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This is what you deserve,that familiar, guilt-riddled, insidious part of me whispered.
A defeated breath left me as I let my head sag to his chest, and I removed the blade from his throat.
His sharp grunt of pain twisted into a growl as I plunged my blade into the meat of his thigh.
“The only reason my blade is in your leg and not in your heart is because you saved my life. Consider the debt repaid. And donotfollow me.”
Nakoa’s tail coiled impossibly tight around my waist.
“Remove your tail or I cut it off,” I seethed, yanking the blade from his thigh.
He gave a maniacal laugh. “If you think a little mutilation would deter me, you’re sorely mistaken.”
Despite his words, his hand lashed out, snatching my wrist before I could make good on my word.
“Mareina, please… Just listen to me.”
His tail uncoiled from around me, raising his hands pleadingly.
“To what? More lies? More manipulation?”
“You and I both know you don’t wanna go back to being Zurie’s pawn…”
The words were like his own blade, twisting in a century-old wound.
Thatwas an inevitable truth that I had no idea how to acknowledge.
Something had irrevocably changed in me. And willing stepping into her shackles was… Not an option. With or without Nakoa’s corpse, she would hunt me down if I didn’t return to her. I’d be on the run for the rest of my life, and she would continue destroying Atratus and its people.
I wanted her dead nearly as much as I wanted to get back to Malekai.
Nakoa could no doubtfeelmy turmoil through our tether.
“Join me, Mareina…”
“Join you, how?”
“Help me overthrow Zurie. Join The Uprising. Fulfill the bond…We will not fail.I have seen it. My visions are never wrong.”
Miroslav…This is what he had seen.
That strange voice… That inner Knowing whispered its confirmation to me, urging me forward on this path beside Nakoa. The idea of being shackled to this maleforeverwas fucking soul-crushing.
Which is worse? Zurie or Nakoa?
I scowled at the answer.
A tiny spark of hope flickered… Nakoa hated me… Perhaps after…ifwe succeeded… Perhaps he would let me go. Perhaps after the bond was fulfilled, we wouldn’t be so consumed by thisneed.
“IfI join you… After I kill Zurie… You will let me go.”
Nakoa’s face slackened briefly before hardening, and his familiar, mocking cruelty returned.
“You can try to run as far as your heart can take you, but no one will ever be able to fill that longing you have for me in your soul. Not even your pretty fae warrior.”
Chapter
Thirty-Three
