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He sighed in defeat, but he knew me. He knew what Daphne meant to me. He would never ask me to trade her life.
We made the vow, and the Beta snapped up the flag. He was injured, but he would make it with his shifter healing.
“Isn’t this nice?” Sabine said conversationally. “In just a little while, you’ll have lost, and will see the superiority of the Moon Goddess.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure.”
Sabine raised a brow at me. “Oh? Why’s that? You’ve vowed not to interfere with Rourke, and I have your pretty little friend here to make sure you don’t misbehave.”
“Because you’ve guaranteed we lose this round. And if we’ve already lost, there’s nothing to stop me from doingthis.”
I reached my open palm out towards Sabine and crushed my fingers into a fist. At the same time, the wood beneath Sabine sprouted and a solid wooden spear impaled Sabine clean through, less than an inch from her heart. Her silver knife clattered to the ground, harmless.
We had lost thesecond round. And worse, I couldn’t help but feel like we had lost it for nothing. Good wolves had died to help us, and what did we have to show for it?
Dead wolves. Those I’d disabled, including Sabine, were finished off by the Wind-Bloods. Those who’d fought with us, I’d been able to do nothing for. The Moon-Ghosts hadn’t pulled any punches.
The entire place stank of copper.
“They knew the risk we were taking,” Cole assured me.
As he had said, guilt was a luxury I couldn’t afford. I desperately wished I could, though. The best I could do was heal our wounded while I waited for Phaidros to show up. Cole had insisted I start with myself. Actually, he had threatened to portal me back to Hell and hold me there until I healed unless I prioritized myself. I’d agreed, since I didn’t want to waste time arguing and I knew he wasn’t joking. Now we were waiting.
“You should have won,” Daphne snapped.
“She didn’t have a choice,” Xander argued. His whole body sagged with exhaustion. “Your life was on the line.”
“And I was willing to die for it,” Daphne snarled. “Everyone who came here knew what was at stake.Youshould have kept the flag and put it on the base.”
Her words were directed at Xander. Something flashed between them, a silent argument that was ready to explode. Their scents were separate, but I knew there was something between them. It was cruel of Daphne to ask him to do that. Sabine would’ve killed her. Even now, with my healing magic running low, there was still a faint scar from where the knife had pressed against her neck.
But just as Hector’s loss affected me, it hurt her even more. For the first time, she had let someone in, and he had given his life for me. She had been denied the same right. Maybe I was wrong to take that choice from her. Maybe I should’ve let her. Bile rose in my throat at the thought of Daphne joining the piles of bodies littered on the floor.
“You don’t get to challenge my wife’s decisions,” Cole snarled.
I blinked, not expecting him to jump in. His amber eyes flashed in anger.
“She is the Queen of Hell. She does not answer to any of you. If you wish to serve her in this war, you have our thanks. If you don’t, there’s the door.”
Ian very wisely ignored pointing out it washisdoor that Cole gestured towards.
“There have been, and there are, a lot of damn tough choices that will have to be made. You want to die a hero? Earn it. Don’t let some asshole shifter use you as bait. Because that was what put my wife in the situation where she had to choose between your life—not just your life, but your soul—and letting that evil goddess win a round. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself, and don’t waste our time. And if you really believed in Avery, you wouldn’t be doubting that we’d win the next round. Then your death would have been for nothing. Do you really think so little of your closest friend?”
“Hey,”Xander snapped. “That’s over the line.”
Cole rounded on Xander, ready to attack.
“No, he’s right.” Daphne’s voice was quiet. “I do believe in you, Avery. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine, and I accept that.”
I moved to hug my best friend. “It’s not your fault. The truth is, it was a hard decision. Yes, we could’ve won. But something else could’ve gone wrong. Tough calls will happen, but I won’t ever let myself believe the right option is sacrificing you.” I turned to look at all the wolves around us, but especially Cole. “Anyof you.”
“Spoken like a queen,” Phaidros said, finally arriving from his portal. “A sentimental, inexperienced queen who managed to somehow fuck up this extremely easy challenge I put together for you.”
“Gee, thanks,” I snapped.
“You’re welcome.”
“Say your piece, demon, and then let us leave.” Cole took a step towards Phaidros.
