Page 41 of Thorn & Ash

Something snapped into place in Evander’s mind. Typhon. Of course. All this extensive use of magic must have triggered the change earlier than normal. That was why Evander’s connection with the creature was so unusual as of late.

“Evander,” Mona said, not meeting his gaze. “About what happened before… in the woods…”

“No, you don’t need to explain,” Evander said quickly, drawing closer to her. “My behavior was appalling and inappropriate. I… wasn’t myself.”

“But that’s just it.” Mona drew closer, too, taking his hands in hers. Her skin was warm and soft, and he relished the feel of it. “It was you. You were different, but I could still feel you there. You smelled the same. And I saw that awareness in your eyes.”

Evander frowned. “Mona, that wasn’t me.” And yet, he could remember that moment… as if he had been there. Suddenly, he wasn’t so sure what was real and what wasn’t.

“Tell me,” Mona pleaded, her eyes traveling to the wings behind his back. Evander waited for disgust or horror to cross her features, but there was nothing but awe in her eyes. “Tell me what happened to you.”

Evander sighed heavily. He didn’t want to unearth his dark past to her, to have her opinion of him tainted by this secret. But he owed her an explanation. He’d dragged her into this, and now he needed to help her understand it fully.

This was his own damn fault. Now, it was time to clean up his mess.

“As gods, we have our own particular brand of magic,” Evander began, pacing in front of Mona so he could avoid looking at her. “But here in the Underworld, it’s tainted. Cursed. It’s called death magic, and it’s much more volatile than the purity of the other gods’ magic. It has a mind of its own, and it’s alive.” He shuddered at the memories.

“I’ve seen what it’s done to my brothers,” he went on. “It’s corrupted their souls. Changed them.” He paused for a moment, thinking of Cyrus, the only brother who had been kind to him… until he’d let his magic take over completely.

“Eons ago, when I first ventured to the mortal realm,” he said, “I came across a powerful witch who offered to bind up my death magic so I could be free from it forever. I readily agreed, but I should have been more cautious. I should have known it wouldn’t be so easy.” He ran a hand through his hair, his breathing uneven. “She did bind up my magic, but it became something else. A creature that was a part of me. Something I had to surrender to.

“He’s called Typhon. He is the solid manifestation of my magic. I give my body to him every sunset, and he returns it to me every sunrise. But… ever since I met you, that’s changed.” Evander shook his head, frustrated. “And I can’t figure out why. Whatever strange magic has hold of you, it calls to Typhon, beckoning him forward. Neither of us can control it.”

He took a shuddering breath and finally turned to face Mona. Her eyes glinted with tears as she stared at him, her expression transfixed and full of concern and affection. Everything about her face was gentle and soft. No horror. No disgust. No hatred.

Gods, did this woman possess an unkind bone in her body? She was too good.

And Evander didn’t deserve her. He never would.

“The enchantment is bound to this stone.” He lifted the moonstone resting on his collarbone. “If I remove it, the spell will be undone, and the death magic will take over my body completely. But for now, we are separated. Two entities. Me… and Typhon.”

He approached her slowly, to give her time to withdraw from him. To recoil. But she didn’t. He took her hands in his, and she clung to him as if she wanted nothing more than to touch him. The thought sent a coil of warmth through Evander’s chest, followed quickly by self-loathing.

I’m not good for her. No matter how much either of us wants this, it can never be.

He closed his eyes before the anguish overtook him. “Mona.” He cleared his throat and continued, “Whatever magic my brother Vasileios is dabbling in, it’s too strong for me to penetrate. Even with Typhon’s help, I worry that meddling in his spell will unleash all manner of horrors in this realm and destroy everything in its path. This is more complex magic than I’ve ever seen. And… I fear what this means for you. Vasileios has bound your body to him in some way. The river Acheron is sick, and I can’t fix it. This is all beyond me now. I don’t think I have the power to keep you here, like this…” His fingers trailed up her forearms, memorizing the feel of her soft skin against him, the solid form of her here in front of him, her scent of roses and saltwater.

“Evander,” she murmured, and gods, the way his name fell off her lips nearly undid him right then and there.

A soft groan built up his throat, and he leaned in and rested his forehead against hers. “I wish I could keep you here with me,” he whispered. “But you must do whatever you can to escape Vasileios. What he’s doing, it… it could tear your soul apart forever.” He drew back, his throat tightening with remorse. “The only thing I can think of to keep you safe is… to send you back to the mortal realm.”

Mona stiffened, her eyes widening. “What?”

“I’ve heard whispers of resurrection spells,” Evander went on, his words coming in a rush. “It is possible to be brought back from the dead, Mona. And with your frequent visits to your sister, she can help you do this.”

Mona’s face paled, and she pressed her lips together, her gaze dropping. “I, uh, have already talked to my sister about this. I’ve given her instructions on what to do just in case… just in case…” She didn’t finish.

A heavy stone sank in Evander’s stomach, though he wasn’t sure why he felt so disappointed. Of course she had a backup plan. Could he really blame her? Right now, Evander was the only thing grounding her here, in this body. He wasn’t strong enough to do this on his own. He knew that, and apparently, she knew it, too.

He couldn’t fight Vasileios for her. He was too weak. The thought made him feel hollow and empty inside.

But perhaps she wanted to part from him. Maybe she didn’t long to be here with him. Not like he did.

“Good.” He wasn’t sure why his voice was so strained. “That’s good.”

“Evander,” she said again, drawing closer until their chests were flush against each other. He could feel her heat pressing into him, beckoning him closer. Behind him, his wings shuddered from the violent thrill of yearning coursing through him. She lifted a hand and pressed it against his cheek, her warmth thawing some of the chill swelling inside him. “All I want is to remain here with you. To finish what we started in the woods.”

Evander’s eyes snapped to hers. A bolt of scorching heat seared through him, fierce and merciless, and he had to physically restrain himself from shoving her up against a tree and taking her right here and now.