Page 99 of Lethal Souls
“I believe Korah did all she could do, Caz. She didn’t know what Decius was planning. Like they said, they had no control over him. I’m sure they couldn’t read his actions like they can ours—not with him being such a huge attachment to Selah.”
“You believe a lot of what Korah says,” he mutters.
“Well, I don’t think she’s lying about this. You should’ve seen her, Caz. I’ve never seen a Regal get so torn up, but she was devastated when she told me the story about our parents. That’s probably why she didn’t say anything about it before. It was too painful to relive. And maybe she felt like a failure for not being able to protect them. But she saved me and Warren and took us to Earth, all so that one day I could mate with you. She made a sacrifice to try to protect our future. That has to count for something, right?”
His features soften, and he blows out a pent-up breath. Sitting on the edge of the tub, he takes my wet hand in his and strokes the back of it with his thumb.
“So much faith you have.” His smile is warm, comforting.
“I have faith we’ll get through this if we fight hard enough.”
His smile slips. “Willow, when it comes to this war, I don’t want you on the battlefield. Yes, I want you to train and prepare for the worst, but you can’t be in the midst of this fight. We have a bunker built below the manor. You’ll stay there with Maeve and Juniper until it’s over.”
I nod even though I wish I could do more. “Okay.” I hesitate. “There’s one other thing I want to talk to you about.”
When he connects those ice blue eyes with mine, my heart stutters. He’s so damn handsome. He clings to my every word like it’ll be his last.
I know telling him this—my request from Hassha—will shatter him.
But if I don’t tell him now, I never will.
So I open my mouth to speak, and as I do, his smile disappears completely and his irises flicker red.
SIXTY-ONE
CAZ
“I swear if you weren’t a Regal I’d shoot you dead right now!” I storm through the forest where Hassha and her tribe have set up camp. Cerberus is right on my heels, sniffing them out.
Hassha hardly reacts as she turns around to face me. “Ah. Willow told you.”
“Of course she fucking told me, and you will not do this, Hassha!”
“It’s what she wants, Caspian. I won’t deny what I owe her.”
“You know just as well as I do that Willow is selfless. She will never put herself first, especially when it comes to me. With a baby, that’s heightened. Deny her, Hassha. I’m begging you.”
Hassha glances over her shoulder at Milandra, who is fully alert and clutching the handle of her spear. She then presses a hand to my shoulder and leads me away from observing eyes.
“Willow wants the baby to be protected no matter what,” she says. “She wants the baby to be born, to thrive, and she knows that’ll never happen with Selah lingering around. Selah wants your child, Caspian, but if Willow gains energy from me, the child will be untouchable. They’ll be bound by my blood, just as my daughters are. Nothing will harm my girls, even if I die.”
“But she said giving birth to the baby could kill her if you do this,” I counter. “She doesn’t believe it will happen, but that doesn’t matter if there’s even a shred of possibility. Is that really what you want? For her to die just for a little power? I get it, she wants to fight and defend herself, but there has to be another way.”
“The only other way I can see is if the baby were already born. Then I could simply provide what I have to them. But they aren’t here yet, and even at this stage of Willow’s pregnancy, Selah can harbor that.”
I swallow thickly, and Cerberus whimpers at my side.
“How do I counter it? How do I make it so nothing happens to Willow and the baby is still safe if you do this?”
“You can’t,” Hassha says, her features softening. “Unless Willow backs out of it, there can only be one option. The baby lives, but she loses everything.”
“I can’t let you do it, Willow.” I march back and forth on the balcony. She’s sitting on a chair, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and her head bowed.
Night has fallen and the sky is clear for once, revealing stars and a swollen moon.
“Would you rather Selah keep attacking me? To take the baby away? Hassha and Korah can’t keep their energy up and protect us forever. Selah could find a weak spot and strike when we least expect it.”
“No, Willow! You know I don’t want that, but this is mad, don’t you see that? You are making the ultimate sacrifice just so this fucking monster doesn’t hurt us. You could die, Willow, and I know you want this baby to live. I want the same, trust me. There is nothing I want more than to create a life with you, but I cannot lose you in the process.”