Page 86 of Detonation

"I am Hypnos and this is my mother, Nyx," he gestures towards the woman who’s now gathering Gaia's body in her arms.

Serenity's silver eyes pop into view in front of me and she grabs my face, concern in her eyes and the deep lines between her furrowed brows. "I'm here, Lana."

Hypnos interrupts us. "Please, you must come with us. Her body is transitioning and she needs care that only we can provide in our realm or she won't be able to get through this."

A fleeting thought goes through my mind about how I would be with Ash and Gaia if they let me pass before I shake it from my thoughts.

I still have my realm and other mates to live for.

Luke questions, "What realm would that be?" at the same time that Zedd asks, "Transitioning into what?"

Hale walks over to us with Ash in his arms, standing next to Nyx holding Gaia, and somehow, the tears come anew. I thought I had none left to shed.

Nyx walks through the portal with silver, shining tears falling down her face as Hypnos crouches in front of us. "With Gaia passing, and Lana being her only living daughter, the title and powers have passed to her."

My men splutter as Serenity gasps. "Gaia is her mother?"

He nods in response. "Lana is a demi-god. We don't know how her body is going to be able to absorb all of this power but we must heal her wounds and monitor her in our realm—the realm of the gods."

"Excuse me, what? Are you telling me I'm now Mother fucking Nature?" I croak out, my eyelids falling shut as I do.

I'm ignored as Hypnos curses under his breath. "There is no time to waste. You must come now. All of her mates will be able to journey with us but you cannot."

I assume he’s saying that to Serenity.

The mage speaks, “We understand. I must take my mate back to my realm to reunite and heal as well."

Her mate? Is this Reese?

I would laugh if I could, at how dumb I had been for not putting the pieces together. A water mage held here since the end of the war.

I'm lifted into someone's arms and soft lips meet my forehead. Serenity whispers, "I love you, Anal. You’ll make it through. We will make sure the rest of your people are okay before leaving."

I try to speak but my body is slowly shutting down. All motor skills are gone and my consciousness is slowly fading as my head lolls in the crook of a shoulder.

Hale solemnly says, "We will not leave our brother.”

"Bring him, but we need to leave now,” Hypnos speaks, his voice getting further away from me.

Ash.

Gaia.

They’re gone.

With that thought, my heart shatters and I’m left wondering if I’ll ever be able to feel whole again. My body is pulled through the portal and I’m left floating in the darkness with my grief.

They’re really gone.