Page 34

Calyx

R ogue was meant for great things, which I knew from the moment I laid eyes on her.

She’s magnificent.

If the courts in Faere hadn’t fucked with fate by ousting her mother, Rogue would have made a fine princess and eventually an honorable queen.

It’s been a few days since she welcomed her first set of travelers, and I’m actually hoping the universe sends more her way before she has to part with Serenity and the children.

She’s become quite the mother hen.

Truthfully, I believe it comforts some piece of her to know she can use her magic in honorable ways.

I doubt it’s possible for the average person to understand how devastating it would be to sense every well-meaning lie. That doesn’t even take into account the primordial magic she has coursing through her veins.

I’ve sensed her turmoil a few times as she’s internally battled with her emotions.

She would like the children’s uncle to show up, simply to have an excuse to do away with him.

That way, Serenity never has to worry about him catching up once she and the children are in the human realm.

They’re as safe as they’re going to get here, but once they leave the sithen, the ugly truth is that Taryn’s brother could pay for a portal to the human realm to continue to hunt them.

Rogue feels obligated to cut that off before it can occur, but she also worries what that means for her soul.

She has nothing to worry about.

Her mother’s magic hasn’t turned her evil by using it. The fact she worries at all proves that. Those who have crossed to the dark side don’t struggle with the moral repercussions of their actions.

My sweet fae has been up to something this afternoon. Exactly what is anyone’s guess, since the sneaky little thing banished me and Cohen inside the house.

She kept my tiger, though.

I’m trying not to pout.

I can appreciate a solid surprise from time to time. Normally, I prefer to do the surprising, but I’m adaptable.

Cohen snorts when he spots me peeking out the living room window. “You’re pouting.”

“I am not,” I lie.

“You totally are.”

Rogue approaches the small set of stairs that lead to the back door, and I jump away from the window before I’m busted.

“All right, princess, what sneakiness are you responsible for now?” I ask, wrapping my arm around Rogue’s lower back.

“Me?” She laughs, a light, airy sound filling the air as we head toward the fountain. “Maybe a little something.”

I chuckle.

It must be a pain in the ass to not be able to outright lie, but I find her honesty refreshing. “Color me intrigued.”

Cohen keeps pace at Rogue’s other side, and it feels like quite the domestic moment. The only thing missing is Owen, but last I saw, he was with Rogue, so he must be around here somewhere.

“I just hope you’re going to be happy. There’s every chance I should have double-checked to make sure it was okay before taking action…”

The massive pool comes into view, and Ash splashes around the steps in the shallow end. Owen stands close by with his arms crossed.

Gods.

I didn’t realize our matebond would allow Rogue to call for Dusk. He lies at the side of the pool, stretched out on his belly on the concrete, like he’s enjoying the cool surface. His head lifts as he spots us, and his eyes have me stumbling back a step.

Gone is the hazy white sheen from his gaze. Come to think of it, the missing patches of hair are gone too.

My jaw falls.

The drain I normally feel on my magic isn’t present.

Ash bounds up the steps and shakes out her full coat, splattering Owen with water.

“I thought cats hated water,” he grumbles.

Ash lopes toward the three of us, and Cohen sidesteps, knowing what’s coming. He quickly moves to Rogue, pulling her away, too, just in time for Ash to tackle me.

My back lands against the soft grass, an oomph escaping my lips.

Ash bumps her cheek against mine and lavishes her scratchy tongue over my jaw. She chuffs, betraying her excitement at seeing me, and my hands fly to her massive head.

“Gods,” I whisper as reality sinks in. I tilt my head to try to locate my mate. “What exactly have you done?”

Owen extends a hand, helping pull me to my feet. “If you’re not happy, that’s fine, but don’t be a dick.” He keeps his voice low, and I’m still sure Cohen and Rogue are able to overhear his words.

My chest gets tight as I spin to face Rogue. She has her hands interlocked and resting against her chest, like she’s preparing for bad news.

“How?” I ask, striding over and lifting her. “How did you do it?”

She wraps her legs around my ass and shrugs. “I think I tied their energy source to the sithen rather than you. It has immeasurable power, like way more than you or I individually.”

“Do you know if they’ll age and die?” I ask, brushing her hair back from her face as I move to cradle her cheek.

“I don’t think so. I believe they’re essentially as they were.

They’re still revenants. They just use the sithen as their battery pack now.

Because it has so much energy to spare, it’s able to rejuvenate them past what you were able to accomplish.

” She studies my face. “Are you angry? I can’t decide what you’re feeling, and it’s really starting to freak me out.

I can ask my mother to help me reverse it. My magic just wouldn’t let it go.”

“No, Gods. Please don’t take it back.” My head shakes. “I’m… Thank you.” The tremble in my voice betrays my emotions. “It’s the most incredible gift I’ve ever been given. I believe I might be in shock.”

Ash bumps her head against my thigh in an attempt to comfort me, but I wrap my fingers around the back of Rogue’s head, pulling her face closer to mine.

“My magic is convinced that you’ll still be able to summon them—even outside of the sithen—but they would simply return here once your need for them was complete.

” She smiles brightly. “The sithen seems to have accepted them as its built-in protection, and it gives them a whole lot more space to roam?—”

I shove my mouth to hers, pouring every ounce of emotion that I can’t seem to find the words to explain into the kiss and the bond.

Ash’s death has weighed on me for centuries. Now she and Dusk can have another chance at life here at the sithen.

Cohen comes up behind Rogue just as I pull back from the kiss. He wraps his arms around her and his fingers dig into my back.

The very last thing I’m expecting is Owen to appear behind me. He bear-hugs me from behind, extending his hands around Rogue and me to pat Cohen’s back.

“It feels like the family is all here,” the berserker says, and my damn eyes get misty.

It sure fucking does.