Page 54 of Atlas and the Traitor

“He’ll make it,” Atlas said, reaching across the chair between them and covering her hand. “If I have anything to say about it.”

“The phoenixes are ready,” Mary said. “The other warlocks and witches too.”

All the work Atlas had been doing with her when he wasn’t with him the past two weeks. “You’re ready to let it go?” Robin asked her.

Mary’s hazel gaze slid to Atlas. “As he’s told me multiple times, I was only a vessel.”

But she was family to the man beside her. “Will she survive it?” Icarus pressed.

“Will you kill me if she doesn’t?” Atlas bit back, and Robin clenched his jaw. He could give Atlas the prior dig, but this one was a push too far, especially when emotions were raw and life as they knew it was on the line.

He prepared to step in, to defuse the situation, but Mary beat him to it. “It’s my choice, Icarus. I’m ready to be the old lady who complains about her little brother and his rowdy friends. I’m ready to live my life.” She shifted her gaze to him. “Are you ready to give up yours?”

“I’m not giving up anything,” Robin said. “I’m taking responsibility.” He split a glance between Jenn and Adam. “I’m doing for her what I should have done ten years ago. I’m here now. And I’ll stay here until Pax is ready.”

“You’ll be a target,” Mac said. “Even if you kill Evan, someone will always come for you.”

“They’ll have to go through me first.” Atlas threaded their fingers together, and Robin couldn’t help but smile. All the times he’d done the same to keep Atlas from snapping away, from running, and now Atlas was tying them together. No more running. “Can he count on all of you?”

Adam rose first, walking the length of the table to where Robin stood and throwing his arms around him. “She would be so proud of you. I’m here for you, whatever you need.”

Paris shot out of his chair next and practically launched himself at Robin. “Thank you for giving him a chance,” he whispered, and Robin grinned through the wet in his eyes. “I’m with you.”

Mac was next, a hug as calm as his husband’s had been enthusiastic. “I and the rest of the flock are behind you.”

One by one, the others followed, a hug and a pledge, until only Jenn was left.

When his cousin moved to lower her head in deference, Robin gently clasped her shoulder, stopping her short. “Don’t,” he said. “You are the pack leader, and a damn good one. Better than I ever would’ve been.” He lowered his head to her instead, but only for a moment before Jenn yanked him into a crushing hug.

“Your pack will be there for you,” his leader said. “Always.”

Thirty-Six

“Where are you?” Evan snapped in greeting.

“If you’re referring to the traitor,” Atlas replied into Robin’s phone that he held between them, the two of them standing on the end of the lake dock, slightly away from their gathered forces. “He’s in my favorite pair of silver handcuffs.”

Robin liked the sound of that—well, not the silver part—but the mention of handcuffs in Atlas’s confident, haughty tone was a welcome reprieve after twenty-four hours of nonstop apocalypse prep. He and Atlas hadn’t even had time for an end-of-the-world fuck, and he was pretty damn sure Adam and Mac had each gotten that courtesy when it had been their turn in the shit.

“Looks like he betrayed you too,” Atlas added, and Robin tuned back in. At his mate’s nod, he pressed Send on the pictures Cyrus had staged. They watched as the delivery notification beneath the text bubble changed from Sending to Delivered to Read, then waited as the silence from the other end dragged on.

No words, no sound, no reply from the other warlock.

Atlas continued to needle, tsking his brother. “I thought you would’ve learned your lesson by now. First Deborah, now Robin. But I guess it wasn’t so bad this time. The dog just took your money and ran, not your whole reason for existing.”

A low menacing snarl rumbled over the line.

“I can give you a reason again,” Atlas said, tone mimicking Mac’s when he was negotiating, calm and even, offering Evan the redemption Robin had been sure he would. “There’s still work to do, brother. Last offer.”

Evan didn’t take the out. “You’re an idiot if you think I don’t have a backup plan.”

“I fully expect it,” Atlas replied, infusing his voice with equal strength, two powerful warlocks squaring off. “You won’t win this. And you won’t see our mother on the other side. You won’t keep your promise.”

Another long pause, and then, “I broke it a long time ago. She won’t be surprised,” before the line went dead.

Decision made, fate sealed.

Robin ended the call and handed Atlas the phone. “What did you all promise her?”

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