Page 90 of Bellamy

“Jesus, you’re a mess.” Clara dropped down beside him and started rifling through her bag for supplies. When one of us was injured with a celestial weapon, she patched us up. She specialized in healing magic, and although she couldn’t fully heal us, her powerful salves and remedies helped soothe the worst of our wounds.

“Can you fix me, doc?” Castor asked.

“Of course I can.” Clara flicked the center of his forehead. “That’s for getting yourself stabbed.”

Kyo chuckled before nuzzling the back of Castor’s red hair.

“Bellamy.”

Dragging in a shaky breath, I looked at Phoenix. And damn if my heart didn’t fracture even more.

“I didn’t mean for this to happen,” he said. “I know I should’ve told you about Asa’s plan to set you free, but I—”

“You’re damn right you should’ve told me!” I stepped toward him. “But honesty isn’t your thing, is it, Phoenix? You lie and manipulate, all for your own gain. What did you gain from this? Did you think it would put you back in Asa’s good graces?”

“I would’ve helped you escape even if he hadn’t told me to.”

“Bullshit.” I gripped his nape and tugged him closer. As his eyes met mine, I sensed mine change to their true color. He saw the real me when no one else did. That’s why his betrayal cut so deep. “I fell in love with you. I’m such an idiot.”

Phoenix’s chin trembled. “I love y—”

“Don’t say it. Don’t you fucking say it.” Hearing those words from him would crush what little spirit I had left. My hand shook as I undid the buckle on his collar and tore it off his neck. “Get the fuck outta here before I kill you.”

“No.” Phoenix squared his jaw. “I’m not leaving you.”

With the collar off, his magic was no longer suppressed. He was free to go.

“I don’t want you here,” I lied through my teeth. Because fuck it all, Ididstill want him. I always would.

None of my brothers interrupted us. Not even Galen. Maybe they realized how badly I was hurting. They didn’t want to make it worse. What’s done was done.

“You don’t mean that,” Phoenix said.

“Leave. I won’t tell you again.”

“That’s your decision, then? To cast me aside?”

“Yes,” I answered, soul cracking. “We’re just like you said. A disaster. I see that all too clearly now.”

“You’re right.” He nodded, gaze darting to the burning mansion before returning to me. “This is how it was always going to end for us.”

Phoenix leaned in and closed the gap between our mouths. I whimpered at the softness of his lips as they pressed to mine. I wanted to both shove him away and pull him closer. My desire won over though, and I grabbed his hips, leaning more into his kiss. It didn’t last nearly long enough before he broke from my lips.

“I love you,” he whispered, resting our foreheads together.

And then he disappeared.

I dropped to my knees as a sob tore through my throat. My home… my mate… everything was gone.

Chapter Fifteen

Phoenix

The dual moons of the underworld hung in the dark sky, casting blue and red hues of light on the ground below. As I walked toward the castle courtyard, the leaves of the cherry trees glowed soft pink, beautiful and frozen in an infinite reality.

But not all beautiful things lasted.

Darkness sometimes found a way to creep in, to choke the life out of every good thing I found even an ounce of joy in. I knew that all too clearly now.