Page 85 of Immortal Burden

“I know.” I rose to my feet and announced, “We’re out of time. I have to facilitate the Covenant. Then I’ll fuse our power and end Draco’s threat and reign of terror before it truly begins.”

“No,” Ryker said, getting to his feet with Lucian following close behind. “That’s not why we’re here. I know the massive risk that doing that will cause, the toll it’ll take on you.” He eyed Lucian briefly, before telling me, “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but we need to go to Cornelius.”

“You intend to use her pull?” Lucian asked.

Ryker nodded.

“My pull?” I questioned.

I snuck a look at Ryker. Had he revealed my paternity, my true heritage, to Lucian?

He discreetly shook his head at me and clarified. “You are his favorite protégé. He has a soft spot for you. Meaning, you have pull over him.”

Before I could even wrap my head around that, Lucian stepped up to me. “Using this pull of yours, you can convince him to order a mass-deployment of all Guardians. We will track Draco and attack en masse with the essential element of surprise.”

“That was one of my first proposed strategies too, but it’s not viable.”

“Mia, you can’t know that it—” Ryker began.

But I cut him off, “Do you really not think that I haven’t already tried to find an alternative? For the last year, since I forced myself to let go of you, the man I loved with everything I was, I even stepped up my search, endlessly trying to find another way.” I shoved a hand through my hair, trying to squash my unruly emotions that were fighting to be heard for the first time in a long time. “Attacking en masse will wipe out the Guardian Movement in one fell swoop. The only exception to that fate would be if every member channeled one another, becoming one unified force. But that is impossible. No living being can channel that many people, that much power. The Covenant is a way around that. The only way, I’ve been forced to realize.” I drew in a breath and revealed, “I’d been working on a plan to revoke the Law barring Cornelius from annihilating another of his kind.” I shook my head. “But, if there is a way to facilitate it, I haven’t found it. And, as it stands, our time is up.”

Ryker eyed me incredulously. “You’re saying that you’re up for doing this thing now? After tearing my fucking heart from my chest, you’re suddenly on board? It was all for nothing?”

“I—”

He loomed over me. “Tell me, Mia, was it all about you trying to safeguard your innocent, good girl image? The idea of fucking three guys sickening to you? Or, were you scared you’d like it too much, that you’d finally stop being a little girl and step up to the big leagues?”

I knew how devastated he’d been over what I’d done to him, to us. I understood it deeply and I’d even accepted the animosity he’d thrown my way every time we’d come into contact since. But, I would not absorb the brutal words he’d just assaulted me with. I wasn’t a doormat.

“How dare you?” I thundered, summoning my magic and firing both palms of my vibrant blue fire at his chest, blowing him across the room.

He landed sprawled out on the floor, muttering a slew of curses under his breath.

I rounded the couch and approached, my magic flaming wildly. “You know the true reason! You know becoming a vessel for such potent magic could unleash an uncontrollable darkness in me, much like Draco’s!”

As Ryker rolled onto his back, coming up into a crouch, his magic sparking to life, a rush of cold air assaulted me.

The next thing I knew, Lucian had me confined in a body lock, forcing my palms down at the ground.

I was shocked.

All non-magical beings knew well not to interfere in a battle between magic-wielders.

Yet, Lucian had jumped into the fray without hesitation.

To protect Ryker.

I couldn’t hold my tongue a moment longer. I couldn’t push it aside for another second.

Instead of it coming out in the refined, dignified way I had hoped for, I blurted out, “What’s going on? The way you were in that plane, the two of you showing up here together, the dynamic between you… it’s… is something happening between you?”

Ryker looked speechless, his mouth agape.

It took him a moment and when his gaze fell on Lucian, he regained his equilibrium.

He smiled sweetly at him, then locked eyes with me. “Yeah, there’s something happening. It’s early, but it’s definitely something and it means a lot to the both of us.”

His words had Lucian inadvertently loosening his hold around me, enough that I was able to look up at him. He seemed as stunned as I was. But, given the admiration and awe I also saw all over his face, it was for a much different reason than mine.

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