Never once had Toryn tried to move their relationship toward a romantic one. Though sometimes she saw a spark of something more. She felt it also, but her love for Endiscott was too strong to let the seed grow.
Wiping away a tear, she looked down at her body. White trails of faint scars remained where she’d pulled Toryn’s wounds into her. Swallowing hard, she pulled on leather pants and a tunic. She grabbed her pack and climbed out the window to avoid seeing Toryn again.
He would convince her to stay if she faced him. Deep down, she knew that would be a mistake.
* * * *
A tear trailed down Toryn’s face as the door quietly shut. He sat there, wondering if she would risk going through the castle, or if she would choose to scale the wall down.
He wanted to stop her, dreading what came with her chosen path. Placing his elbows on his knees, he stared at the door to her dressing room.
Hours passed, and his heart throbbed in his chest. She had never been his, but when she healed him, he realized that could easily change. Over the years, a deep affection for Jayde grew, though smothered by the fact neither Endiscott nor Jayde ever truly let the other go. Each struggled with their current reality every single day.
“She’s not yours, Toryn,” Reance reaffirmed from the hallway door. “Her bond to Endiscott started to form the day they met. She’s destined to find her way to him. It’s a long, brutal road, but you’re both better off letting her find her way.”
He nodded. “It kills me to let her go, but it would tear me apart to betray their love. What I feel could turn to love, but not on the scale of what Endiscott feels for her, and certainly not anywhere near what she feels for him. More than a century and she’s still looking for a way to get him back.”
“When you see her again, and you will, you need to take her through the portal to Earth. And don’t be an ass when she leaves you behind. She’ll need time.”
Toryn wiped the stray tear from his face. “I would have been the easier choice.”
“Aye, you would have, but she is not your destiny and you two together would make the future harder than it already will be.”
Chapter 10
Glamoured to look like any other siren, Jayde made her way through the Water Realm. It took her an entire day to get there, the journey harder than she expected. The terrain was easy to travel, but ignoring the war-injured soldiers along the way tore her apart. No one could know the Paineater had finally come for Saressa.
Lakes and ponds filled the dark woods. Some beautiful, others murky and closer to swamp water, with terrible creatures. The musty smells of rot and decay clung to her clothes.
She stopped behind a tree near enough to see the castle towering in the distance. So close to the man who still held her heart after all this time.
Now to manage the impossible. Killing the woman who stole him away.
“Plans for Saressa?” someone hissed. She spun to find a man with blue-tinged skin, and slatted deep cobalt eyes.
“Alenathos?” she blurted out.
A smile spread on his face. “I presume your mother told you about me.”
She nodded. Mother always said, Never trust a dragon, least of all Alenathos.
“Nothing to say?” he asked, moving closer, nearly touching her.
Her brow shot up. “Move away from me. I’m not interested in anything you have to offer.”
“I can take you to the one you want. No one will know you approach until it’s too late and you can take Saressa by surprise.”
“What is it you want in return?” she snipped.
A cruel smile formed on his lips. “Her death ensures she leaves me alone. I believe we both want the same thing.”
“Nothing else?”
He shrugged, looking up at the tallest tower. Her gaze followed.
Endiscott stood on a balcony, looking out over the forest. Her heart thumped harder. “How do you know what I want?”
His smile warmed. “I have my ways.”
“You double cross me and I will destroy you,” she warned.
He dipped his head. “Saressa would do worse, which is exactly why I’m hoping you will kill her. You succeed, I have my freedom and I will owe you. You don’t, and I still owe you for trying.”
“You’re bound to her?”
He nodded. “As are many. She’s been collecting bonds to various men throughout Faerie. Endiscott wasn’t the first, though he truly did try to resist the bitch.”
Jayde’s eyes slammed shut. “The details are unimportant. I need to know if I’ve wasted years pining over a man truly in love with another, or someone who is stuck in an impossible situation.”
“Impossible situation. The bond forces him to feel something like love, though he truly loathes the woman.”
Her chest heaved in anger. “No more details. Take me to them.”
“A gift. I understand you’re quite talented with a blade.”
A thread of guilt wound through her at the thought of Toryn. Whatever she felt for him paled in comparison to her love for Endiscott.
She studied the long, curved blade Alenathos had given her. At first, it appeared to be bone, but closer study revealed a material far more precious. The weapon had been carved from a chimera fang. When embedded in a body, it secreted the creature’s poison. Only one cure, and they were days away from the Moonlight Citadel.
Her eyes narrowed. “And I won’t owe you a thing?”
Alenathos sighed heavily. “Why do they always say never trust a dragon?”
“Because you twist everything to your advantage.”
He nodded. “My freedom would certainly be an advantage. She means to strip mine. Do us all a favor and kill the bitch queen because I cannot.”
The statement caused her to pause for a second before she burst into motion.
* * * *
Endiscott shook his head. “The dragon? You bound the dragon to you?”
A humorless smile twisted her lips. “You, my love, have many advantages.” Her hand slipped under his waistband and wrapped around his length. His body responded instantly. “However, you are no spy, nor would I employ you as such. I could not live with myself if I allowed anything to happen to you.”
“As always, I’m nothing more than a possession.”
“No, you are precious. You are my heart and soul. I couldn’t lead this realm without you by my side.”
Huffing, he pulled away, tired of empty words. She loved him as far as the bond ensured, no further, as made evident by her brutal punishments and lack of respect. He’d found her with Aeremaius on several occasions. Early that very morning, she was wrapped around the dragon.
“Why did you enslave me with this bond when you won’t give me your heart?”
“You have my heart, Endiscott. But my body is a tool, a weapon. Sex ensures I gain power. One day we will rule over all of Faerie.”
“You will. Not I. Even if I had any inclination toward power, which I don’t, you would never let me share it.”
“Which makes you perfect for me. I’m sorry I have to endure intimacy with the others, but it’s you I see when I close my eyes.”
He walked to the balcony and felt a familiar pull. His heart slammed against his ribs. Praying he was wrong, he searched the woods, looking for the woman who still held the piece of his heart he’d locked away and buried in the deepest pits of his soul.
Jayde, his light on the darkest nights.
If you’re out there, please go. Run. Leave me in my prison while you go free.
If he were stronger, less selfish, he would have urged Toryn to claim her. But he was weak, proven when he fell for Saressa’s trick, and each time his body responded when she touched him. He was unworthy of Jayde’s true love.
He sensed her coming closer, from the secret passage. Startled, he spun and watched a siren rush in. Jayde wore another face, but his soul recognized her. She did not possess skill with glamour last time he saw her.
The years apart, more than a
century, never dampened his love. His heart warmed in her presence.
Saressa stalked toward Endiscott, not realizing there was an intruder. One he loved more than his mate.
His heart was torn in two. He couldn’t choose between protecting Saressa, or aiding Jayde in killing his bond mate.
Unable to tear his eyes from Jayde, he watched in horror as she threw out her hand and air whipped dirt and debris up around Saressa, halting her approach. The swirling motes converged, growing bigger.
A chill seeped through his boots and spread up his legs. He looked down to find ice growing around his feet, spreading upward, keeping him in place.
When he glanced up, Alenathos winked before slipping behind the hidden door as it closed. The ice continued to spread, ensuring Endiscott would remain a bystander.
With an unexpected calm, Saressa turned toward Jayde and flicked her wrist. The glamour immediately fell away, revealing her hazel eyes and chestnut locks tied in a ponytail.
A smirk formed on Jayde’s lips as she lifted her shoulder in a shrug. “He already knew it was me. He can still feel me.”
“But his heart is mine,” Saressa spat, not bothering to look back at his predicament. “Aid me, Endiscott.”
He let out a short laugh. “Your pet made it so I could not.” He saw it as a blessing.
She whipped around and found the ice flowing from the edge of the balcony, around his ankles, and on up his torso, still spreading. The cold didn’t penetrate his skin, but he was quickly becoming entombed.
Rage distorted her beautiful features, revealing the monster he knew lurked under the surface. “Jayde will never be my pet. The bitch will die before you get to touch her.”
“No. Your dragon—the one you fucked this morning—is who encased me in ice.”
“The beast will pay, as soon as I deal with your trash,” she hissed, flipping back to the other half of his heart.
Jayde closed her hands together and the boulders whipping around Saressa crashed into her. As she pulled her hands apart they moved away. Ice covered his mouth, preventing his scream. Closing her palms once again, the boulders beat at Saressa.
Saressa raised her arms and ice shot up around her, knocking the boulders back. “That was a mistake,” Saressa taunted. Her eyes faded to silver, glowing brighter than Endiscott had ever seen. Silver flames danced above her palms as the temperature dropped.
Cold seeped into his bones and he remembered one important fact of their bond. He could manipulate fire and water as well now. Not to the extent Saressa could, but he was able to push warmth at the ice, slowly melting his confines.
Jayde’s sparkling laugh filled his ears as she flicked her fingers toward Saressa and streams of water whooshed out his mate’s flames. Her hands spun in a circle and the water obliged, shifting to sweep around Saressa.
Reaching out a single hand, Saressa froze the water, then slammed her palm against the ice, shattering it. “You’re no match for me, Paineater. You may have siphoned a few parlor tricks, but you cannot come close to what I can do.”
Saressa burst into steam that flew across the room to surround Jayde. A shield of earth formed. Silver flames raced up the rock wall.
The cone of dirt rolled itself around the fire, trapping the silver flame inside. Jayde stepped away from the ring of earth.
Rock melted as flames rushed out, and Saressa materialized in the inferno’s wake. She spun around and wrapped her burning hands around Jayde’s delicate throat. At the same time, Jayde slipped a carved fang blade between Saressa’s ribs, going for her heart.
Stumbling back, Saressa touched the handle, her eyes narrowing. “Where did you get this?”
“Alenathos,” Jayde answered coldly, pulling her hands up as spears of rock formed in the air. She shoved her hands forward, and the stone embedded into Saressa’s shoulders, sending her flying against the wall before lodging in the stone behind her. “You would betray your mate for a dragon?” she spat. “Why keep Endiscott from me all this time?”
An evil laugh escaped Saressa’s lips as a trickle of blood seeped from the corner. “Without Endiscott’s help, you will never defeat me. And bound to me, he will never harm me.”
“You’re already dying. Nothing can remove the poison churning through your veins.”
“Think what you will.” Saressa lifted one hand and the remaining ice surrounding Endiscott turned to water. He fell to his knees, shivering, his teeth chattering so hard he could barely see straight.
The puddle flew toward Jayde, freezing as it went. Jagged ice spears pierced her back in numerous locations. Jayde sank to her knees as Endiscott’s gaze bounced from Saressa, to Jayde, who touched her bloody tunic with a stunned expression.
Her head snapped up to Saressa. “At least you can no longer control him.”
“No, no, no,” Endiscott pleaded. Losing one was bad enough. Both, he may not survive. He’d heard of people who lost their will to live when losing their bond mate. He still didn’t understand how he was destined for two women. It was unheard of unless one mate died.
The light faded from Saressa’s eyes, silver flames snuffing out as her body went lax, her head falling forward while blood dripped from her parted lips.
Wind whipped through the room, and Saressa was sucked through an invisible hole, leaving the stone embedded in the wall and blood trailing to the pool on the rug.
A pained whimper pulled Endiscott to Jayde. He crawled to her as she tried to push herself off the floor.
“No, darling, don’t move,” he pleaded. “I can fix this.” He tipped her face up and caught her gaze. Tears streaked down her face, same as his. “Do you trust me, my love?”
“You never stopped loving me, did you?” she whispered.
He shook his head, a sob escaping. “Never could.”
Alenathos appeared on the balcony. “Remove the shards of ice, then let me carry you away so you can heal her somewhere safe.”
“Safe?” Endiscott whispered.
He nodded slowly. “Let me take you to the Fire Realm where Saressa cannot go. Though I urge you to leave Faerie for good. She cannot follow across the veil.”
“The bitch is dead,” Jayde answered.
“Oh no, she’s not gone. You don’t have much time, Paineater. Let him help you, then flee.”
The last news Endiscott wanted to hear. His heart threatened to shatter with the knowledge he would never be free of Saressa.
Jayde’s hand tangled in Endiscott’s shirt. “Please, help me.”
Needing to comfort Jayde, to take her to safety, he nodded. For as long as he could manage, he would stay with her. “Lie down. I’ll be as gentle as I can.”
“I can block the pain, and stop the bleeding. That’s as far as I can take it on my own.”
* * * *
Blocking the pain from the physical wounds was the easy part. Jayde’s body only healed at accelerated rates when taking on another person’s wounds. Allowing Endiscott to heal her with her heart intact might be impossible. If Saressa was still truly alive the bond hadn’t been broken.
She lowered herself to the floor and let Endiscott remove the ice. His touch was gentle, and he infused some healing as he worked. Enough to ensure she would live. In order to heal the damage completely, he would have to touch her intimately.
Tears flowed freely with the knowledge he still couldn’t be hers. All of this was for nothing. Worst of all, Saressa was likely to push her boundaries and take the war to the next level.
“Shh, I’ll take away the pain,” Endiscott promised.
She didn’t have the strength to argue. Saressa would lay claim to him the moment she returned from wherever in the abyss she had disappeared to.
Alenathos spoke up, a sense of urgency in his tone. “Pick her up. You’ll have to carry her. The ride won’t be pleasant, but I can take you to the edge of the Water Kingdom, no further. You won’t have to travel far to find shelter.”
Endiscott scooped her into his arms. His warm br
own eyes locked on hers and a soft smile pulled at his lips. “I never thought I’d have you in my arms again. I wish the situation were different, that I ignored my vow and took you that afternoon. I wish—”
She covered his mouth with her hand. “Please don’t.”
His eyes closed. “I should have known. I never deserved your love, not even your attention. I’m not worthy.”
“You are. She tore us apart, but I love you, always have, and always will, no matter how far apart we are.”
“We’ll never be apart again. I’ll follow you into the abyss.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. Her failure to kill his bond mate ensured his oath was a lie.
Talons wrapped around them, pressing Endiscott tighter to Jayde. Each wound in her back throbbed with her heart as they shot into the sky and flew away from the Water Castle.
Reflexively, she cried out in fear as they soared over the canopy of trees. Endiscott held her tighter. “I have you. You’re safe in my arms.”
If only that were true.
Even as her heart splintered into a million pieces, she curled around Endiscott, soaking in his warmth as her temperature dropped. She let go of consciousness, trusting Endiscott with her life.
Chapter 11
Endiscott braced himself for landing as Alenathos touched down in the water. He carefully kept them raised above the rushing current and reached for the sand.
Alenathos stated, “You’ll have to carry her from here. I cannot cross the borders.”
Endiscott held back a frustrated growl. He knew well enough that Alenathos was as much a victim as he was. The way his bond worked was different though, the dragon didn’t love Saressa. He wasn’t sure if that was a blessing or not. Whose predicament was worse?
Changing Destiny Page 6
