“The only thing I want is for your eyes to be the last thing I see as I go. I want to hold on to the memory of my daughter’s face until you finally come home… to Eden.”
“Okay,” I agreed.
We both stood and made our way to the bed, where a dress lay on top of the sheets. I reached out to touch it. It almost resembled the dress I wore to the unveiling, but this one… The entire back was cut out. I stilled as I stared at it, and jumped when I felt my mother’s hand on my shoulder.
“It was Tristan’s request.”
Nerves fluttered in my stomach as I lifted the gown, examining it further. Lace, in the pattern of daisies, adorned the black fabric. I slid into the gown, feeling completely exposed as the fabric fell just below the small of my back. Not all of the lords had seenmy scars yet. But they would today.
“You look beautiful,” my mother said in awe, her eyes glossing with unshed tears. “They won’t be able to take their eyes off of you.”
As we walked to the throne room together, the nerves built into a rapid storm in my chest. I didn’t tell my mother whatcouldhappen today. I made everyone promise not to. She didn’t need to carry that burden anymore. Tristan and I would ascend her before the ritual began so that she was safe in Eden. If, gods forbid, Ididdie, at least, then, I would be with her again.
When we stopped at the doors, I paused to take in a shaky breath. Malakai stood there, waiting. The moment he saw me, he straightened his back and smiled. It started off innocent enough, but when his lashes lowered, I could see the wicked thoughts forming in his mind.
I rolled my eyes as he approached and then shoved his shoulder. “Stop being inappropriate,” I scolded him.
“I said nothing!”
“You didn’t have to.” I raised an eyebrow at him and returned my long gaze to the doors. My heart pounded loudly in my ears, and so many coilswrapped around my chest.Be strong. You have to be strong. Everything will be fine.
Malakai leaned down, bringing his lips to my ear and whispering just low enough that my mother wouldn’t hear. “You arefire, Morrigan,” he reminded me. “Go show them just how bright you burn.”
With that, he moved to the doors and opened them. Every pair of eyes turned to me as I walked in. Eris and Naaz stood together, with Cass and Dez on the opposite side. Eris’s mouth parted as he saw me, his eyes raking down my body in a way that turned the panic into nervous shivers.
Naaz’s gaze fixated on my dress before his eyes met mine. Something had changed in them. I wasn’t surewhatit was, but I hoped that I’d have the chance to find out.
Dez appeared as nervous as I felt, and Cass rested a hand on his shoulder to calm him. As I watched them, I hoped with all of my heart that this was the start of the mending of their friendship. I wanted nothing more than for their bond to be healed.
Closer to the throne, Kaiden stood silently with Azrael beside him. He didn’t look at me, didn’t even acknowledge my presence, and I had to hide how much it broke my heart. Did he hate me now? His eyes were trained at the very end of the room where Tristan stood. He had a table behind him, and as I moved closer, I noticed two chalices, one dagger, rope, and a rigid black shard of obsidian.
“Technically, all that’s required for a soul bond is the blood of a god,” Malakai whispered at my side. “However, Tristan wanted it to be a little more… traditional.”
I stopped beside Tristan, whose eyes had never left me from the second I walked into the room. He offered me his hand, and I took it with every ounce of enthusiasm. A soul bond was almost impossible to break. And for us, breaking it wasn’t even a viable option. If we severed it, we could both die. Completing the soul bond would tie us together for the rest of our lives.
Something about that thought made my heart flutter in my chest.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked quietly, for my ears alone.
With the last of my courage, I pushed up onto my toes, cradling his face with my hands, and planted a kiss on his lips. “I want this, Tristan.”
I thought I heard Kaiden say something behind me, but I chose to ignore it, even if a part of me—the part that belonged to Kaiden—felt like it was already dying inside. But the others didn’t seem to put up much of a protest, and Kaiden needed to try to understand. He had saved me from the pain inflicted byothers, but Tristan saved me frommyself.
I didn’t want to give either of them up, though, as selfish as it may have sounded.
My mother stood in front of us, smiling at me with a sense of peace in her eyes that hadn’t been there before. She turned to Tristan first. “It’s time, Tristan.” He nodded and gave her one of his hands, before grabbing one of mine as well. “Keep my baby safe, will you? Give her the life that I couldn’t. Make sure she always knows just how loved and important she is.”
Facing me, she brought one hand to my cheek and rested her forehead to mine.
“I love you more than I ever had the chance to show you, flower. I pray that I am worthy of your forgiveness.”
Azrael ran up to us, wrapping his arms around my mother’s legs. “I’m going to miss you,” he whispered to her, and my mother returned the embrace.
“Protect our queen, little wolf,” she told him, placing a kiss on his cheek before rising and taking both of our hands. “Okay… I’m ready.”
Her eyes closed, and I felt the pull of Tristan’s power as it called to mine. I let him in, and watched as his shadows slowly wrapped themselves around my mother. Then, strings of fiery light laced through the darkness, also encompassing her.
My mother’s eyes opened just before the shadows reached her face, capturing the moment. And when they swallowed her, a bright glow began to emanate from within. It brightened, releasing the strongest sense of peace I had ever felt. It was as if the light was home, and it called to every single one of us. I did my best to stop the tear that threatened to fall until the light faded, and the space before us stood empty.
