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“I’d rather it didn’t come to that.”
“I hope it doesn’t either.” I stood up. “I’ll ask him, but we have no way of getting to you.”
“Someone will pick you up in half an hour and bring you.”
“We’ll be waiting.”
“Thank you. See you when you get here.”
Without looking at Daithi and Savida, I strode into Alcor’s room and gently nudged him awake.
“Zaide? What’s the trouble?”
“The protector is dying, and they’d like our help healing him. The council has found Arabella for you.”
He nodded and immediately got up. “I will join you in a moment.”
“You’ve got time if you want to shower.”
His lips pursed, and he nodded again.
I got dressed and returned to the living area, where Savida and Daithi sat waiting for me. They looked at each other briefly, and Savida nodded at Daithi, who then spoke, “We would like to talk to you.”
“I thought as much,” I muttered.
All I wanted was for them to apologize, for us to forget our trespasses and be as we were. But we were broken. Even when I thought we were friends, I was only a pawn in their game. My disappointment and hurt was still fresh, and with all that had happened, I hadn’t had time to reflect.
“I know you don’t want to discuss it, but with so much happening, we must,” Savida whispered. “You don’t know when it will be your last opportunity to talk to someone.”
The words stabbed at my heart, but I stayed silent.
“I apologize, Zaide.”
My head shot up to stare at Daithi’s bowed head, his green hair covering his face. Daithi apologizing was rare. He was too proud, too faei, to admit when he was wrong. But I wouldn’t be so easily swayed. “For what, exactly?”
“Everything. I rescued you for less than honorable reasons and allowed you to treat me like a hero. I misled you about our reasons for traveling. I misled you about soul pairs and soul mates. I treated you cruelly while Savida was lost to me, and I forgot that while he is my life, you are our friend.” He looked up then, and I saw the sincerity in his eyes. “You, Charlie, and Clawdia sacrificed a lot to rescue Savida, and I didn’t repay you in kind. I was afraid. I hope you will give me a chance to make this up to you.”
It was everything I wanted to hear. It was a perfect speech. And that is why I narrowed my eyes and gritted my teeth as I stared and allowed the silence to echo around the room. It was too suspicious. “What has changed? You can’t suddenly be unafraid that you will lose him again.”
Daithi’s lips pressed together, narrowing in frustration, and Savida jumped in to answer. “I fell in love with a man who rescued me and showed me the world, protected me, loved me, and gave me room to grow. Part of growing is meeting people and making friends. His actions have caused us to lose your friendship, and I don’t want my partner to stifle me, to overprotect me, or cause me to lose people who are important to me.”
I shook my head, not understanding.
Savida doesn’t want to lose me. Daithi doesn’t want to lose Savida …
“You threatened to leave him?” I concluded, my mouth agape in shock.
“It is not a threat.” Savida glared, an expression I had never seen him use to point in Daithi’s direction. It shocked me as much as his words did. “We are both dreadfully unhappy.”
Savida’s wings drooped, and his flame-red hair seemed to flop to the side between his horns. Daithi said nothing, and my gaze darted between them. It was clear there was tension, and Daithididlook miserable, his green eyes tired and his angular face gaunt.
I sighed and rubbed my head. “You shouldn’t argue over me, nor separate. You are soul mates.”
Savida huffed. “We’ve placed too much importance on that word. Soul mates are not exclusive lovers. Nor should that mean that you only need your soul mate and no other relationships.” He huffed again, and Daithi seemed to wither, falling further in on himself as he bowed his head again.
Savida’s tone softened as he looked at me intently. “You spoke your first word after slavery to me. You trusted me. You allowed me to show you the realms as Daithi did for me. You taught me about your home, your religion, and confessed your pain. You were brave and strong and kind. I learned, and continue to learn, from you. You are my friend, Zaide. Daithi and I haven’t been as good to you as you have to us. And we are going to make it up to you … if you’ll allow it.”
I sighed, and the anger I’d been holding onto to cover my pain seeped out. I gave a slight nod, my eyes blurring with tears that didn’t fall, and I was suddenly pulled into a hug by the demon, his wings wrapping around my back, cocooning us.
