Page 37 of Luna Rising

My eyes made another scan of the room, like there was a chance I might suddenly share Winter’s ability to see ghosts and whatever Archer was.

“Which one upset you?” I asked. “I’ve never fought a ghost before, but I suppose there is a first time for everything.”

Winter’s throat worked up and down as she swallowed. “There’s no need for violence. I’m fine.”

“You’re not, though. It’s obvious you’re upset,” I said, glaring at a spot behind Winter’s chair since Archer was more likely to make her cry than Missy. “What happened?”

“Archer wants us to wake him up.” Her gaze went from me to the boyfriend only she could see.

“No,” I said firmly, sounding scarily like Ewan when he gave me orders. “Giving him magic will weaken you too much. No way. He can stay in that bed a little longer.”

Winter’s eyes went to her lap. “No, Zara. He wants to rise. You know, to turn.”

“Oh.” Totally not what I’d been expecting to hear. No wonder she was upset. If Ewan had told me that he wanted to turn, I definitely would have handled it badly. Tears would have been the least of it.

I tried to think of something supportive to say, but I actually didn’t believe Archer rising as an eternal was the worst thing in the world. For a lot of reasons. Some of them selfish.

Ewan caught my eye. The prospect intrigued him, most likely from a tactical standpoint. As of right now, we didn’t have any risen eternals on our side. We didn’t even know the location of any mortal eternals beside Archer and Winter.

“I know it’s the right move.” Winter twisted her hands in her lap. “His body still isn’t retaining magic.” Tears glistened in her eyes when she looked up at me. “We can be together.”

My non-beating heart broke for her. If anyone understood going to great lengths for love, it was me. The words left my mouth before I truly appreciated the offer I was making.

“If this is what you really want–”

Ewan put a hand on my arm. “Hold on, Zara. We need to think about this.”

“Why?” I spun to face him. “If this is what Archer and Winter want, what’s the problem?”

Ewan and Birch exchanged glances, while Winter wore an expression equal parts hopeful and terrified.

“There’s a power dynamic at play.” Ewan’s gaze turned inward. “If one of us turns him, that person becomes his sire. I don’t know what’ll happen. We should wait for the others to return to discuss this more.”

I started to protest, but he shot me a warning look. Annoyed, I clamped my lip shut. While I didn’t love him undermining my opinion, he wasn’t wrong about the tangled web of bonds we would create by turning Archer. It was already messy enough. I had three bonds with Ewan and one with Winter. Ewan was bonded to Enzo, Mat, and me. And Winter had her mate bond with Archer. So, yeah, either Ewan or I turning Archer would make the situation even more incestuous than it already was.

Winter wiped the heels of her hands down her face. “It’s okay. He’s right. There’s a lot to consider. Mom and Nana Essie should be here.”

So should Walter, I thought. I shared Winter’s wariness when it came to her father. Nonetheless, he had known several of us in our past lives, making him the closest we had to an authority on eternals. The thought made me shiver. Of all people knowing more about me than I did, I didn’t like him being so high on the list.

“Have you talked to your mom or Walter since they left?” I asked her.

Winter leaned back in her chair, hands gripping the arms. “No. Things are tense, though.”

I didn’t bother asking how Winter knew the situation with the Capricorns if she hadn’t spoken to her parents. Between Missy and Archer she had two spies at any given moment.

“How about with Essie, is my family cooperating?”

Winter shifted in her seat. “Things could be going better.”

No surprise. Once my father set his mind to something, changing it was impossible.

“Walter said you’re going to the Snake Mountains tonight.” Winter cocked her head to the side. “I wish I could go.”

“You can’t.” I crossed my arms, unyielding in my insistence that she stay in Taurus territory. In another life, I had trusted Diana implicitly. Drake, however, I didn’t know. I wasn’t worried about Ewan and me, but I wouldn’t allow Winter to risk her life.

“I know.” Winter sighed. “I just feel so useless.”

“Your time will come,” I said, which was unfortunately true. As much as I wanted to protect her and would have been happy if she never had to embrace her warrior princess alter ego, that wasn’t realistic. Winter was too powerful to sit on the sidelines for long. It would have been like a coach benching their starting quarterback for fear of injury. Or some other sports analogy.

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