Lynn nodded.
Hades turned to me. “You have to say it.”
I felt my lips tremble as I tried to say the words, but nothing came out. I coughed to clear my throat. I searched Lynn’s face, but there was nothing. No worry, no shame, nothing but acceptance and love. “I…I agree.”
I felt the agreement ripple down my arm, through my chest, and settle low in my stomach. Hades nodded once before he dropped my hand. “Say your goodbyes.” He looked down at Lynn. “I’ll give you two minutes.”
Lynn smiled as she stood. She turned and walked to my parents. She murmured to them, and both of them started to cry. I stood on shaking legs and turned to Hades. “Why do I feel you agreed way easier than you normally do?”
He smiled. “Because you are right. Normally, I wouldn’t agree to a swap.
But everyone has a weakness…and family is mine.
” He walked over to me and clapped me on the back.
“Eventually you will understand. But today is not that day.” He nudged me and then turned away.
He walked over to Gaia and the other gods.
Hecate waved her hand, and a familiar sound barrier snapped into place so the gods could talk freely. I felt a burning at the base of my skull as I watched them all turn to look at me.
“Well, everyone knows who they are talking about.” Toya walked over to me and slid her arm around me. I snorted as I leaned against her. “I won’t ask you how you are doing…I feel it.”
I looked at her, and she smiled as I felt another arm slide around me. “Our wolves are sisters, Amy.” Wendy’s voice was sad, but she was trying to hide it. “We can feel your pain down the bond.”
Toya nodded. “I’ve gotten a million texts from Hanna and Micca screaming at me to tell them what’s going on.”
Wendy nodded. She pulled out her phone to show the notifications. “Neither of us felt right explaining it all to them without knowing how it was all going to end.”
Toya leaned her head against me. “Once Rowan is back, and you have had time to enjoy that…we know you are going to crash out about Cass, that’s when we will make sure everyone is here.”
Cass.
I had forgotten about her when Rowan dropped. I felt guilt hit me as I turned to see Greyson still on his knees. The horror etched on his face broke my heart. He lost a pup and his mate. I knew the pain. I squeezed both of my friends before I stepped over to Greyson. “Hey.”
He slowly turned to me, and there was no recollection there.
He was gone, and I didn’t know if there was going to be a way for him to come back.
“I’ll take him.” Uncle Ronnie’s voice came from behind me.
I turned to give him room. “I’ll take him to Alannah and the twins.
” I frowned, and his lips turned up. “He has been helping her since she came with the babies.” He looked back at Aurora.
“Cass…Aurora had been jealous, but he kept showing up.” He shrugged.
“Plus, she might understand what he’s going through. ” I nodded once.
“Time’s up.” Hades called. Lynn walked back to me and pulled me into a hug.
“Never question my choice.” She whispered in my ear. “This is my decision, and I made it for myself.” I nodded against her. “Thank you for being my friend.”
A fresh wave of tears started. “Thank you for giving your life for my family.” I pulled back, and she gave me the most dazzling smile that brought me back to the first day of training.
She was always so strong, so bright, and full of energy.
I knew the last few years had broken something inside of her.
But now I was seeing her whole again, and I knew she was at peace with her choice.
“May your afterlife be peaceful and free of hard-times.”
Hades’ hand landed on her shoulder. “For her sacrifice, she will live peacefully in Elysium.” She squeezed my hand once more before she turned. “Are you ready?”
She nodded. “I am.”
They walked back over to Rowan, and I followed. Each step made me feel physically sick. Hope and pain warred in my chest as I dropped down next to my now-cold mate. His skin had taken on a pale hue that was completely unnatural. I threaded my fingers through his.
Selene walked over, leaned down and kissed my head, then moved to Rowan’s feet.
Hades winked as he stepped up to Rowan’s head.
“Sit next to him and hold his hand.” Hades instructed, and Lynn dropped across from me.
One by one, the other gods took positions around the three of us.
Hades held out his hand to Uranus, and the god lifted his brow.
Hades just laughed. “We have to create a chain, Ura. Either hold my hand or go home.” Uranus looked down at me for a second, and then he lifted his hand and grabbed Hades.
“I’m only doing this for you, godling.” I smiled and nodded.
“Thank you.” I looked at everyone. Hades, Uranus, Hecate, Selene, Gaia and then landing on Pontus. “All of you. Thank you.”
Hades snorted. “Rowan Lukos, I call to you. Come to me.”
Selene looked up at the sky. “Erubus, I call to you. Come to me.”