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He flew out of bed, landing stiffly beside a bedpost and leaned into it awkwardly. “Dina.”

Dina pursed her lips, her gaze traveling to the still form on the bed. “Her condition has not changed.”

He nodded, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I have considered our predicament and can think of only one conclusion.” He arched a brow, watching as she stalked closer. “You must bond.”

Gabriel frowned. He’d been thinking the same, but for her to come pushing her agenda would not be borne.

“Brother,” she said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “She may not wake. If you do not bond with her, she will move on and be lost to you until the end.”

“It must be her choice.”

“She made it.”

Gabriel’s chest seized at her words. “What… What do you mean?”

“Before she was attacked, she confirmed she would choose to bond if you would have her.” She gave him a look. “I did not tell her the choice isn’t ours.” She squeezed his arm. “Brother, don’t you see? She’s already given consent. All that’s left is for you to complete the bond.”

Gabriel uncrossed his arms, letting them fall to his sides. He glanced sideways, watching Adalaide’s chest rise slowly.

“I don’t—”

“For heaven’s sake, Gabriel. When she wakes, if she hates you, she can reject you in Alaxia.” She released his shoulder, moving to sit beside Adalaide.

He turned, watching her place one pale hand against Adalaide’s forehead. She slid her hand to his soulmate’s neck, feeling her pulse.

“The bubble will burst within the hour. We have no way of knowing what awaits. That she has not woken thus far bodes unwell for you both. Why risk it?”

Gabriel moved to stand behind Dina, watching Adalaide’s chest rise and fall slowly. She was unusually still. Humans fidgeted and twitched; they made noises. Everything about her spoke of a body which had given up.

It was a safe assumption she was only still with them because of the time bubble.

Dina squeezed his fingers between hers, pulling him forward.

He came, stopping at the edge of the bed.

“Sit, brother.”

He did.

She reached for his other hand and clasped her fingers in his. “Our Father gives us only what we can handle. He presents challenges meant to make us stronger, better versions of ourselves. Only you were strong enough to wait for your perfect match. Only you could survive an eternity alone and still find it in himself to accept that he was worthy when the time was right.”

A tear slid down Gabriel’s cheek as he took in her open, honest expression and knew she meant it from the bottom of her soul. He nodded, something warming in his chest.

Hope.

Chapter 23

Adalaide

Adalaide blinked, her head aching as though it struggled to contain some new wealth of information. She blinked again, yawning loudly and stretched her arms over her head.

The feel of rough fabric against her skin made her grimace. She had slept in her clothes… again.

She blinked once more, peeling her eyelids open and stared around her familiar room. The walls were a deep green, bisected by dark brown planks, and in each corner was a table with a vase of wildflowers.

The vibrant red of the rose petals was outdone only by its smell, pungent and sweet. Between wild roses were bits of green ivy and yarrow wedged into the vases. Beyond them, out the window, smells of human waste and filth wafted into the room, and on the air, the smell of amusement, anticipation, and contempt also rode in.

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