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Whirling around, tears immediately flooded her vision at the sight of Niyx standing there, as healthy and perfect as she’d ever seen him.

His dark hair was glossy, his brilliant amethyst eyes were bright with vitality, and the sharp lines of his tanned face softened as he looked at her and quietly, oh so quietly, said, “Hey, kitten.”

A sob tore from her mouth at the nickname she never thought she’d hear from his lips again. She couldn’t stop her reaction to it, couldn’t keep from bounding forward and flying at him with immortal speed. At the very last moment she had a fraction of a second to wonder whether or not he was really there, whether she was going to soar straight through him… But before she could slow her speed, she was already throwing herself into his arms—arms that caught her and held her tight.

Feeling his warm, strong,wholebody embracing her, Alex could do nothing but shove her face into his chest as she burst into tears.

“Shhh,” he said, rubbing a soothing hand up and down her back. “It’s okay.”

“It-It-It’s not o-o-kay,” Alex sobbed into the black material of his shirt. “You-You’re de-dead.”

A pause met her statement, until—

“Your bedside manner needs work, kitten. Talk about kicking a man when he’s down.”

As unfathomable as it was, a painful, startled laugh broke through her hysterical tears, the reaction enough to help her regain some composure.

As her sobs downgraded to hiccups and her body stopped buckling with grief, she managed to pull back and look at him, marvelling that he was really standing before her. She had hoped—she had so,sohoped—that the Gate would lead her to him, but now that she was here, she didn’t know what to do or say next.

Fortunately, he’d never had any problems communicating his thoughts.

Peering at her face, Niyx wrinkled his nose and stated, “You are one disgusting mess right now.”

Another laugh left her, this one not feeling quite so painful, and she smacked his shoulder with her hand, amazed anew to find him tangibly solid at her touch.

Wiping her face, Alex admitted, “I’ve cried more in the last week than I have in my entire life.”

“I know,” Niyx said with a white flash of teeth. “It’s been like watching one of those Freyan soap operas you once told me about. Pure drama.”

Alex was amazed that he remembered such a tiny detail when she couldn’t recall the conversation herself, but there was something more incredible about what he’d said.

“You’ve been watching me?”

He pulled a face. “Way to make it sound creepy.”

“But—But how?” she asked, shocked. “Are you… are you…real?”

Niyx shrugged. “What is real, really, if not but a matter of perception?”

Squinting at him, Alex said, “You never used to be this philosophical.”

“Maybe I’m not now. Maybe it’s you who is.”

Sadness filled her along with understanding. “So you’re just in my head, then.”

It wasn’t phrased as a question, yet Niyx still responded.

Using a finger to tilt her chin up, his eyes caught hers as he quietly said, “What was the last thing I told you?”

Alex didn’t need to think about the answer; she heard the words echo throughout her mind every day—his avid declaration that he’d always be with her.

Hardly daring to believe it, she whispered, “So youarereal? You’re really here?”

Niyx didn’t respond, neither confirming nor denying what she would likely never receive an answer for. Instead, he returned to their previous conversation by saying, “I’ve never felt sorrier for anyone than I have for Kaiden this past week. Stars, what that poor guy has had to put up with…” His face was comically offensive as he finished, “All I can say is, he’s got to be touched in the head. Certifiably.”

Alex narrowed her eyes and smacked his shoulder again, this time much harder. He rocked backwards, but he did so while grinning.

“He says ‘thanks’, by the way,” Alex said, remembering Kaiden’s words. “And ‘sorry’.”