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“Not that part,” she whispered. “I meant, are you mad about Aven?” She swallowed and added, “Back in the Library cavern—after you gave me Niyx’s letter—I know I told you that it was my fault Aven became a monster, but I never went into detail. I never said anything about how he…you know…” She couldn’t even bring herself to say the words.

Kaiden’s fingers traced a soothing pattern on her shoulder as he considered her question. But he didn’t consider for long before his body started shaking with suppressed amusement.

“Are youlaughing?”

“Not at all,” he fibbed, humour clear in his tone. “It’s just— I’d be a hypocrite if I blamed the guy for falling in love with you.” He dropped a kiss onto the top of Alex’s head. “Truthfully, I can’t fault his taste.”

Pushing back so she could look him in the eyes, she was startled to see they were bright with mirth. There wasn’t a trace of accusation or condemnation in them.

Reading the confusion—and the fear—in her own eyes, Kaiden cupped her face and whispered, “That wasn’t us, Alex. You know it wasn’t.”

Overcome by the gentle understanding in his tone, a tear leaked out of her eye, and he leaned forward and kissed it away, before pulling her close again so she could rest against him once more.

“No one blames you for what happened—not in the past, not in the present,” Kaiden said, much more firmly this time. “Just as no one believes for a second that you’re responsible for the death of anyone. The fault lies with Aven alone. And everyone—every single one of our friends—knows that to be true.”

Another tear leaked from Alex’s eye until she was able to get it together enough to keep the rest from flowing.

Understanding that his words had taken root and he didn’t need to say any more, Kaiden turned silent, just watching the view with her.

Quietly, oh so quietly, she began to share with him—telling him how everything had happened with Aven from beginning to end. How she’d begun to recognise his feelings and had enlisted Niyx for advice, not wanting to lead Aven on. How it had been useless, because Aven had continued to fall for her. She shared how he had sought out and found the humans as a gift for her— at which time Kaiden drew her into his lap, holding her even closer as she confessed how their deaths were on her hands, evenif she accepted that Aven was to blame. Finally, she brought everything back to the present, explaining how with Lady Mystique dead and her memory-repressing enchantment—a result of her mental gift as a Tia Auran, Alex now realised— having dissolved with her passing, Aven, along with all the other Meyarins who had known her in the past, would now know that she had been with them as Aeylia once upon a time.

When she was done, she quietly got the rest out—firstly about the prophecy she’d heard the previous night and how it was the reason for her needing to escape with Xira until morning, and then about everything she’d learned from Zaylin that day. Kaiden’s body stilled beside her at certain points— particularly at the mention of the eaten hearts and what they might mean—but all the while, he continued tracing light, comforting patterns onto her skin, his touch soothing away her tension. Or perhaps it was merely his presence. But whatever it was, she was nearly asleep in his arms when he spoke, his words tentative but also certain.

“There’s something I need you to do, Alex.”

Despite the two doses oflaendrashe had ingested that day, the lack of sleep from the previous night had now fully caught up to her, so around a yawn, she mumbled a questioning, “Mmm?”

After hearing Kaiden’s request, all traces of fatigue vanished.

“Are you out of your mind?” she all but screeched at him, jumping to her feet just so she could pace along the edge of the balcony.

“You know it makes sense,” Kaiden said, rising as well. “Youknow, Alex.”

The insane thing was, she did know. She knew more than anyone. But that didn’t stop her from shooting off a string of mental curse words and questions to Xira, asking him to back her up.

Unfortunately, he was on Kaiden’s side. And worse, Kaiden seemed to know what she had done.

“What does Xira think?”

Trying to avoid the question, Alex answered, “He’s a draekon. What would he know?”

The look Kaiden sent her was both comical and knowing.

With a sigh, Alex admitted, “He thinks it’s wise.”

Kaiden didn’t rub it in. He just nodded, waiting, it seemed, for Alex to realise the same. And because of that, it didn’t take much more convincing from him—and from Xira—before she reluctantly agreed.

“Thank you,” Kaiden whispered, moving closer.

“You can thank me later, presuming this doesn’t backfire spectacularly,” Alex grumbled, but she still melted into him when he ignored her sour mood and drew her into his arms again, enveloping her in a hug that was almost—almost—as good as his kisses.

They stood like that for a long time before reclaiming their seats, with Alex curling up in Kaiden’s lap once more. Together they watched the city in silence, knowing this would be their last opportunity to do anything so peaceful for some time. One way or another, after they finished their final Gate the next day, they were headed home. This would be their last night in Tia Auras—and, as ostentatious as Vardaesia was, Alex realised she would miss it.

But she was also ready to return to Medora and face the future, knowing that it couldn’t be put off any longer.

It was time for Aven to be stopped, once and for all.

Twenty-Four