Page 126 of Night Fae

Nyrissa snorted. "Of course it is for you. How does it feel to have one foot in every world?"

Leon looked at her briefly, then focused on Adrian and the others again. "I think I need to stay here."

"Stay where?" Daniel asked.

"Here. In Veridia. At the Barrier Temple." Leon's expression was resolute. "Someone needs to maintain the balance we created."

"You can't go home?" Adrian asked.

Leon smiled faintly. "I am home. Or rather, I'm between homes. It's where I belong now."

Malik felt Zev's hand find his under the table, fingers intertwining. He glanced at Zev, who was watching Leon with something akin to sympathy.

"So you're the new Barrier Keeper," Knox said, stating rather than asking.

"Yes. And part of that role will be ensuring that those with connections across worlds can still maintain them." Leon lookedaround at the gathered couples—Daniel and Caelen, Adrian and Knox, Zev and Malik. "Travel between worlds won't be simple or common, but for those who have reasons... I'll keep the path open."

That sounded reassuring, but Adrian wasn't convinced. "There used to be four Barrier Keepers," he said. "Can you do it by yourself?"

"For now, yes. As long as things remain this stable." Leon looked pensive. "In time, I'll find others to help me. There are more barriers than the one we just kept from shattering, more worlds out there than you can imagine. There must be more keepers somewhere." He licked his lips. "Yuri eliminated a good number of them."

"Why did he do it?" Malik found himself asking.

"I don't want to excuse his actions," Leon said.

Malik nodded. "I only want to understand."

Leon hesitated, but then he said, "He thought all the separate worlds would be reborn as one, as a whole, as a better,optimalworld. He believed all life would be reset, including the souls of the departed."

"He was mourning someone," Malik concluded.

Leon nodded. "He had a child he was not supposed to have. It was against the rules for Barrier Keepers to procreate." An unamused smile twisted Leon's features. "They didn't like that it led to creatures like us. People with mixed heritage who destabilize the barriers by existing. The effect isn't as pronounced in us since we're so grounded in our home worldsnow, but Yuri's child…" Leon lowered his gaze. "They executed her."

Malik didn't know how to respond to that.

Daniel did. "That's bullshit. I don't like this organization."

"Me neither," Adrian agreed. "But that doesn't mean it's okay to kill everyone and throw the world into chaos."

"No," Leon said. "None of what he did was okay."

Nyrissa's voice cut through the gloom. "See that you'll be a better keeper than he was. I don't want another apocalypse inmylifetime, thank you very much." She raised her wine glass. "To a brighter future!"

With that, she brought the discussion to a close.

CHAPTER 28

Later that night, Malik stood by the window in their chamber, gazing out at the night sky of Veridia. Even with the aurora gone, the stars shone brighter here than they did back home.

Zev moved behind him, arms sliding around Malik's waist. "What are you thinking about?"

"Yuri," Malik admitted. "I can't stop thinking about what Leon told us."

Zev rested his chin on Malik's shoulder. "That he threw worlds into chaos because he lost someone he loved?"

"Yes." Malik leaned back into Zev's embrace. "I keep wondering what I might have done in his place."

"You would never have killed anyone. You don't have it in you," Zev pointed out.