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“Save my brother!”

Almost there…

I dig my nails into his hands, holding on for one more moment before letting him go on a gasp. My body sags forward, shaking from the utter exhaustion pounding me from all sides.

My husband pulls away. “You’ve overtaxed yourself.” I flinch, hearing the accusation and guilt and rage beneath his calm tone.Why did you heal me instead of him?

I try to tell him he was poisoned, but he stands without giving methechance to explain. Or perhaps he already knew and decided that his brother should be the one tolive…

Tears blister my eyes as he runs for the door, shouting for Louise. I sag beside Myers, breathing hard as sweat runs down my forehead and my shaking hands lie cradled against my chest.

“It’s...okay,” Myers says, his gaze on mine before the light – hislifefades away.

I choke back a scream of denial as I place my hands over his wounded side, and I go back to that ballroom inside of me, demanding another dance. The magic comes swiftly, but it doesn’t take me around in a gentle waltz. It is a blaze of energy –powerful movements that leave me breathless and all too aware that I am notthe oneleading this dance.

My hands glow bright as my magic burns through me. Caden screams for me to stop, but I ignore him, pushing every ounce of my magic out through my fingertips. I can save Myers if I just connect to him,soI open myself up completely, binding ourbodies together.

His eyes jerk open as he gasps.

But before I can smile, I scream.

My skin tears. My bones break. Gashes of flesh are ripped off me,mirroring the wounds on Myers.

“Sau!” I hear my name called from a distance as my head rolls back and I fall forward, my body seizing even as the magic continues to flow between us.

My hands are violently ripped away, and the sudden severing of the flow of power causes me to gasp as the world resettles around me. I tremble, my body slick with sweat and blood and in so much fucking pain. I whimper.

Caden cradles me in his arms as Myers sits up in front of me. I look at him, relieved that he at least is safe.

“What happened?” I ask, my voice a croak as I struggle to sit up on my own.

“Your magic turned on you, Sau. You pushed yourself too hard. You should know better than that.”

I vaguely remember Father’s warnings. How the magic will eat us alive if we let it. Shivering, I swallow at the close call, but I do not regret trying. “Myers was dying…” I say.

Caden looks at me grimly, then over to his brother, who is rotating his shoulder and pulling apart the tears of his shirt to look at his side. A red wound still mars his skin, butit is no longer bleeding. I put a hand on my same side and wince at the flash of pain. A warm wetness coats my fingers,but it has nothing on the joy radiating inside me.I saved him.

For once, Icausedsomething good.

I didn’tfailhim.

I didn’tbringmore pain.

I.

Did.

Something.

Good.

Tears clogging my throat, I smile at him.

“Thank you,” he murmurs. “But you are too valuable to this Familyto risk your life for mine.”

I shake my head. “Youarethis Family, Myers. We all make upapart of it.”

“Do we knowhowAlericgot in?”my husbandasks,his jaw tight, no doubt hating the thought of having to choose between the two of us.