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“Precisely. Malix protects his kingdom by protecting and strengthening the wards. You must strengthen the wards to their former glory if you wish to keep your kingdom safe and have your husband back.”
“How do I do that?” I would do anything, but I’m also just one fucking person. How was I supposed to do something Malix or his dragons haven't been able to do? Ender claims it’s because I’m human but…there’s more to the story that he’s not telling me.
I just don’t understand why.
Ender glances at something behind me. “I have to go.”
“You have to—what?”
Ender begins walking toward me. For a moment I think he’s going to try and pry me up, but then he walks right past me. “Ender, wait!”
I can see the slowly shimmering light of what I now know to be a portal. He’s leaving.
“Ender!”
“Talk with those you trust. Put your faith in your dragons and lead. You can do this, Rose. No one else but you.”
I scream for him again. To give me answers…anything. But Ender walks through the portal and it swallows him whole.
He’s gone, leaving me with a cursed mate and far more questions than answers.
Chapter 32
Rose
Grief is tangible. It wraps itself around your heart, slowly and then all at once. The hands of grief squeeze and squeeze until you feel like you can’t possibly take it any longer, then and only then, does it loosen. Just to start the process over and over until everything becomes too much. Too heavy.
It’s also an emotion I’m intimately familiar with. My first heartache happened when my grandmother passed away. It was the first time I ever experienced death and it scared me. Seven years later, my parents followed, and my world collapsed. I lost those who I loved dearly.
And now Malix is gone.
I don’t remember screaming. I don’t remember much of anything once Ender left me, but my throat is dry and my ears ring. My body is draped over Malix as if shielding him from the curse.
But it’s too late.
Ender says he’s gone.
But he can come back, a small voice inside my head reminds me. It just fails to leave out the impossible task that lies ahead of me. A task I now must complete on my own.
The door to my chambers bursts open, followed by a soft curse. I don’t have the energy to look up. Instead, I press myself deeper into Malix’s side. He’s so warm and I can almost delude myself into believing he is giving me a hug.
Soft, but firm hands gently take hold of me. I struggle for only a moment until I catch sight of a familiar face.
Vivia.
“You should be with Mina.” I don’t know why those are the first words out of my mouth, but my brain is only capable of linear thinking. Mina is sick. Therefore, Vivia should be with Mina.
Not here, prying me away from my husband.
“I had an urgent matter to discuss with you. But...” Vivia glances at my sleeping husband and I watch as understanding dons her face. Confusion turns into dread.
“He’s cursed.” Vivia is smart. She knows I would try to wake him immediately and that my screams expose my failure. “But you can’t wake him up.”
I didn’t think I was capable of any more tears, but stubborn ones pour down my cheeks anyway. I don’t know Vivia that well, but that doesn’t stop me from crying into her chest. My words start tumbling out then.
I tell her about Ender and his cryptic words. How Malix is different and wouldn’t be able to be awakened like the other dragons. How if I want my husband back, I have to figure out a way to strengthen our wards—whatever the fuck those are—and keep the Nephilim from entering Dragon’s Keep.
“Ender claims I have powers, but I don’t. I’m just a human woman with very human abilities. I’m not special and I’m terrified that every one of those dragons that I just brought out of cursed sleep will die due to my incompetence.” Fears spill out of me; some I didn’t even know I had until I said them.
