“E, please.” Tony took a step forward. “Let us exin.”
“Exin what? That you’ve been lying to me this entire time? That you never actually cared about helping me or anyone else, and that you just wanted to use me to get your daughter back?”
“That’s not true,” Anthony said. His voice broke. “We do care about you. But you’re right. We… we did lie. About the procedure. About what it was for.”
I wanted to scream at them. I wanted to shift and tear this entireb apart. But Maria’s words echoed in my mind.” Please don’t be angry with them,” she had said. “They’re grieving. Grief makes people do desperate things.<b>” </b>
I took a shaky breath. “Maria didn’t want toe back.”
Both of them froze.
“She told me,” I continued. “She said she lived her life, and even though it was short and painful, it was hers. She didn’t want to steal someone else’s body. She wanted to rest.<b>” </b>
Anthony made a sound that was somewhere between a sob and a gasp. He turned away, pressing his hand to his mouth.
?
“She also told me to tell you that she loves you,” I said quietly. “And that she forgives you.”
Tony’s eyes filled with tears. “She… she said that?”
I nodded. “Right before she gave herself up so I coulde back.”
“What?” Anthony whirled around. “What do you mean?”
I exined everything. The cliff. The sea of souls. Maria’s offer. The way she’d dissolved into light and been absorbed by the crystal. By the time I finished, both of them were crying openly.
“So… She’s gone?” Tony whispered. “Completely?”
<b>“</b>Yeah.” My throat tightened. “I’m sorry. But she wanted this. She was tired of being stuck between worlds. She wanted to let go.” I pressed my hand to my belly. It felt normal now, that warmth I’d briefly felt gone. But I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I couldn’t stop wondering…
Anthony sank into <b>a </b>chair and buried his face in his hands. His shoulders shook with silent sobs. Tony moved to his husband’s side and wrapped an arm around him.
<b>I </b>stood there for a moment, watching them grieve. Part of me was still angry. Still hurt by their betrayal. But I understood it now. They’d lost their daughter and spent years trying to w her back from death. Of course they’d <b>been </b>desperate. Of course they’d been willing to do anything.
If Lucien had been in that position, then I might have done the same.
<b>“</b>I forgive <b>you</b><b>,</b>” I said.
<b>Both </b><b>of </b>them looked up <b>at </b>me <b>in </b>shock.
<b>“</b>I shouldn’t<b>,</b><b>” </b><b>I </b>ground <b>out</b><b>. </b><b>“</b><b>You </b>lied to me. You tried to use me. But Maria asked ine not to be angry with you, and I’m going to honor that. Just… Tell me that the procedure worked. Tell me my mate bond is restored.”
They looked <b>at </b>each other.
<b>+25 </b><b>Bonus </b>
<b>“</b>We’re… Not sure,” Anthony murmured, wiping his eyes and standing. “How do you feel? Any different?”
I touched my chest. The crystal felt warm, and I felt like I was going to puke, but other than that, I felt the same. I shook my head.
Tony walked over to the control panel and started typing. “Hm…” He furrowed his brow as he studied something on the screen. “The crystal seems to be showing signs of irregr activity. Your heart rate is very high, too.” He nced at me. “Did you sense anything when Alexander was here?”
I blinked. “Alexander was here?”
“He came bursting in here a few hours ago,” Anthony said. “Demanded to see you. We told him he couldn’t interrupt the procedure, so he waited. But then he got a phone call and ran out. Something about a fire.”
My blood ran cold. “A fire? Where?”
“At your house, I think. He didn’t say much before he left.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I was already moving toward the door. “I need to go. I need to get to him.”
I made it about three steps before my legs gave out.
The world went dark like someone had flipped a switch.
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<strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.