Page 39 of Villainous Greed

“Yes. Just a single healing elixir,” the witch responded.

“You’re never going to look at me with anything more than distrust,” August murmured, eyes glassy as he rubbed his fingers over mine. “No matter how much I think about it. I don’t understand why that is when you’re the one—”

The stabbing pains in my head were nothing compared to the lies August continued to spew. “Lie to me one more time, and I’ll blow you to pieces.”

“If you truly wanted to end me, you’ve had a good minute to do so. I refuse to live another second without you, Nova. I have mourned you long enough.”

When I felt my nostrils flare, his fingers tightened over mine.

“I’m not lying about the past, and I don’t think you are, either. I think we’re missing something, don’t you?”

“Don’t fool me,” I whispered. “I am tired.”

“I know you are. Me too, but if killing me gives you peace, then so be it. Because I know what it feels like to mourn you. This time, you can weep for me. I’ll have you or die.”

“You pigheaded man,” I muttered. “How dare you talk to me about mourning? You know what I lost.”

“If I had known you were alive, Nova, I would have saved you sooner. If nothing else, please believe that.” He dragged his hand up to my final binding, and I inhaled sharply. “I’m going to ask one thing from you, gorgeous. Protect my family, please? You’re the only one who can right now. Save them the way I wanted to save our family.”

August yanked Harvest’s last hold over me. The pain left my head instantly and exploded in my arm instead. No matter how many times it happened, I trembled. Blood squirted everywhere. August was missing half his arm too, but he never made a peep. He stood there, smiling at me as he bled out.

I swayed, remembering again that he and I were mortal. As August’s family gathered around him, Barron ripped off his shirt and placed it over August’s elbow to stop the bleeding.

Melinda stopped in front of me, holding out a small pink vial. “Drink it.”

“Do you have one for August?” Maureen asked.

“Hush, Maureen,” August muttered.

“Give it to him,” I said as I cupped my stump.

August pushed his family aside, grabbed the vial from Melinda, and shoved it into my hand. “If I live, let’s discover what happened in the past together, okay?”

My nose burned, and my eyes watered. Turning before anyone could see, I snatched the vial and drank it up. August fell to his knees before me. My lungs felt like they were locking up as I saw the amount of blood still pouring from his wound. I scowled at the witch, about to order her to do something, but she already was. A soft, white power drifted from her open palm as she held it over him.

“I can stop the blood by freezing your arm, but you’re going to lose it if I do.”

August sighed as he swayed, smirking at Melinda. “So, that’s what you meant when you said I’d lose something, huh?”

“Even when our powers return, his arm won’t grow back?” August’s mother asked.

Melinda nodded.

When August’s eyes fluttered and his face whitened, I made the choice for him. “Just do it. Stop the bleeding before he dies. He doesn’t need the arm to grow back. He’s probably had a lot of limbs grow back over his lifetime.”

“Stop the bleeding,” August said. “My mate must want me alive, after all.”

“Is that what you think?” I cocked my head to the side as my hand grew back. The witch’s healing elixir worked quickly. “Maybe I plan to do something truly heinous to you.”

“Yes,please.”August groaned as his eyes rolled back.

My body heated from top to bottom at the sound. What a weird man.

“Fuck. He’s going to pass out,” Sebastian muttered.

“Nova…” August slurred right as a portal opened in the sky and more dragons poured out.

“Don’t worry. I won’t let Harvest do to your family what he did to mine.” I meant every word. We couldn’t rewrite the past. But that didn’t mean I could continue to hurt people because I was hurting. Sofia would be so ashamed if she knew the things I’d done.

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