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"Had a few secrets, did you?" Kane asks, cradling the small girl to his chest as he stares at the changer that shouldn't be alive.
"Being a gate keeper is as dangerous as being a creature god. You had a few secrets of your own, didn’t you?"
Kane doesn't answer before the hole slowly starts to fade from sight, and the air becomes crisper almost instantly—making it easier to breathe.
"Why weren't Dragona and Damon spirits?" Drackus asks as he finally stands to his feet, seeming normal again—well, as normal as possible.
"Because they were stronger than we realized when we banished them—they fed off the spirits there," Thad answers absently as he focuses on the portal.
Once the hole is completely gone, I touch the spot where the medallion once graced my chest.
"It would have been nice to know it killed powers."
That grin he shows me—it's real—he's real. It's his grin.
He comes over to pull me into his arms, and he holds me tightly to him as he kisses my forehead, making my tears pour out feverishly. I hold him a little too tightly. He gasps for air, and I quickly release my hold as he grips his side.
"I didn't know you were a creature goddess, or I would have warned you. Some secrets are meant to be kept. I had no idea."
"Neither did I," I murmur through a sniffle, wiping my eyes. Is it really over?
I look around at all the devastating destruction, and Dray comes to drop to the ground, showing how much energy he exerted as the exhaustion weighs in on him. Reese is behind him—naked—wiping sweat off his brow.
"We lost five of my wolves," Reese says, spitting out blood and not bothering to cover up. "Where were the councils?"
"They were called," Shay mutters, scowling in disgust and fury. "But they're—"
"Never around when a real fight is underway," Gage interrupts through a scoff, finishing the sentence for her.
He's bloody and beaten. He's also refusing to meet my eyes. Kane looks at me, and takes a deep breath before nodding the approval I don't need. I have to talk to the dark user—save him.
I go to his side and start assessing the damage done. Everyone walks away to give us a moment of privacy, even Thad. I wonder idly if he knows.
Gage winces when I touch the gash on his cheek, and then my hand trails down to his chest, hovering over his heart.
"We have to break the spell," I almost whisper.
He lets a harsh breath out and nods, looking away when tears form in his eyes. "I'm sorry. I thought... I just..."
"I know," I say softly, taking his hand in mine.
He stares down at the connection, and he draws my hand to his lips to kiss it. I smile sadly when his eyes meet mine again.
"I really do love you," he utters with a sigh, finally grasping his courage to finish what he wanted to say. "I wouldn't have ever cast the spell if I had known the truth, though. I would never do anything to betray you that way. I thought I was saving you."
There's no doubt that he's telling me the truth. But there's only one I've ever loved; and he's the only one who can save me from myself—who has saved me from myself.
"No love forsaken, no hope lost; let these words remove the cross," I murmur softly, feeling my magic work almost instantly with more power behind it than usual. I could get used to this.
Gage breathes in deeply, and then he exhales a black fog, expelling the burden and pain he was carrying because of the side effects tied to his spell. He may still love me, but now it can fade, and he'll have a chance to find someone who loves him back.
He pulls me to him for one last hug, and kisses my cheek, murmuring his apologies once more. I rest my head on his shoulder, ready to move beyond this. Before he was a lover, he was a friend. I would have been lost without him during that time.
"What are we going to do about the councils?" Reese asks, as my nameless cousin walks toward us.
I ignore the wolf, move back from my embrace with Gage, and focus on the dark-haired girl before me. She stands taller, pushing her shoulders back. She looks a lot like me, since we really are related through Freya.
"I'll accept my fate with honor," she says steadily, trying to hide the fear in her voice that shows in her eyes.
