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One corner of his lips lifted, and he eyed her beneath raised brows. “That’s a story I only tell to friends.”

“You have friends?” she said dryly.

He rolled his eyes. “Unlike you, I don’t stab those I claim to care about.”

Something sunk in her gut as she thought of what she’d done to Elias when she’d stolen the amplifier. While she regretted her decision, she didn’t know what she’d do if she had the chance to do it all over. Shadowbank needed protecting, the same as Elias’ home in the forest with the goblins.

“I did what I felt I had must to protect my home,” she managed, her throat growing tight. “Elias hadn’t been willing to compromise with the amplifier—even when I’d been the one to make a deal with Hadeon.”

Breckett sniffed. “And you can see why he was unyielding now, yes?”

She nodded. “I wish there’d been a way to protect both our homes.”

“Because of you, his castle is overrun, and the goblins revealed themselves to Hadeon,” he said. “And Magnus found us.”

Swallowing thickly, she said, “Yes.”

He raised an eyebrow. “No objections or some self-righteous defense?”

“No.” She eyed the map if only to give her something to look at as her eyes watered. “It was my actions that led to this.”

It’s because of me that Elias is with Magnus right now. Because he wanted to get my memories back.

“But I intend to fix this,” she said, pushing back the guilt threatening to consume her. “I’m going to get him back.” After a moment, she added, “I’m sorry to you, too. About the way I took the syphen.”

She didn’t regret taking the syphen. It was an invaluable tool. Turning a significant portion of the sorcerer’s army back on him could be the very edge they needed.

At the mention of the syphen, Breckett bristled. “Have you learned nothing from what you’ve done? Stop taking things and doing whatever the fuck you want. It’s going tocontinueto get us all into trouble.” His voice hardened with each word. “If you’re truly sorry, I’ll accept your apology once you’ve returned the syphen.”

She bit the inside of her cheek.

If she hadn’t stabbed Elias and stolen the amplifier, she may have never come across Magnus’ army and been captured. If she hadn’t been captured, Elias and Breckett wouldn’t have come after her, and Magnus may have never discovered either of the erox. But once he did, he’d sent his ogres and gargoyles after them and destroyed the repaired ward around Elias’ castle.

Suddenly, an unspoken truth struck her.

Before the enchantresses had been her priority. Now, she had two families who needed protecting.

Elias was her family now, too.

Slowly, she stopped walking and lowered Jessamine to the ground. Placing her in the sand, she reached for the syphen hidden inside a sheath in her jacket, her hand lingering on the hilt.

“I can respect that you don’t want to take free will from the erox. But the syphen is an edge in the coming confrontation against Magnus. Because therewillbe one, whether we like it or not. You don’t gather an army to not use it.” She turned the syphen over in her hand. “I’m sorry, but I’ll do what I must to protect ShadowbankandElias. I meant what I said before. I won’t take the free will of the erox indefinitely. I will require their assistance only long enough to save my mate.”

And she meant it.

This wasn’t a world for the faint of heart or the soft. To survive meant to choose who to protect. And she’d choose Elias and Shadowbank every time.

“Why did you come with us?” she asked.

Breckett sighed. “I already told you?—”

“The real reason,” she pressed.

“I’m tired of running,” he said. “Magnus has been chasing me for more years than I care to count. The only way this stops is if he’s dead. With Magnus gone, all of the erox will be free to live as they choose.”

“And you won’t be constantly looking over your shoulder,” she said.

“Yes,” he agreed. “Magnus’ erox finding us at Hadeon’s estate is just the start. He will try again and again to find you—to find us both. You’re a good a bet as any. Besides, I don’t want to leave Elias under Magnus’ thumb any more than you do.”