Page 42 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

I frown. “Did I say that out loud?”

He shakes his head. “No, but you’re projecting your thoughts.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“It’s fine, and yes, you have got the softer version of Zac. He’s protective of Archan and the cadre.”

“So he should be, he saved his worthless ass, and I couldn’t interfere because the Primordials are above Justice.” Emi pouts.

“Archan saved Zac?” I check.

Emi nods. “For his trespasses against mankind he was meant to be put to death, which would have been the justified thing to do. But Archan took pity on him and interfered.”

Zac strides through the door, my clasp purse in hand, the one I left behind in Archan’s bedroom. He shoves it in my arms. “Remember your oath, Natia. Fail and I own your ass.” If I fail, I will lose my heart and sanity. But I’ve already given my heart to the man I’m trying to save. Now, we need to survive to see if it’s enough for him to realize it. Anxiety claws at me. He has to survive. We have to beat Ty. I rub at the physical ache in my chest.

Zee shoves in front of me, rubbing at his own chest. “She has done nothing but try to protect and save mankind. Like blind men, you were led into a hunt to kill her, when you should have been questioning your sources and their motivations. You’re an idiot if you think she wouldn’t do everything in her power to save Archan. She loves him.”

All eyes snap to me. “I…” My eyes drop to the floor.

“It’s no secret, Natia,” Jed says, standing on my other side. “You wear your heart on your sleeve, you always have.”

Nathan’s gaze is jumping between me and Zee. “What?” I snap.

“How have you linked him?” Nathan asks.

I blink. “Linked who?”

“Zee. He feels what you feel. You’re linked.”

Zee and I stare at each other, looking for what they are seeing. “Is it a protector thing?” Zac asks. Emi comes to stand in front of us, scanning me from head to toe. She repeats this with Zee.

“His aura has changed,” she says.

I step back and study Zee. His aura is still the vibrant red it always has been, but there are tiny threads of gold. “What?” he barks, running his hands down his sides like he could wipe the aura off him.

“I think you’ve got some of my aura mixed in with yours.”

“Has anything happened to link you both?” Nathan asks.

“She saved me,” Zee whispers, grasping his neck.

Emi gawps. “What? When? How?”

I swallow and squeeze my eyes closed. It’s a horrible memory. “Lawrence slit his throat.”

“Duncan healed me, but I’d lost too much blood, so Natia donated hers to save me,” Zee finishes.

His power. I rub my temples. I accidently made a power wielding human. Of course I did.

“You shared your blood with him, your life-force. He’s now linked to you,” Nathan says.

“What does that mean?”

“He will pick up on your emotions and have a strong desire to protect you.”

I meet Zee’s dumbstruck look with one of my own. “I’m sorry.”

He blinks. “You saved me. Why are you sorry? Without you I’d be in a coffin.”

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