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"Wynvail," I breathed, a warning, a plea. I dug my fingers into his shoulders.
"Taking him out of the house broke the seal on Tartarus. On the titan's prison. That's the whole point of letting you find Wane. I—I was supposed to lead you here."
"You brought us here so we'd break open Tartarus?" Kai exploded, launching forward.
Harvey caught him, stopping him doing more damage.
"Something's wrong with you," he said, staring at his brother. Spawn? I didn’t know the terminology.
Blood gushed from Wynvail’s broken nose, but it dots from his lips when he coughed again, too. A small, panicked sound escaped me.
Wynvail smiled, an ironic thing that made my eyes burn, tears falling. His hand settled on my thigh, squeezing. "Cronus made me for this—to bring you here, honey, so you'd free your mate and your power would unlock the seal."
"But I didn't do anything—"
The red flash of light as we crossed the threshold. The burst of power I’d felt and couldn’t explain. It was so slight I'd barely even felt it, only noticed the glow. That couldn't be enough to free a titan…
"He's been planning this a long time," Wynvail said, pausing when a vicious coughing fit shook him. He coughed up more blood. My bottom lip wobbled, the top of my nose burning as I cried harder.
No…
I held him tighter, like it would hold him together.
"All he needed was someone from his bloodline with powerful magic. He tried it three times before, but it failed. This time, with you… I can feel it. The seal is broken. The house is collapsing, whatever magic held it together all these years coming apart."
I turned to stare at the house, detached and shaky. Would we watch another of our homes be destroyed?
"Fuck the house," I rasped, fighting my nails into his shoulders. "It doesn't matter."
"Wynvail," Harvey murmured, gravel crunching as he took tentative steps towards us. "You—you said this was your purpose. To lead us here and break the seal."
"You've figured it out," Wynvail said with a little smile. "Smart man."
"It's killing you."
I jerked back, staring at Harvey. I felt it, our bond icy and numb,fading,but I didn't want to hear it out loud. Ineverwanted to hear it.
"No, it isn't," I choked out. I shook my head hard, staring at Wynvail, at his bloody face. "You're wrong, Harvey."
"You knew it would," Harvey went on, his eyes heavy on Wynvail. Sad. "Didn't you?"
Wynvail nodded. I squeezed my eyes shut, my chest caving in. No. This wasn’t real. It wasn’t.
"But you did it anyway."
"The order is hooked into every part of me," Wynvail replied softly, his arm snaking around my back to pull me against him, heat bleeding into me, his body so solid and reassuring against me. Safe—it had taken me until this stupid, too-late moment to realise that he was a safe haven, and he’d always protect me.
I sucked down lungfuls of his scent. When would I smell this heady mix of cloves, sugar, and blood again? Would I ever? Tears forced their way past my closed eyelids; I choked on a whine, pleading with every god that had ever existed.Don’t take him. Not my mate,please.Please.
"But self-preservation is as strong as any order," Wynvail went on, and my soul splintered with pain when he said, "I think I could have fought it."
"Then fight it!" I cried, shoving him. I kept my eyes shut; if I didn't see it, it couldn't happen.
"It's too late for that, honey," he murmured, pulling me back into his arms and drawing another animal cry from me. "The second we crossed the threshold with Wane, it was over for me."
"Thenwhy?"Wane demanded, his voice hoarse, low.
"Because she needs you."
