Page 79 of Can you take it?

The other end was filled with silence. For a moment I worried he’d left and was going to get me in trouble with Cal, though I actually thought Cal might have sided with me on this one.

‘Is she willing?’ he questioned.

‘Why do you have to word it like that?’ I asked while my lips curled in disgust.

‘Does she want to come?’ He tittered.

‘Stop.’ I thought about slamming my head into something, but the only thing around was a dried stump that was barely the size of my foot.

‘Either way, it’s the same actions. If she is smart or unwilling, then you are going to use physical violence. If she is tempted, then you are going to use trickery, and of course if she is anything like her sister, then you are fucked and she is only going to do what she wants.’

‘She is definitely not willing. She won’t leave Tartarus or Kaohs,’ I said.

‘She’s a good kid. He was a good father to her,’ Mendax said.

A spark of something flickered in my mind where Mendax was. I stilled for a second realizing what it was.

‘You are going to be a great father,’ I said.

‘You are correct,’ he replied.

‘I wish my father would have been as fierce and as tough as you,’ I said. ‘Maybe then mother wouldn’t have killed him as easily as she did. But also, perhaps I would have been a better warrior.’

A moment of silence from Mendax, no doubt realizing what I was doing and that I had sensed his insecurities about fatherhood through the bond. ‘You’re one of the best fighters I’ve ever battled, and I heard nice things about your father, Felix. Bit of a soft hand for a king, but he was honored and loved by all of Seelie,’ he said.

‘You’re going to be a great father. Just don’t go too hard on her. And don’t forget to take her to Aunt Tarani so she can hear all about her devastatingly handsome uncle,’ I said.

‘Calypso named a realm after you. I don’t need to tell her anything about you,’ he said. ‘Also, Calypso has been poring through tomes looking for why our bond and tie have merged as they have.’ Something in his air turned happy…and maybe a little worried. ‘She thinks that your tie to the magic is stagnant and staying with her because it’s not been reclaimed yet. She also thinks that you and I are only speaking because it’s echoing into her and my bond.’

‘So what does that mean for when the powers do get reclaimed? Does that mean that the tie will shift from her? That she and I will no longer be able to talk to each other?’ I asked.

‘Yes. She is certain that once the drop of power in the pendant goes to Anna, any residual tie with her will be broken or transferred. It’s not for certain, but Caly is quite sure. She has spent every spare moment she has researching this. She gathered every old witch and wizard from the nearby realms and offered them her protection if they would help her. Besides the tie, she has been working to develop a means of safety for Aurelius that involves using a shaving from the blade her father created for her. She’s as happy as I’ve ever seen her.’

His words landed in my chest like a bullet: I might never talk to either of them again if I gave Anna her powers. ‘I will never see you guys again. Neither one of you can enter the Elysian Fields.’

‘Oh no,’ he said sarcastically. ‘What will my life consist of without this discourse?’ I felt something near giddiness float up from him. ‘Did you not hear what my new title is?’

‘No, don’t you fucking—‘ I tried to cut him off.

‘Mendax, the King of Aurelius. Has a certain ring to it, doesn’t it?’ he said proudly.

‘Stop,’ I pleaded.

‘Aurelius touches everyone,’ he projected proudly. ‘That’s the slogan we decided would showcase the inclusive nature of the new realm.’

‘I’m begging you to stop,’ I said.

‘Would you believe, I got to pick it?’ he declared.

‘Don’t you have an army to train or someone you need to kill?’ I grumbled.

‘Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. The boy that catches on fire asked your sister to marry him.’

I wasn’t sure I’d heard him correctly. ‘What did you say?’

‘Yeah. All of the Fallen Fae seem to look up to the two of them. They have handled everything together, making certain the Fallen are taken care of,’ he said absently.

‘What did Tarani tell him? Did she accept the proposal?’ I asked feeling my heart ache a little.