Draevyn lifted her hand to his lips, pressing them to her knuckles,but the slight tremble in his hand gave away his unease. “How do we stop this from happening?”
“She would need to be killed,” Jenli answered. “Only true death would end the bond.”
“Perfect.” Esmyra grinned. “I’ve been meaning to pay Syrena a deadly visit anyway.”
“This isn’t funny,” Draevyn said, unable to halt his growl.
Her eyes narrowed. “I never said it was. I’m being serious.”
“That’s not all though,” Jenli said. “It should work both ways.”
Both of their gazes whirled to her.
Esmyra took a step closer. “What are you saying?”
“The bond is a baseline. Either sister may siphon the power from the other. It will be the strongest who survives. The one that holds the most power.”
Everyone’s eyes widened.
A tense flicker of hope sparked through Draevyn. His heart clenched at the thought of Esmyra going up against her cunt of a sister, yet a fierce, unshakable confidence rose alongside it.
Because he knew her.
Draevyn knew the strength coursing through his Wildfire, and the ferocity at which she wielded it. Even though Syrena was ruthless and cunning in her ways, he trusted in Esmyra’s power, in the fire that burned within her, and the unyielding force of her will.
“Irah couldn’t save Kaelypso, and you can’t save Esmyra now.”
Fear coiled alongside hope as the memory of Syrena’s final words to him made the blood roar in his veins all over again. He wasn’t Irah, and he refused to idly stand by. Draevyn would protect Esmyra at all costs.
“Syrena knows Esmyra is stronger than her,” Draevyn said. “Why would she risk a bond this way, knowing she was weaker.”
“She likely was trying to keep me in the dark,” Esmyra admitted. “I ran from Maerinys when I finally realized she was up to something. If I didn’t get out when I did, who knows what would’ve happened to me.”
Esmyra was right. Heknewshe was right. Syrena never played fairbefore, so why would she now? She had violated her—mind, body, and soul—with dark magic. Imagining her being chained, beaten, and stripped of her power at the hands of Syrena had his blood in a near boil within him.
“Thank the gods you got out when you did,” Jenli said as she flipped through her little notebook, her brows creasing.
“They’re the reason we’re in this mess,” Draevyn said as he ran his hand through his hair and blew out a breath.
“Kae isn’t all that bad,” Esmyra whispered.
Draevyn’s brows pulled together.
“Kaelypso.” She shrugged. “She didn’t deserve any of this.”
“Well neither did you,” he shot back.
Her head tilted to the side. “Debatable.”
“Cut the shit, Esmi,” Jak grumbled, crossing his arms.
Draevyn’s lips pressed into a thin line. “I fear I have to agree.”
Esmyra leapt up to sit on the desk, her talons drumming against the wood. “Gods forbid a girl jokes about her inevitable doom.”
This was clearly her way to process all that had been happening to her since they found Maerinys, but still. Draevyn hated it. Hated knowing there was still a part of her that doubted herself and what fate would bring them for a second time.
“Dawn is approaching,” Jak changed the subject. “We’re running out of time.”
