Chapter 24
The soldiers fidgeted near the doorway, buckets of water ready and waiting at their feet. It was one thing to throw water over the mate-intended of their king, and another thing entirely to throw water over the new queen.
They hadn’t needed to do so yet. I’d slept most of the afternoon away in the war room, and exhaustion hadn’t tried to drag me under so far. My body was free of chains too. How nice of Tyran.
Yells broke out down the hall. I lifted my head.
The soldiers exchanged a glance, and one slipped from the chamber.
My stomach churned as my magic picked up another presence. I cleared my throat and shifted to distract the remaining soldier and didn’t react when Raes slipped into the room.
The soldier whirled, then choked as Raes drove a sword between the scales of his neck. My brother-in-law grunted as he followed the soldier to the ground and sawed through neck muscle and bone to complete the job.
Magic could only take a purple so far against a stronger red.
Footsteps.
Raes whirled into the shadows behind the door.
The second soldier entered. “Just two drunk yellows fucking.”
He stared at his beheaded colleague, then Raes was on him. This time he angled a sword under the soldier’s ribs. Raes unsheathed a short sword in a ring of metal and drove it into the soldier’s mouth when he made to yell.
The soldier collapsed to the ground, grievously injured but not dead.
Raes cast me a furious look, and I didn’t speak. Not when success was so close.
I opened a portal to the outskirts of the realm. I whispered, “Can you portal back?”
He nodded. “I’ll kill the second.”
I had no doubts on that front. Raes had as much reason to hide our actions as I did.
“I won’t do this again,” he said in a tight voice. “Just this single time, so you’ll help her.”
Raes was loyal, and in the pursuit of that trust with me, he’d made himself vulnerable. I could expose his actions to Gratia or to the king. Especially now he’d killed the two soldiers. I hadn’t wanted to use him in this way, but I was desperate to see Carmine in a dream.
Probably the line spoken by every betrayer in history.
“I hope there will be no need,” I replied. “But if there is, then you can be assured that it will happen again. Go now.”
Raes dragged the soldiers through, and I closed the portal, then removed all traces of him from the room. The soldiers’ blood could remain.
I retreated to a corner of the room, sank down the wall, and closed my eyes.
My mating bond to Carmine shone around my heart, and I wasted no time walking across our bond toward him. My awareness of this room of chains and the soldiers’ blood grew fainter as the beauty of my mating replaced all terror and pain with tranquility and certainty of a loving future.
I walked in the harmony of my mating bond and forgot my troubles. Until I woke in a bed.
Rolling, I stared at the ceiling, then at the artwork on the wall above the bed. I turned to look up into Carmine’s gray eyes.
How did you get here? His voice echoed in my mind.
Tears gathered in my eyes. Called in a favor. I’m so relieved to see you.
And to still be me while seeing him.
Carmine pressed his forehead to mine. I was scared.
Past tense? That’s brave. I’m still scared.
I know, enamai. Why did he crown you queen without forcing his power inside you?
I pulled away to look into his eyes. I was hoping you’d know why.
Carmine shook his head. He no longer speaks with me. He fears our dreams.
As he should. I’m lost.
Not lost, Carmine replied in my mind. You don’t know Tyran’s plans, but you know your own. We need to complete the last ritual.
I nearly laughed. He’ll never agree to that.
He will if there’s incentive.
I searched Carmine’s gaze. I used Tiers last time. He won’t fall for that again. Any ideas?
We’d been careful not to divulge too many details to one another for fear that Tyran would figure out a way to witness our dreams.
Carmine said, Your worth to him is your power. If he needs your power, then you can bargain that.
I shook my head. He doesn’t need me to defeat Kyros. Or to win the war. Though my agreement would make it easier. Wait. I glanced up. He needs me to defeat Tempest.
Carmine frowned. Tempest, your sister that you killed?
Didn’t kill, I answered. Maybe I should’ve kept that to myself, but I needed help.
Carmine grinned. You didn’t?
I smirked. We faked it.
His grin widened. There’s your bargaining tool.
If I tell him she isn’t dead, then he’ll want her dead before entering the last ritual, and this time he’ll make sure I’ve kept my word.
Carmine rested his head on his bent elbow.
With his other hand, he traced the slope of my shoulder and chest. Tyran is yet to learn Tempest is alive.
That advantage can be used. The other supernaturals could attack the fortress again.
If I can be cornered and rendered powerless, then you can start the next ritual with me.
I opened my eyes, which had closed at his touch. That won’t work. The rituals don’t work if one person is unwilling.
One side of his mouth lifted. Your mating is with me, Syera, not Tyran, and I agree to any and all rituals with you. Tyran has no say. This is not his body. I am fully accepting of anything that transpires, though I doubt he will be.
I grimaced. Of course. There’s so much to consider sometimes.
Our mating has not been without its complications.
No kidding.
I rested my hand against his jaw as his words took root in my mind.
Tempest was a huge advantage. Especially with me being queen and free as a bird. I couldn’t be used against her while free of white magic, but that could change in the next hour for all I knew. We had a window where Tyran could be surprised and bested.
Or perhaps we were looking at this wrong. Why would I trap Tyran to go through the next ritual when I could trap him to heal Carmine and be done?
Then Carmine and I would be free when we completed the last ritual in our mating. Most importantly, Tyran would be gone.
To heal Carmine, I needed the gems. Tsan had most of them safe, but…
Where are the two gems that Tyran took from me? I asked.
Carmine stopped stroking my shoulder. Behind the painting of the monster in the mirror.
Really? How fitting. I doubted Tyran had realized the exact irony of his hiding place. Does he know what they are?
He knows they’re important, but I don’t think he’s aware of their purpose. What do they do?
I leaned forward to kiss him. A lot.
His lips curved against mine. Good.
There were any number of details and barriers to figure out. Such as how the heck to orchestrate an ambush with supernaturals in another world when Tyran was keeping me by his side constantly.
But right now? I kissed Carmine again, because like every time we met here, it could be the last time. When he brought out the crown, I thought that was it.
He inhaled against the crook of my neck. Losing you to his power… I couldn’t bear it, Syera. But I’d be forced to for immortality. You have people who love you on Earth. Your sister is powerful. Our son is there—
Stop, I whispered in my mind.
Carmine closed his eyes. If he kills you or controls you, he will do so with my hands.
I am tormented in every moment by the hundreds of ways he could kill you using me.
But to know that you live on, elsewhere and safe, that is something I could hold onto over the centuries.
Thoughts of you and our son laughing. Thoughts of you reconnected with your sister. Dreams of you alive and safe from me.
A lump rose in my throat, and Carmine seemed as close to tears as me.
This was the most doubt I’d felt since deciding to return from Earth and chase a future with my mate.
I’d made that choice while so confident in my power and while so confident that Adeuto was safe.
Confident in my ability to move around undetected too.
Now that Tyran knew I was free of his power and working against him, I’d felt the terror of potentially losing everything. My confidence had shrunk to something more like desperate hope.
But there was more certainty, too, in one respect. I couldn’t let Carmine go on this way. I may not be able to win a life with him, but more than ever, I was certain that his torment had to end alongside Tyran’s reign, whether in life or death.
My son. I could barely consider a future for Adeuto where I wasn’t in it, but if I could have picked anyone in the world to care for him, it would have been my sister.
I still didn’t plan to leave our son an orphan.
I still didn’t plan to let Carmine die.
But I had to consider that those things would happen if I didn’t run now as Carmine wished me to do.
I also had to consider that… Tyran will never be content to let me and Adeuto live a life on Earth. We will always be in danger, and the threat of him will always loom over us. He could transfer power to another demon and have you killed just to kill me too. At any time.
Carmine’s resigned look told me this was nothing he hadn’t thought of.
I rested my head on his chest. He must be stopped. For our son and us. For the entire realm, and other supernaturals too. Carmine, I think this is bigger than our lives.
His exhale shook. Nothing is bigger than your safety and our son’s. I care nothing for the realm and other supernaturals while there is a threat to either of you.
I can’t run, I told him. I’m going to see this all the way through.
He exhaled; then his mouth twisted in a wry smile. I thought I’d try. Even though you’re right. He will always hunt you and Adeuto. I just believe that between you and Tempest, you’d figure out a way to evade him.
My heart skipped a beat at the sound of him saying our son’s name.
Carmine tilted my chin up. I need you to promise me something.
I searched his gaze. Depends.
His serious look didn’t fade. I have guessed what your… intentions may be, but I need you to promise that you won’t attempt to save me if there’s a possibility Tyran may defeat or hurt you in the process. I will drag him to death with me, and happily.
I glared. You’re asking me to kill you, yet you’re terrified of doing the same to me. How is that fair?
There’s a difference, and you know it. And you know the word fair doesn’t exist in this realm.
For good reason. I would choose to die to know that you and our son are free.
You would be granting me a mercy that I have chosen for myself—of my own free will.
Choose our son, Syera. If there is no other way, then choose yourself and our son, and grant my wish to be free too.
Tears slipped over my cheeks. Denial rose in me. But could I live with myself if I ignored Carmine’s wishes and Tyran walked free? Carmine would continue to live as a slave within himself. Could I live knowing that Carmine was still trapped because I couldn’t find the strength to let him go?
No. I wanted my mate to be free. My wish for him to live and find freedom was my selfish dream, but I couldn’t bear to leave him locked in misery if there was no other choice.
Please promise me, Syera, he whispered in my mind.
I swallowed. I don’t intend for there to be such a tiny margin of success that I need to make this choice.
But if only a tiny chance of victory remains in battle, and there is no hope of more, then…
I will find the strength to do what you’re asking of me.
You shouldn’t be in any doubt that I will live on hating myself for it.
I have asked this, and so you will not carry any blame for the act, he said.
It’s not that easy, Carmine. I would never consider my death to be by your hands while Tyran is controlling you, but you would still blame yourself.
He nodded at my words. I believe that the best chance of happiness and safety awaits you and our son this way, if Tyran cannot be defeated. And I am willing to take advantage of your selfless heart to achieve that happiness.
I rolled my eyes. At least you can admit to manipulating me.
He wrapped his arms around me. I am nothing more than a demon, and in time, the memory of me will fade. You will find another demon or magus to love, and he will never place you in danger. Our son will be free. You will both be so happy.
Emotion clogged his voice, and I listened as he described the future he’d dreamed up for our son and me. A future without him in it.
I let him speak each of his despairing hopes, and I silently rejected each and every one of them.
Carmine could hope and dream all he wanted about that future. I knew what reality I could live with. I’d known since returning here from Earth.
Life with him.
Death with him.