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Because instead of one draegan lord, he d have two. He didn t take
you the first time because you didn t have as much power as I did.
But now, that s all changed.
I ve barely started to figure out this magick thing, Gaige
protested. I could never be anywhere close to as powerful as you
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are.
His Gaige& always so blind to his own strengths, and unwilling
to believe in what he could do. Keiran couldn t help but smile. I
don t know what happened when the nyctophans attacked you, but
whatever it was, you didn t just open the doors to the magick
inside you, Gaige, you threw them off the hinges and dug into a
deep well that had never been tapped. Power is flowing from you
with so much force I can see it shimmering and crackling around
you.
Wh at?
You re a draegan lord in every sense now. And you re every
bit as strong as I am. You may have different abilities, but you re
unquestionably powerful.
At Gaige s uncertain frown, Keiran brushed long, finely
braided strands of hair off Gaige s cheek. That s why you can t
come back here, m aerlas. You have to go do your job you have
to end Byram. The others need your leadership and strength to hold
them together. They can t do it without you. And I have to stay
here and play my role.
I don t accept that. I won t.
It s not solely your decision to make.
Fuck that!
Keiran sighed. We have to think of everybody, not just what
we want. And it s not just about the draegans and humans
anymore, but all of Velensperia. We can t let Moh dredion get
free. He reached for Gaige s hands and twined their fingers
together without taking his gaze off Gaige s face. You know I m
right.
Gaige swallowed hard. No. I don t. I think there s always a
way. He tugged his gaze away from Keiran and looked down. But
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his eyes suddenly went wide. No! Damn it! Not now!
Keiran glanced down to see what he was staring at, and a sick
knot formed in his stomach. Gaige s hands, still locked with
Keiran s, had become translucent. There, but definitely not as solid
as they should be. His arms as well. As Keiran watched it spread to
more of his body. Which mean the potion was wearing off and
their time together was at an end.
He ached inside, knowing he was about to lose his mate. But
they still had things to say before it was too late. Gaige, listen to
me. Listen. He tipped up Gaige s tormented face until he was
looking at him again. I love that you re always so passionate
about what you believe in. It s one of the things I love best about
you, in fact. But in the end, I know I can trust you to do what s
right. You have to do what s right.
Gaige wrapped a hand around the back of Keiran s head and
tugged him into a fierce kiss. When he pulled back, his eyes
burned with love and determination. Power doesn t do me any
good if I can t use it to protect our people, our world, and you. I
won t desert you and doom you to martyrdom. I m getting you out
of here, Keiran. And then we re going take down Byram and
Moh dredion together.
Gaige&
No. His voice was firm, and it was if Keiran could suddenly
see his mate growing into a powerful and resolute leader before his
eyes. Even as his physical form continued to lose substance, he felt
Gaige s confidence grow. This is non-negotiable. I ll be back for
you. And until then, your job is to stay alive.
Keiran felt his heart rise into his throat.
Gaige was little more than a shimmer now. But Keiran heard
his last words loud and clear:
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I mean it, damn it. Stay alive!
And then he blinked out of existence, leaving Keiran alone.
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CHAPTER 8
Gaige came awake with a start. He sat up, confused and
disoriented for a moment, until he realized he was in bed his and
Keiran s at Kellesborne alone.
He yanked back the curtains around the bed, wondering what
time it was. The gray light of dusk seeped in through the huge
window, and the wall sconces that always burned, night and day,
thanks to the magick of the ancient draegan lords, cast a warm
orange glow across the room.
It was much later than he d expected it to be. He d slept for
hours.
Not long enough. The last view he d had of Keiran hung in his
mind and filled him with intense longing.
A ruckus in the hall outside the room drew his attention only a
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split second before the tall double doors were suddenly thrown
open. Before he could wrap his mind around what was happening
and reach for a weapon, a large figure stormed across the room to
the bed and had Gaige by the throat.
You sonofabitch! You weren t satisfied until you killed him,
were you? I should have finished you months ago!
The loud growl came from a disheveled wild man, or so it
seemed.
Get off me, Jax! The magick, without Gaige even thinking
about it, flared into a white-hot burn at his core, and with a gesture
of his hand, he sent the draegan backward to sprawl on the floor.
But like the damned nyctophans, Jax wasn t dissuaded. He
pulled himself to his feet, wincing as he did, and came at Gaige
again.
Gaige was vaguely aware of other activity near the door, and
out of the corner of his eye saw Iann and Lilia come in, closely
followed by Marta and Wen. Wen, took one look at what was
happening, at Jax charging at Gaige with murder in his eye, and
immediately drew his knife and went after Jax.
But Gaige had already thrown back the covers and stood. With
one hand extended, feeling magick pulse out of it, he caught Jax in
an invisible stranglehold. Instead of pushing him to the floor again,
he lifted him until his feet dangled off the ground and shoved him
against the wall, holding him there while Jax flailed.
Wen stopped in mid-stride and stared wide-eyed at Jax hanging
above the floor with no support.
Gaige held the big draegan s gaze, not letting him pull away
from it. The floor of the room began to tremble. Items on the table
and other flat surfaces skittered across them. Something fell and
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