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That flicker of hope turns to a wildfire within me. “If the magic is reinforced in this world, though, why would completing it in another work?” I ask.
The two men exchange looks again.
“They don’t know if it will work,” Rafferty explains.
“In theory, it will,” Sullivan assures us. “But, since it has never been done before…”
We fall into silence, all four of us standing in the same room, though our thoughts are anywhere but. If I do this, if I take the risk and go home, I may never make it back. The disease hit me harder than I could have ever expected, and it would have killed me in a matter of days.
What if those days turn to hours? Minutes? Seconds?
Shit, I may not live long enough to complete it, anyway.
“How long will the ceremony take?” I finally ask.
Sullivan meets my gaze. In his eyes, I see the one thing I hate more than dying: pity. “The ceremony itself will only take a few minutes. As for what happens next—that’s entirely up to the two of you.”
“What do you—” My cheeks heat once more. Seriously, this has to be a Guinness World Record for the number of times someone has been embarrassed in the span of five minutes. “Oh.”
“Our hope is that by going through with the ceremony over there, it will cancel out the magic binding you to Taranus.”
“By replacing the bond,” Ridley finishes.
“Except, don’t I have to be fae?” I ask, trying to recall the explanation I received from Rafferty as to why the bond was going to kill Taranus and me. “Otherwise, won’t the same thing happen? Won’t his magic still pull from me?”
“Yes.” Rafferty stands.
“But you would have time. With the bonding ceremony complete, you could come back here and make her a fae.”
“Unless, of course, the disease kills her the moment we cross back over,” Rafferty snaps. “We cannot risk it.”
“Can you afford not to?” Ridley asks. “Either the bond kills them both, or Taranus find her and finishes what he started. Can you really risk that?”
“Taranus will not get his fucking hands on her,” Rafferty snaps. “I’ve managed to protect her. We can find another way.”
I cannot tear my eyes from the man who—less than ten minutes ago—cradled me against his chest. Now he looks utterly terrified—and borderline homicidal, thanks to the dark rings steadily expanding around his golden irises.
“She is going to die.” The words are spoken matter-of-factly even as the reaper’s tone expresses sadness.
“Do you not think I know that?” he roars, whirring on Sullivan, who shifts his gaze to me, an apologetic look in his eyes.
There’s nothing to apologize for, though. He spoke the truth. Even as horrific as it is, it’s fact. Iamgoing to die.
“You asked me to help you.” Ridley steps forward. “We found a solution. What might be your only solution.”
“If it works!” Rafferty roars back. He gestures to me. “Bonding her to me will not fully work unless she is made a fae. Something thatcannothappen because I am a dark fae.” The words leave Rafferty’s lips on a strangled sigh. “My blood alone will likely poison her. And if it doesn’t, she will not be permitted to leave the Veil once my blood is in her veins.”
Ridley swallows hard.
“Can no one else pull me from the Veil?” I gesture to Rafferty. “Or I can slip through one of those tears.”
“Tears?” Ridley questions.
“You’ve missed quite a bit, brother,” Rafferty snarls.
“Only the fae you are bonded to will risk pulling you from the Veil,” Sullivan explains.
“It requires a price,” Rafferty explains. “A penance to be paid.”
