Page 38 of Hexual Healing

“That's not…” I couldn’t even finish my sentence.The horror of what she was suggesting was too much.

“A solution?It's the only solution that doesn't end in massacre.”It faded, the dream collapsing before I had time to form a complete thought.“Think about it.Your chaos for their order.Your life for his.Isn't that what love really is?Sacrifice?”

I woke up gasping, covered in sweat that had frozen to my skin.My breath came out in visible puffs.The room was positively arctic.

“Tansy?”Baz was beside the bed instantly.“What happened?The temperature dropped twenty degrees in seconds.”

“The curse,” I managed through chattering teeth.“It showed me… It said…” I was too horrified and cold to speak.

“Shh.”He pulled me against him, and warmth flooded back into my body.“It was a nightmare.Just a nightmare.”

His skin was already showing frost damage where he touched me.

“Let go,” I said.“You're getting hurt this time.”The only flash of pain from our contact was from my own guilt.

“I'm fine.”

“You're literally developing frostbite.”

“Worth it.”

“Baz?”

“I'm.Fine.”He held me tighter, and I felt his magic push back against the cold.Bear magic, warm and steady and stubborn as hell.

Was bear magic even a thing?I didn’t even know shifters had magic.

“Whatever it showed you, whatever it said, it was probably lying,” he finished.

“What if it wasn't?”

He pulled back enough to look at me.His eyes flashed gold in the darkness.

“Then we figure it out.Together.”

“It said the curse would transfer to you if we mated.That it would kill you slowly.”

“Good thing we're not mating then.”

“But the magic…”

“Can want whatever it wants.We make our own choices.”He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.It had turned white as snow.“I choose to fight beside you.Mated or not.Cursed or not.”

“Even if it kills you?”

“Especially then.”He smiled, and it was sad and fierce and beautiful.“I've died before, remember?It's not that bad.”

“That's not funny.”

“It's a little funny.”

The house rumbled in agreement.Because, of course, it was eavesdropping.

“The curse wants me to go back to her,” I admitted.I left the murder/suicide bits out for obvious reasons.It was never gonna happen.

“The curse can want whatever it likes.What doyouwant?”

I looked at him, reallyfocused.At the frost damage healing on his arms.At the steady certainty in his eyes.At the way he held me like I was worth the pain.