Page 197 of Cherish

Wrong is wrong, and two wrongs never make a right. I learned that before I left kindergarten.

But as I stand here in this room, in this realm built of sorrow and rage, the issue of who is at fault is not the question that comes to my mind. Not today, and I hope not ever again. Because the real question, the important question, isn’t who’s to blame for this mess.

The question is, how can we ever make it right again?

People died. Hearts were broken. Wars were won and lost. And none of that can be diminished. None of that can be forgotten. The past is what it is.

It can’t be changed, but it can be understood.

It can’t be forgotten, but it can be accepted.

And maybe, just maybe, if we’re very, very careful, it can be mended.

I look at my strong—and broken—mate.

At Eden, who lost her family, and Jaxon, who literally lost his heart.

At Flint, who lost his brother, his leg, and now, maybe his throne.

And at Mekhi, who may still very well lose his life.

Any of us could have chosen to give in to anger. Hell, Hudson could have started disintegrating the world. But he didn’t. My beautiful mate always, always chose a path of mercy whenever he could.

If someone literally locked in the dark against his will for nearly two hundred years can still choose the light, then there is always hope. Always mercy. Always room for forgiveness.

And that’s exactly what we need right now.

Because if we don’t start learning from our parents’ mistakes, our grandparents’ mistakes, then we are destined to repeat every single one of them.

But I have to believe we won’t. It’s why we’re still here. Why we came against all common sense to beg for Mekhi’s life.

And it’s why, even if we can’t convince the Shadow Queen to do the right thing, it won’t stopusfrom doing the right thing.

Because at some point,someone has to just roll up their damn sleeves and decide to fix this shit. Starting now.

110

No Woman

Is a Fortress

“Grace?” Hudson steps forward and lays a hand on my lower back. “What can I do?”

I love that he knows me well enough to tell that I’m planning something. I love even more that he’s the first one to step up and offer to help.

I turn to look up at him, and for a second I get lost in those oceanic eyes of his. So blue, so brilliant, sokindwhen the world has been anything but to him. And I know that whatever is going on between us, whatever secret he is keeping from me, it doesn’t really matter. Because this is my Hudson, my forever, and I’m never going to give him up. Thank God I have an eternity to love him.

Though I’m not sure exactly what I’m going to do yet—or if what I’mthinkingabout doing is even going to work—I just smile and say, “Hang on to your fangs.”

And then I look around at this room—this fortress—built of rage and fear and grief, and I decide enough is fucking enough. The Bloodletter built this prison with chaos magic, and maybe, just maybe, that means I can tear it down. I just have to figure out how.

Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and dive deep inside myself. As I do, I see all of the strings inside me. Green and black and pink and red and platinum and blue. Always blue, right there, just waiting for me. I take one second to brush my hand against it, then smile as I feel Hudson brush right back.

And then I move on to my bright-green string—the one that burns as hot and strong as our mating bond. My demigod string, connecting me to all the power inside me. I haven’t tried it in the Shadow Realm before—but now I feel it pulsing, rising to my chaotic intention. I wrap my hand around it and hold on as tightly as I can as I feel the magic begin to stir.

But unlike in the prison, I don’t just let it roam free, unchecked, unbound. This time, I control it.

I feel it in my fingertips, feel the power and the beauty of everything that’s inside me start to sprout.

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