Page 80 of Upon Shattered Bonds

“Of course it is.” The Elemental added to the conversation from where she lay curled into Isaiah’s flank, gently caressing his arm. “It was my mate’s idea.”

“And that’s as humble as she gets,” Isaiah muttered.

“Oh, Nina,” Nero added, “Key said that Cassandra’s prophecy was accurate. That she saw your mating several weeks ago, too.”

Nina frowned. “What?”

“Key told me to tell you not to worry about Cassandra.”

“Demetrios’ Foreseer?”

Nero nodded.

“That’s cryptic,” Zeke muttered.

Shrugging, Nero said, “That’s about the best you’ll get from her.”

Huffing out an impatient breath, Nina asked, “Did she say anything else?”

Nero’s features pinched, and she instantly knew there was more to the story. Imploring him with her gaze, he finally said, “Yes. She said that the Citizens aren’t done yet.”

No one spoke as they processed the news, and it was Isaiah who finally broke the stalemate. “I guess it was too much to hope that they’d taken the warning.”

Nina was of the same mind. “We’ll just have to be prepared.”

From there, conversation strayed from clan politics and psychic network efficiency to upcoming clan celebrations and their assorted hobbies.

Melting into Zeke’s side, Nina smiled. Here, curled up on a couch with her mate, they’d taken centuries-old relationships and turned them into something new. Something going beyond the cordial civility that’d defined the leaders of the Quint Treaty for far too long.

Nina could finally think of all these people as her friends.

Epilogue

“It’s odd, seeing you here.”

Zeke frowned, looking up from her well-loved copy of Pride and Prejudice. He’d taken to her back porch while she made some last-minute preparations for their impromptu getaway, finding the novel sitting beside a comfortable-looking chaise.

Earlier, they’d shared a meal with half of their lieutenant team—part of his and part of hers—while the others kept guard. It’d been fascinating to learn how Nina ran her territory and utilized her people to their fullest extent, and he’d take more than one thing back to his own clan lands. His mate was uncommonly intelligent, and he continued to be impressed by her.

“Why is it odd?” he asked.

“Because I never thought you’d be here with me.” She sighed, looking out the windows at the night beyond. “This house, my clan lands: Luther poisoned me to them. When I came here after his death, I was constantly reminded of him and what I’d done. I never thought I’d be happy here, even though this was technically my home.”

“And now?”

She walked over to him as he set aside the book and rose to stand. “Now, I feel like I can finally heal and be happy. And you—you’re the reason for that, Zeke.”

“You deserve to be happy, Nina,” he said, brushing his lips over the back of her hand. “Things in our life tend to fester if they’re left with resolution. Sometimes, forgiving ourselves is the hardest part.”

On the heels of that thought came another. Guilt tugged at his heart, and Nina didn’t miss it. She wrapped her arms around his waist, knowing instinctively that he was thinking about his sister. Now that he and Nina had mated, Izzy’s death was the one thing he regretted most.

“Zeke, Izzy’s death wasn’t your fault.”

He stiffened, feeling the inexplicable urge to pull away and bury the pain deeply, but Nina didn’t let him. She continued to hold him, offering nothing but support.

“I know you, and I know you would’ve burned yourself out if it would’ve meant she could live.”

“But—”

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