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And yet, in this moment, she looked fragile. Breakable.

I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. She didn’t stir, just let out a quiet sigh and burrowed closer.

My chest tightened.

I didn’t deserve her. I knew that. I’d known it from the start. But I’d take every second she gave me and fight like hell to keep her safe.

Even now, the weight of what lay ahead pressed down on me. Aurelius. The blood rituals. The enemies circling closer. And Annika, tangled up in the middle of it all because of who she was… what she was.

I hated it. Hated that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t protect her from this.

But I’d try. I’d give everything.

I traced my fingers along her shoulder, over the faint scars that marred her skin. Proof of what she’d already survived. Proof of what she could endure.

My warrior. My mate.

She stirred slightly, her breath hitching before settling again. I pressed my lips to her temple, letting the warmth of her body seep into mine, grounding me.

I didn’t know what the future held, but I knew this… whatever came next, I wouldn’t face it alone.

I had her. And I’d never let her go.

Chapter Seventeen

Annika

Rowena returned just as the first light of dawn bled across the sky, her shadow stretching long at the mouth of the cave. Kael was right behind her, his arms laden with bundles of leaves and roots that smelled sharp and earthy.

“It wasn’t easy,” Rowena said, setting down her satchel with a heavy thump. “But we found it.”

I stood, my legs still shaky, but determination steadied me. Lucas was at my side in an instant, his hand brushing mine, grounding me.

Rowena knelt and began unpacking the ingredients, spreading them across the stone floor. The herb, which she called the Aetheris bloom, was darker than I expected, its leaves almost black with veins of crimson running through them.

Even just looking at it sent a shiver down my spine. It felt alive somehow, as if it pulsed faintly, in tune with my heartbeat.

“This is it?” I asked, swallowing hard.

Rowena didn’t look up. “Yes. Combined with your blood, it will bind Aurelius. It won’t kill him… not completely. That kind of power doesn’t die so easily, but it will put him back to sleep. If we do this right, he won’t rise again.”

Her words settled over us like a heavy fog.

Kael crouched beside her, already pulling out tools like bowls, pestles, strips of cloth. His movements were sharp, focused, but his jaw was set, his expression grim.

“Let’s start,” Lucas said, his voice tight.

I lowered myself onto the floor, across from Rowena. She handed me a small knife. I noticed its blade was wickedly sharp, and I swallowed again.

“We need your blood to activate the herb,” she said softly. “But you must do it of your own accord. It doesn’t have the same power if someone else cuts you.”

My hands trembled. Lucas knelt beside me, placing his hand over mine. His touch was warm, steady.

“You can do this,” he murmured.

I nodded.

The blade sliced quickly across my palm, sharp and fast, and the sting made me gasp. Blood welled instantly, hot and red.