Page 46 of Savage Sacrifice (The Savage Six #4)

POLARIS

A delicate touch sweeps over my cheek, swooping into my hair, my name nothing but a breath from their lips before the motion is repeated. It beckons me from the darkness, pulling me toward the light, lulling me to the surface as I pry my eyes open.

The dimly lit walls of the witches’ basement don’t greet me this time, but the sun. Squinting, my gaze settles on the man holding me in his arms, but he looks different.

A soft smile ghosts my lips as my gaze finds his, and relief glistens in his blue and green marbled pools.

“Asher.”

“Silver,” he whispers, his eyebrows gathering as he repeats the motion of running his fingers through my hair.

“You’re okay?” I ask with bated breath, and he nods.

“I am.”

“Everyone else?”

“The Savages are okay, along with Minnie and Beatrice. We’re all here,” he promises, and a sob rips from my throat.

Without a word, he tucks me against his chest, rocking me gently as he comforts me.

I don’t know how long it takes for me to calm myself, but it’s not long before curiosity creeps to the surface. “The curse?”

His eyes widen, a smile on his lips as he lifts his gaze from mine. I follow his line of sight to find Minnie, Beatrice, and Tatum huddled together, while Wylder and Blaze stand side by side, but it’s the wolf looking at me that holds my attention.

My heart races as my breath catches. “Lincoln?” I breathe, and he inches closer. The second I extend my hand, he nuzzles me, making my heart complete. “We did it,” I say louder, projecting the truth out into the world to make it real.

“We did,” Asher confirms, and a fresh wave of tears prickle my eyes.

Lincoln shifts before me, returning to the man I know he is, naked and all.

“For fuck’s sake, Lincoln. My mother is here,” Blaze grunts, wiping a hand down his face, and Beatrice cackles.

“Honey, I’ve seen it all. I changed that boy’s diapers every time he?—”

“Please stop, Beatrice,” Lincoln grumbles, earning another ball of laughter as Wylder tosses a pair of boxer shorts and sweats at him.

Everyone gives him a moment to change, and the second he’s covered, hurried footsteps pound toward us. Rushing to my feet, Asher beside me, I stand defensively, ready for another attack, when Belladora appears on the sandy path, four men hot on her tail, Octantis and Jonah among them.

“Belladora.” Her name falls from my lips effortlessly as she smiles at me.

“Polaris.”

I’m in her arms a moment later, startled, but comforted. “My sister?” she asks, and I grimace.

“She’s gone. They’re all gone,” Asher grunts, taking the awkwardness away from me.

Her eyes fall closed for a moment, and I’m sure she’s going to be sad or mad, but when she reopens them, there’s relief and disbelief.

“You did it. You broke the curse.”

Slipping my hand into my pocket, I take out my coin, watching it shimmer under the sun, and The Savages follow suit. Wylder is the last, but everyone grins with pride when his coin matches the same color as ours.

The moment is disrupted a second later when it slips from my hand, twirling in the air along with the other five coins before they make their way to their original owners.

Belladora and her men remain speechless as they capture their returned gifts, disbelief crinkling their brows. But as five danced their way through the air to them, one goes off toward the treeline, dropping behind a fallen tree.

“What on Earth,” Minnie says, eyebrows gathering as she stares off at the fallen tree, but her confusion is quickly eliminated when a man stands.

Slow steps draw him closer, and it’s only when he’s out of the shade of the trees that he lifts his head, revealing who he is.

“Felix,” Belladora says with a gasp, her hands trembling as the man offers her a soft smile. She leaps through the air at him a second later, wrapping her arms around his neck as he holds her close, breathing her in. All while I gape at him.

It’s not just any man. His soft brown hair is swept back in waves off his face, and the sadness in his eyes…

“The Crow.”

The words leave my mouth a moment later, and he turns to look at me over Belladora’s shoulder with a grimace. He lowers her back to her feet, cupping her cheek. “I’ve missed you, My Love, but I must explain first,” he breathes, his voice melodic.

She nods, despite the clear confusion in her eyes, releasing her hold on him as he turns to face me. “The curse separated us,” he starts, and I frown.

“I don’t understand.”

He exhales softly, scrubbing at the back of his neck before he stands tall. “I wielded the chains.”

“You destroyed the world to get back to Belladora,” Minnie blurts, and he grimaces.

“I wouldn’t put it like that,” he mutters, and she scoffs.

“I would definitely put it like that. Do you have any sisters? I could do with a female version of you,” she states with a wink, and everybody stares at her with wide eyes, but she shrugs. “What? That’s hot.”

“Can someone catch me up to speed?” Lincoln grunts, folding his arms over his bare chest, and Felix smirks.

“Should I finish the story now?”

“It might be fitting,” I mutter, struggling to comprehend that the man before me is the same man who has given us hell.

“Juniper told you most of it, I can offer the parts after that,” he explains, and I nod.

“They hated vampires the most, which is why they kept me completely trapped and separate from Belladora. I don’t know why they didn’t care that Timothe was one too, but I guess his social standing and well-respected parents worked in his favor,” he offers, glancing back at his friend, who offers him a sad smile.

Belladora steps toward us, placing her hand on Felix’s arm as she speaks. “What they didn’t know about is the child I had before the curse was conjured.”

“Child,” Beatrice breathes in surprise, and Belladora reaches out to touch my hair.

“You are a descendant of mine,” she explains, and Felix wraps his arm around her.

“I knew the hidden prophecy, the words spoken that fateful night, and I knew I could unwind their web. Unfortunately, every time I grew hopeful that the next child in her bloodline could help, something went wrong,” he discloses, but it still doesn’t make much sense.

“Over the years, I learned it had to be a female descendant, she had to be a mind witch, and she had to love freely.”

I feel my men inch closer to me in support, but I don’t dare turn away from the man explaining our history.

“Sometimes it would take forever for it to be a girl, but when the time came, she wasn’t a mind witch, and if she was, she would have Juniper’s stance on life.

” Irritation coils in my veins at the thought of it, but I try to shake it off.

Changing the minds of people who no longer live isn’t worthwhile.

“Your mother was a hopeful option, but she fell madly in love with your father, making it impossible, and I couldn’t tarnish that wholesome adoration they had for one another.

” My heart warms a little at the fact as he lifts his finger in my direction.

“Then they had you. There was something different, like I could see Belladora in your eyes,” he expresses, making my chest tighten as he grimaces again.

“I bargained with your parents to place you in Florentine’s to keep you safe, but also to hope that you would see that factions didn’t have to matter.

I kept tabs on you and almost considered compelling you to befriend someone until Sian came along and did it anyway, but it wasn’t easy; you were always guarded. ”

“That sounds accurate,” Minnie chimes in, lightening the air like she always does.

“Until you arrived here, at Trinity Falls,” he states, making my cheeks heat.

“You blossomed under the possibility of hope, searched desperately for your human friend while falling for four men who were not from your faction.” My blush darkens.

“Then came the fifth, devoted to you more than I thought could be possible for a vampire,” he murmurs, but the tightness to his lips tells me he’s not done.

“It’s okay. Whatever it is, just say it,” I offer, and he nods.

“I had to take matters into my own hands. I’m sorry if anything I admit hurts now, but you asked.

” I nod, and he proceeds on with the strength of Belladora back by his side.

“I compelled Sian to love Terence enough that when Blaze inevitably grew protective in your honor, she would grow to hate you. I needed someone ready to attack at the right moment so that someone could guard the light,” he starts, his gaze drifting to Wylder, who nods in understanding.

“I will always guard the light,” he promises, making my heart soar.

“What they don’t tell you as an arrival from Florentine’s, when they do the whole cup ceremony, it reveals who your blood kin is, they just don’t tell you.

I thought I would have to encourage you to be friends with Minnie, but that happened all on its own.

You were loyal and ruthless in your love for her.

The moment you took your life, I had to move fast.” He runs his hands through his hair nervously.

“I’m sure you know I guided you to Krystal,” he states, and I nod, too afraid to speak.

“The coins had to be in your possession so you understood, but I have to say, I was shocked it was Lincoln who broke the past to come in search of you. He didn’t even need any encouragement from me,” he says, seemingly just as bewildered now as he was then.

“Asshole,” the wolf in question grumbles under his breath, but Felix simply shrugs.

“I was never going to kill Blaze that night, I just needed him to think I was so he would react,” he continues, nodding toward Tatum.

“And I knew the love Blaze had for you would be enough for him to heal Tatum’s wounds.

Which brings me to Asher.” Sadness washes over his features as Asher remains stoic.

“You felt my wrath the most. I’m sure you can see it wasn’t always my doing.

The curse was… brutal under that mask.” He nods, but doesn’t say a word.

“It wasn’t all true, either. If you will allow me, I will drop the compulsion. ”

“Compulsion?” he rasps, and Felix nods. Asher twists his head in question, and Felix drops his hold on Belladora to stand before him.

“I saw how you fought hard for your family at such a young age, how much you cared. I needed you to be strong and ready when the time came for you to wield the chain. It’s not for the faint-hearted.”

“Why, though?”

“Because I needed you to be strong for her,” he adds, lifting his fingertips to his temples as he whispers under his breath.

I watch in awe as understanding washes over Asher’s features, and he bows his head, overwhelmed with whatever was just released. I don’t press, not now, not with an audience. There’s time for that.

“You hurt him, you traumatized him,” Tatum snarls, and Felix’s lips set in a thin line.

“I’m sorry.”

“I felt the weight of that mask for the briefest moment. I understand enough to forgive you. Besides, I know I would do the same for Silver without question.”

“What now?” Wylder asks, and I gulp, glancing at Belladora.

“Will I ever have magic again?” I ask, and she smiles, but the sad look in her eyes confirms the answer I know I’ve been avoiding.

“No. You died, Polaris. Really died. Restoring your memories is a blessing that the curse couldn’t take, but it took your powers. Since Lincoln remained anchored to this world, he didn’t face the same consequences from his sacrifice.”

I nod, saddened, but there’s no gaping hole in my chest like I anticipated.

“But I can see my markings. If I’m merely a mortal, I shouldn’t be able to,” I breathe, clutching at my neck.

“That’s not something I can even offer you the answer to.

You’re the only person to defy the curse, but you did so with a coven who you are mated and devoted to.

Maybe it’s a symbol of your love, despite the odds, despite the loss of your magic,” Belladora offers, and I sink my teeth into my bottom lip as I nod.

“So, what do we do now?” Blaze asks, reiterating Wylder’s question, and Belladora shrugs, grabbing Felix’s hand as she tugs him toward the rest of her coven, her men.

“Now, we go and see a world where the blood kin curse doesn’t exist, my sister’s greed doesn’t ruin lives, and where factions can live as one.”