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“We all make mistakes, Kyson. He will live with his mistakes for the rest of his life. I just don’t want my brother to be one of mine. I don’t want that guilt hanging over me; I need to know I tried,” she whispers, her voice filled with anguish.

“No, Azzy. This is not about guilt or obligation. It’s about your safety and our future together,” I argue, desperately hoping she will see reason. But deep down, I know that her need to help him stems from a fundamental part of her being. It is a trait inherited from her mother, one that I both admire and fear. She knows I am right. But I also know she won’t be able to handle the guilt if something happened to him if she didn’t help. Damn, Azure’s handing that down. I learned so much reading those few passages of Cedric’s book.

Azure’s were magnificent for their ability to forgive and move on, for their elemental gifts, and for being empathetic; it makes me wonder if that was part of why Tatiana put up with Garret. Unfortunately, she also inherited a few of her father’s traits. I have observed that first hand and been on the receiving end of her temper.

His temper, his command, and his bite. We were yet to see all of Azalea’s moon-blessed gifts, and I think the possibilities are infinite when it comes to Azalea. Because one thing I realized with startling clarity and why the Moon Goddess blessed both bloodlines with opposing gifts, they were to balance the other out. They were never supposed to come together, for it would throw off the balance of power.

Opposites attract. One was benevolent and the other malevolent, but once together, they detonated. Together, they were unstoppable and an impossible force to reckon with, and I suddenly understood Garret Landeena’s purpose of marrying Tatiana. It was to gain what he was lacking, another power trip. Yet, such qualities together would make it near impossible to live with. The Landeena ego would always overrule any guilt he felt.

“You know I am right, yet you want to help him anyway, love. You hope to find some redeeming quality, but what if there isn’t one?” I ask, my voice tinged with concern. She averts her gaze, her silence speaking volumes. She knows deep down that I am right, but the need to help her brother outweighs all logic. That need to know is strong within her, so I know I am on the losing end of this argument. That Landeena stubbornness will be the death of me.

“I need to know. I can’t abandon him like everyone else has,” she finally admits.

“But are you doing this for him or for yourself, Azzy? What do you hope to achieve?” I question gently, attempting to understand the driving force behind her decision.

“Both. Kyson, I want peace. I won’t find peace by turning my back on him. I need to know that I did everything in my power to save him,” she confesses, her words heavy with the weight of her emotions. It becomes clear to me that this is about more than just Peter; it is about Azalea’s own inner turmoil and her quest for redemption. But from what?

Hearing her words, witnessing the guilt and anger that fuel them, I realize the depth of her struggle. Living with such intense passion and conflicting emotions must be exhausting for her. She needs this resolution, even if it comes at a cost. She needs to know that she did everything she could to save her brother.

I kneel before her with a sigh, wishing she could see the potential danger of getting too close to the boy who nearlydestroyed us. I fear that her unwavering love and determination may be what gets her killed.

“This is your last chance, Azzy. Promise me that this will be the end of it. If he hurts you, promise me that you will not give him any more of your time. Promise me that you will let me deal with him,” I beg.

“But he’s a Landeena,” she whispers, her voice filled with uncertainty. However, she must understand that his bloodline will no longer protect him from my wrath if he brings harm to her again.

“But you are not. You may have been born into that family, but you are now Valkyrie, mine as I am yours. I refuse to watch him destroy you again. I won’t allow him to dismantle what we have built. And I certainly won’t stand by and watch you destroy yourself over him. So promise me, this is the last time. If Peter does anything wrong, you will let me handle it,” I declare firmly. Azalea swallows hard and lets out a resigned breath.

“Last time,” she whispers, and I sigh in relief.

“We’ll deal with Peter first, then I need to speak with the guards, including your own. We must be prepared for anything,” I say, my tone resolute.

“Crux mentioned sending you the coordinates to Larkin,” she interjects.

“Yes, he did. But something tells me he may try to buy time or come up with an excuse not to send them right away. We must remain vigilant,” I explain.

Chapter

Forty

AZALEA

After we had settled the situation with Peter, Kyson leaves me in the company of Abbie, Liam, and Trey. Together, we make our way back to Abbie’s room, where we intend to check on Gannon and retrieve Tyson from him. Gannon needs to meet up with the King and Damian to strategize their next move regarding Crux and Larkin.

As Kyson had predicted, Crux still hasn’t provided us with the tracking information we need. It appears that we will have to find another way to obtain it. But the more I think about it, the more convinced I become that Crux is deliberately taunting us and stalling. He knows he is cornered and is now plotting against us harder than ever, buying himself time.

I can’t fully comprehend how Peter fits into this intricate web, but a nagging feeling tells me I am onto something. Everything seems connected in some way. “I can’t believe Kyson let Peter stay,” Abbie remarks, voicing her confusion.

“Not without conditions. A guard will be with him at all times until we figure out what to do,” I reply with a sigh. It is a better arrangement than having him sleep in the stables unsupervised.

“I just don’t understand why Ester abandoned him again. And where could she have gone?” Abbie murmurs, her perplexity mirroring my own. Kyson is equally baffled by Ester’s actions. She had fought to save Peter’s life, only to abandon him at the first opportunity. It makes no sense.

“It’s as if she saw him as nothing more than a pawn, someone to be saved for her own benefit. She doesn’t deserve to be called a mother,” Abbie states firmly, causing me to pause in my tracks. Her words strike a chord within me, and I furrow my brow as I try to make sense of it all. Trey halts just in time to avoid colliding with me and steadies me by gripping my arm.

“You’re right,” I mutter, lost in my thoughts.

“I know. What mother does that to her son?” Abbie continues. I don’t even realize I’m still stopped in place, trapped in my own thoughts. Liam halts as well, placing a hand on Abbie’s shoulder to bring her to a stop. They both stare at me, waiting for an explanation. The gears in my mind churn as I consider the possibility that Ester is connected to both Kingdoms and somehow the council, she goes missing the same day Larkin does, that can’t be a coincidence.

“Azalea?” Trey murmurs. I look between them as they stare at me, the cogs in my head turning. Ester had access to both Kingdoms. And both Kingdoms were attacked by hunters.