Page 23 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile (Compelling Fates Saga #3)

“This will not save your life,” Merrick growled. “Getting the beasts to help us might save this world, but those wyverns will not save you from the gods—from that prophecy. You promised me to fight for your life!”

“I also promised to save this world!” she screamed, her blood heating as his dark eyes refused to let hers go. “I promised the children… I promised it to myself when I left my home! I need to do this! We need them. I need them!”

“And I need you!” Merrick screamed back, color tinting the Death Whisperer’s cheeks as he threw out an arm. “We need you, Elessia! Don’t you see that?”

Tears blurred her vision as she followed his hand, and she swayed at the looks she got from the group of Fae and part-Fae before her.

“He’s right.” Her sister stepped forward, her lip trembling but her voice still carrying over the wind whipping across the wooden ship. “You promised not to leave me, Elessia.”

Raine nodded as he stepped with her sister, keeping Frelina steady. “This world needs you, Elessia. It will need someone with your heart and your loyalty and your passion to heal after the wounds it’s about to suffer.”

Kerym found her eyes as he also inched forward. “Trust us, Golden Eyes. The world will need as many of you as it can get.”

Even Thissian gave a swift bow of his head. “If anything… don’t do this to him.”

It was as if Kerym’s brother let all the pain from his own loss free, and Lessia actually stumbled back at the sight of it.

Was that what M?—

No. She wouldn’t go there.

Her eyes were desperate as they moved back to Merrick.

She didn’t want to do this to him… to any of them. To herself.

But what choice did she have?

They needed the wyverns if they were to survive.

A deep, familiar voice broke the loaded silence. “Maybe she can do both. Save herself and this world.”

They all shot straight up as wood slammed into wood and their ship creaked loudly, the sound rushing right through her, as another lined up with it.

Loche elegantly jumped onto their own, but it wasn’t his serious face that had her rip her hand from Merrick’s and sprint toward the other ship.

A mess of blonde hair glittered behind him, and tears flooded her eyes when Amalise’s blue ones met her own.

Lessia didn’t care about anything within her body that hurt as she sprinted right into her friend’s arms, slamming them both into the deck.

Wetness touched Amalise’s cheeks as well as she hugged Lessia, and as she pulled back, the words Lessia knew Amalise meant to be playful instead carried a sorrowful note as they came out. “You look like shit.”

Lessia forced a smile, easily picking up the jargon she and Amalise had perfected over the years to hide their pain. “Not all of us had the pleasure of hiding away in a cave with a hot man.”

She cast her eyes to Zaddock, who jumped from the other vessel to their own, seemingly very bothered by Lessia’s hurtling Amalise into the boards, judging by his dark, drawn-down brows.

Amalise’s cheeks heated, and she mumbled something incoherent before apparently gaining control of her features and pushing Lessia off her.

After getting to her feet, her friend pulled her up, although not as gently as Merrick had done before, and Lessia winced as the movement made the bandage scrape against her still open wounds.

“Sorry, sorry!” Amalise rushed out.

When Lessia waved dismissively, Amalise grinned, something mischievous glittering in her eyes.

“Well… on the topic of men. I heard quite the opposite… I heard you got yourself a very hot man. Or maybe I should say male?”

Lessia couldn’t stop her eyes from seeking out Merrick’s, and sure enough, his waited for her, love still filling them even after their argument.

“I did,” she said softly.

Amalise’s eyes widened for only a second before she pulled Lessia to her and slung an arm over her shoulder.

“Finally,” Amalise whispered, almost as if to herself, as she started steering them toward the group.

“If you’re done with all the man talk…” Raine threw them a forced smile, his eyes moving from Lessia to Merrick, worry still filling them. “What did you mean, regent?”

Cold crawled across her skin when she accidentally met Loche’s eyes, and her smile faded at what she saw in them.

Pain.

Anger.

Hurt.

Confusion.

She didn’t know which emotion in his storming grays was worse. But his turning away from her when she made to take a step toward him, moving to stand farther away, was like taking a slap to the face.

“I’ve heard from my spies in Vastala that the wyverns live near some place sacred to the Fae and your gods? The mirrors something? That you can call upon the gods there and get answers. Maybe you can ask how Lessia can do this without dying?”

Lessia swallowed at the fear that sneaked its way into Loche’s voice, and she didn’t dare look at Merrick, already sensing she’d find the same fear in his eyes.

“The Lakes of Mirrors,” Kerym mused. “No one has been there in centuries.”

“For good reason,” Thissian broke in. “The gods can’t be trusted. They may not be able to lie, but they twist the truth until you don’t know where in the world you are anymore. It’s a dangerous place.”

“But they allow us to speak to the gods?” Frelina asked, her voice not wavering, and Lessia shot her a grateful look.

“They do,” Raine responded. “At least that’s what the stories say. It’s worth a try.”

Lessia nodded, finally braving facing Merrick.

And when he reached out his arms, she wiggled out from Amalise’s embrace, and forgetting about everyone else on the ship, she walked right into them, allowing him to shield her from the world.

She listened to his strong heartbeat, wanting nothing more than to stay there forever.

But she made herself whisper, “Is that enough fight for you?”

Merrick nodded, and she let him pull her closer, merging their bodies as much as they could as he whispered, “I love you, Elessia Rantzier.”