Page 48 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile (Compelling Fates Saga #3)

Lessia

L essia looked out over the snow-covered rock formations, the question of how the snow remained even in this warm weather vaguely crossing her mind before she turned to her sister, who stood beside her on the ship sailing toward where they’d last encountered the wyverns.

Frelina’s cheeks were still red for some reason—exactly like they had been when they’d found each other amongst the mirrored waters and quickly escaped the gods-damned lands.

As soon as she and Merrick had dressed again back in that horrid mirrored place, Lessia had somehow known how to get out.

Walking up to one of the reflections, which appeared to be her normal one based on the rosy cheeks and the small satisfied smile Merrick couldn’t seem to get enough of, as he’d made sure she came apart twice more—once with his fingers and then again with his skilled mouth—before he allowed her to get up, she’d pressed a hand against the surface.

As soon as she touched it, it melted away, revealing a disturbed Raine and a flustered Frelina staring right back at them.

Lessia’s heart had skipped a beat when she met their eyes—worry that they had somehow been forced to watch her and Merrick coursing through her veins—but she’d realized they’d been occupied with their own experiences when Raine hadn’t immediately cracked one of his jokes, as he surely would have if they’d seen what Lessia and Merrick had been up to.

It was as if the thought of Raine made him materialize, and she frowned as she watched him and Merrick take up the spot beside her, both males resting their hands on the railing, even if Merrick managed to stand as close to her as possible, aligning every inch of skin he could with hers.

She wasn’t too bothered by it, not just because she obviously enjoyed having him close but because she’d noticed what he tried to do lately.

He didn’t rush her in the mornings anymore.

He kissed her whenever he got a chance.

Whispered words into her ear that he’d usually saved for when they were alone, ignoring Raine’s quips about them being mushy.

Touched her everywhere he could.

Made jokes that weren’t particularly funny but that made her laugh all the same because of his studious expression.

He was giving her what she’d wished for: time, love, friendship, acceptance. And he was clearly trying to give her the one thing she knew he couldn’t… a future.

Her brows snapped together when Merrick remained quiet. His eyes drifted her way like they usually did, but they also… kept returning to his friend, and when they did so, there was something, a twinge of worry, disturbing the silver swirls within his eyes.

Lessia’s eyes followed, trailing over the burly Fae. There was something about Raine that irked her as well.

“What happened to you?” Lessia asked softly when Raine, who must have felt her eyes on him, threw a look her way.

Frelina stiffened on her other side, and Lessia sliced her gaze her sister’s way.

Why did she look… guilty?

“And what happened to you, Lina?” she continued when no one spoke up.

Silence. It was just… silence.

All right then.

“Did they… speak to you?” Lessia tried.

Nothing.

Raine still looked so unnatural, and why was there guilt in his green-and-gold eyes too? The green-and-gold eyes that were… clear?

“You’re sober,” Lessia gasped. “Aren’t you?”

Raine’s jaw tightened, still no sound leaving him, but she didn’t need to hear it from him.

He’d looked so strange to her because he was walking entirely straight, because his features weren’t the mixture of hardness and softness she’d gotten used to, because his hands shook in the way they did whenever he hadn’t had a drink in a while.

She hadn’t seen his flask either. Not on the mirrored, arched path leading them to the ship. Not as they got on the ship and it began moving. Not the entire time they’d collected themselves, got ready to get the wyverns and sail to Ellow.

“Was it… did the gods do something to you?” Lessia searched Raine’s eyes, noting the wince weaving across his face as he swallowed.

He swallowed three more times before he finally spoke.

“They believe I was wasting the life they’d given me,” he said quietly. “They took it… the liquor… Zharra… she said that I can’t use it to get through life anymore. That like any of the children she gives life to, I need to experience it or…” Raine swallowed again. “Move on.”

“She spoke to me as well,” Frelina interrupted. “For being the god of life, she isn’t the most cheerful, is she? She casually informed me I’d die alone.”

Lessia slipped her hand into Frelina’s when she heard the fear breaking through what Frelina probably had meant to sound indifferent. Squeezing, Lessia declared, “You won’t.”

But the words sounded as empty as she felt. The gods couldn’t lie. They could evade and elude and distract… but not lie.

The whole group jerked when Merrick’s whispers boomed around them, and Lessia dropped Frelina’s hand to grab her dagger, her eyes wide as she cast them around.

Raine had gripped his blades, too, and Frelina bared her teeth as she stepped closer to Lessia.

Merrick was the only one who looked… relaxed?

“What the fuck?” Raine spat when Merrick actually started laughing.

Nostrils flaring, Lessia thought Raine’s question was pretty accurate, especially as that sticky feeling layered over her.

She might not hate it as much as she used to—for some reason, his whispers more caressed than threatened her nowadays—but still… she could do without.

“Those bastards…” Merrick’s laugh rumbled around her, and she would have smiled at the expression on his face if she had a clue what was going on.

It was Frelina who finally kicked Merrick’s shin, causing the Death Whisperer to rein his magic in when she hissed, “What are you doing?”

It took a few moments for Merrick to catch his breath, but when he did, a thrill—and not the good kind—raced down Lessia’s spine. Merrick must have noticed because his arm wrapped around her shoulders, pressing her against him as he spoke.

“Those fucking gods… they tried to take our hope.” His dark eyes bore into Lessia’s when a frown pulled at her forehead.

“I heard what they told you. They tried to make sure you’d follow that fucking prophecy by making you believe there was no other way.

Frelina…” The hand not caressing her skin waved toward her sister.

“They knew her inner wish was to experience more than the island you grew up on. Of course they’d tell her she’d die alone.

But we all die alone! It doesn’t matter how loved we are…

in that final moment, our souls are alone. Trust me… I know.”

Merrick’s voice softened when he turned his head in Raine’s direction.

“And for you, my friend. It must have been the easiest of all… taking the one fucking thing that makes this life bearable for you. They took my magic in there, Raine! There was nothing of it under my skin, just… silence. But they did it for a reason! They do everything for a reason. And as you all noticed, it’s definitely back.

I’m sure you’ll be able to drink again if that’s what you wish.

They… the gods are scared of what we can do. I can feel it.”

Lessia just stared at him.

She’d never seen Merrick like this. Rage and love and hope and vengefulness all tangled across his sharp features—almost as if he wasn’t sure whether to scowl or smile.

But his eyes sparkled. His hair glittered in the setting sun. And finally, it appeared that determination won over all of them, his jaw setting, brows drawing down, and mouth settling on a cold smile that Lessia knew was directed toward the gods.

“Hope,” she mumbled. “You truly believe that?”

Merrick bent down to kiss her. “I do. They wanted us to stop fighting this fucking prophecy, so they tried to take away the one thing we care about most. But they couldn’t lie to me, not when I asked for what I needed in a way they couldn’t escape.”

She didn’t need to ask what Merrick had demanded to know from the gods. There was only one reason they’d gone there, after all.

Hope… She fought a chill raking down her back. Such a delicate thing.

Lessia caught Raine’s eyes, and she could tell he wasn’t convinced. Like her, doubt appeared to creep all over his skin.

She’d felt it back there—how the small ember of hope within her had finally been quenched.

But if it made Merrick happy?

If he smiled like this a little bit more?

Who was she to tell him he was wrong?

So when he kissed her again, she let him.

But when he finally pulled back as water splashed beneath them and the wyverns circled the vessel, Ydren leading the way, she could tell Merrick was the only one interested in the beasts’ company.

Frelina and Raine stood silently beside each other, each seemingly carrying heavy weights on their shoulders, barely reacting when water splashed onto the ship from the wyverns’ thick tails.

And when Raine met her eyes again… No, there was no hope in them.

Lessia had to look away, especially when a tear fell down Raine’s cheek as he shook his head at Merrick, who’d lifted a hand to welcome Ydren back.

Don’t, she thought, lowering the mental walls she’d gotten used to keeping up whenever Raine was around, since there was no telling when he’d decide to peek into her mind. Don’t take this away from him.

I won’t. Raine’s voice was sad even in her mind. But he’s mistaken, Lessia. I was the same in the beginning with Solana. I thought… there was no way it could end like this. But…

Maybe he is. She gave Raine a sad smile behind Merrick’s back. But even so, let him. Let him have hope for all of us.

Like guilt, hope kept a person moving.

Those two feelings had been the strongest for her at different times in her life.

Guilt had kept her alive in Rioner’s cellars. Guilt had guided her in Ellow and through the election.

And hope? It was hope Merrick had instilled in her when she fought her way back to strength. When he’d kept her steady. When he’d fought for her. And now?

She wasn’t certain which one had her step up beside her mate, grip his hand firmly, and smile widely before moving her gaze to the wyverns beginning to swim beside them as they headed north.

To Ellow.

To her friends.

To war.