Page 86 of Gambling with Time

“I would sacrifice myself to save them both.”

She grinned wide, her eyes sparkling. “That sounds like the truth, although not really picking between them.” She hummed as she looked at Violet. “Your turn, sis.”

Violet stepped closer, her gaze running down my body to my feet and then slowly back up to my eyes. “What does it mean to live a fulfilled life, and how do you measure it?”

“How can I answer that honestly? It is subjective.”

She tilted her head. “You have to speak your truth.”

I glanced at my guys. They fulfilled me. Before them, I wasn’t actually living. I was surviving and doing what I thought I was supposed to.

“Love. To love and be loved, that makes a life fulfilled. Without that one thing, life is meaningless. There is no stick to measure it against because you either have it or you don’t.”

My hands were shaking, and the sound of a freight train filled my ears, blocking out her response. I only knew I answered correctly when Greta nodded and stepped forward. I sucked in a breath as I tried to get my heart rate back under control. I wiped my clammy hands on my pants.

One more question.

Why did this feel harder than any battle we had faced? Probably because fighting was easy for me, emotions never had been. It was like taking my first steps as a toddler, I was still learning.

"If you had to choose between saving the life of one of your men or saving the lives of a thousand strangers, what would you do?" She pressed her lips into a flat line as a dry swallow worked my throat, and my tongue felt like it grew twenty sizes.

Truth. That was what she wanted. But the truth was awful. I would let the world burn if it meant keeping my men safe. Thousands of lives could never replace my guys. It didn’t matter that it was hypothetical. Uttering the words out loud felt like they would change something.

Alastor stepped close behind me, his arm wrapping around my center as if he were giving me his strength. Did he know my answer? Did all of them?

“I–I would save my men.” The world stood still. The wind ceased its blowing, and it was as if no one ever took a breath. “Does that make me unworthy of forever life?”

“No. You didn’t actually sacrifice anyone,” Violet replied, her hand propped on her hip.

“But I would,” I said.

Raiden blocked my view of the Nymphs. He framed my face with his large calloused palms. “Each of us would do the same for you. You aren’t evil for those thoughts. Say you understand.” Urgency threaded through his words as if I didn’t say I understood they would lose me.

“I understand, Rai, but–”

“No buts,” he said, shaking his head. “Our lives are linked in a way that defies logic, and without even a single one of us, we wouldn’t be the same. We need each other.”

Lex threaded his fingers through mine and squeezed as Alastor propped his head on my shoulder, and Bellamy’s tail wrapped around my calf. Touching each of them centered me, leveling my emotions out. I pulled in a steady breath, and Raiden dropped a butterfly kiss to my mouth before straightening.

Greta watched me, her gaze serious. “Honesty is rare. Most mortals believe they are being honest while they lie to themselves.”

“That’s it? For real? No tricks?” I asked.

She nodded and stepped back, revealing the path to the base of the tree. “The branches are old and charred. Be careful, breaking your neck would be the opposite of what you wish to achieve.”

Raiden shed his shirt, and then his fingers deftly undid his belt. When he popped the button of his jeans while kicking off his shoes, Violet leaned forward.

“What are you doing?” Curiosity laced her question as she eyed him. I didn’t blame her because he was a piece of art.

“I’m taking my girl for a ride,” he replied.

“Uh, this isn’t really a place people have sex,” Myra said hesitantly. Violet shushed her loudly and waved her hand as if shooing her away.

“But if you want to–” Violet trailed off.

I snorted. “He’s a dragon.”

Violet smirked like she already knew, and Myra sighed, giving a slight nod like she had also known, but it wasn’t where her mind went.

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