Page 118 of Alastair

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“This is certain?” Michael asked as we stood beside the lake. The boys had returned to the island with Night Fall, and we’d stayed in the celestial realm to tell the council of the bargain we’d struck with Asa—who now sat comfortably in the palace.

I had just told Michael what Alastair shared about the vision of Lucifer’s death. And in a way, it was the death of the boys too. Not dead, but not truly alive either.

“Yes,” I answered. “They will merge with Night Fall.”

“Then we’ll release their souls from the stones afterward.” Michael nodded to himself. “Problem solved. It will only be a temporary housing, like with Asa and the ring.”

I had also considered that option… until I’d realized the truth.

“I fear that won’t work.” Sorrow filled my chest—made it heavy. “When Belphegor placed Asa’s soul in the ring, it was a containment spell. The ring didn’t possess any power of its own and wasn’t meant to be a weapon. This will be different. The spell needed will infuse their life force with the sword. And once joined, it can’t be undone.”

It was like pouring water from a spring into a larger pool of water and then trying to scoop it back out. Once added, it would be nearly impossible to separate it again.

“Nothing is impossible,” Michael said after a short while. “I don’t believe the fates would bring you and Alastair together only to tear you apart so soon. There’s a way around this, and we’ll find it.”

“For a warrior, you lean heavily on emotion rather than logic.”

“A great warrior must have both.” His brown hair had grown out a bit over the past month, and the strands ruffled with the breeze. “I pass down judgments based on the facts presented to me, but emotion must come into play as well. Otherwise, I’ll forget myself. A cold, unfeeling heart leads to cold deeds and wickedness. Too kind of a heart leads to catastrophe. The balance of the two is fundamental.”

My house sat on the border between the autumn and winter areas of the realm. It was my favorite weather, not too warm or too chilly, but somewhere in between. I found little enjoyment in it that day. My eyes burned, and I told myself it was due to the crisp air.

“I can’t lose him, Michael.” Alastair’s mating mark tingled on my neck. I placed a hand over it as the burning in my eyes worsened. “How will I stand by and let him do this?”

“It’s a no-win situation,” he answered. “But as painful as it may be, you mustn’t interfere with the plan. Sparing him will allow Lucifer to continue his conquest of the human realm, resulting in the possible end of mankind.”

“I know.”

His brown eyes moved to me. “You’ve contemplated it. Haven’t you?”

My heart rate skyrocketed. Admitting it to him could be seen as an act of attempted treason on our realm, a punishable offense that would have me thrown into the same dingy cell Asa had been in. But this was my best friend.

My only friend, really.

“Yes, I’ve contemplated it,” I confessed. “I imagined taking Alastair far from this war even if it meant Lucifer’s victory. You speak of logic and emotion, and after learning what must be done, I battled between the two. Defeat Lucifer for the good of the realm and lose my mate in the process, or abandon my duty and protect him instead. Protect all of them.”

All of my boys. Boys who had grown to be the greatest warriors I’d ever known.

“And yet, you brought Alastair and the boys here so they could retrieve the same sword you fear will become their tomb.”

A tear slipped from my eye. “Yes.”

“I don’t fault you, brother.” Michael squeezed my shoulder before lowering his hand again and resting it on the railing. “I’ve grown attached to the Nephilim in my short time with them on the island. They are good boys with good hearts. They deserve much more than this life has given them. Which is why, even if you or I tried to stop them, they wouldn’t change course. They’ve made their choice. We must respect their decision.”

“You should throw me in a cell for that admission. Here you are comforting me instead.”

“Yes, well… you’re my best friend. And I know your heart.” Michael softly smiled. “It’s also a fine example of how I balance logic and emotion. Uriel, who rules with an iron fist and gives little mercy to those who step out of line, would punish you for even thinking such a thing, but I see the surrounding circumstances and the reason behind your thoughts. You love Alastair.”

“I do,” I whispered. “What an irritating emotion love is.”

“If given the choice, would you stop loving him?”

“No.” Loving Alastair had opened my eyes—and heart—to so many wonderful things. I didn’t feel as cold.

“About this morning…” Michael’s cheeks turned a dark shade of pink. “I apologize.”

“This morning?” It took me a moment to remember. And when I did, my face heated. He’d seen me naked. “Oh. That.”