“Most males born of a witch mother don’t have any magical powers, but I do. Mostly related to healing, at least, that’s the part of the power I’m most interested in and have cultivated. Butthat doesn’t mean I can’t grow the other parts of my powers,” Riven says.
“So we have me, who has weakened powers. And you, who is only half witch. Doesn’t seem nearly enough to undo a curse that I’m sure entire witch covens have tried to combine their powers against to break,” Ambrose says sarcastically.
“We also have Emeric and your entire Moonlight pack,” Riven says.
“What? I’m not a witch,” Emeric says.
“No, but since Ambrose is, the entire Moonlight pack has some level of powers. Maybe they don’t manifest in the same way as other witches, but that power can be harnessed to help break a curse,” Riven says.
“Still not enough. And we won’t be convincing any other witches to join our cause when they think they’ll control us the second the next full moon comes around. Lumi will have no choice but to mark with me because of the blood deal we made, and I’ll have no choice but to choose the witches’ curse to break in order to keep my mate alive.”
“We don’t have to break the curses for everyone, just for one person. For you or Nyx. Breaking either of your curses would significantly help. Or breaking the blood deal between you and Lumi. That would require the smallest amount of magic,” Riven says.
“The blood deal lasts an eternity, I’m not sure I would call that small magic,” Ambrose says.
“But it’s magic created by two people, so maybe it can be broken by two people,” he continues.
“Nyx and I broke our blood deal. It can happen,” I say.
Everyone stares at me like I’ve grown two heads. I shift uncomfortably in my seat and look at Nyx out of the corner of my eyes, like I may have said something wrong.
“It’s true. It’s more like we both willed it to end. We released each other from it, and so it broke. But by that point, I’d already broken the deal, so it wouldn’t shock me if I dropped dead at any moment,” Nyx says.
I glare at him, not impressed by his joking about dying.
“Well, then, we should start with Ambrose and Lumi’s blood deal.”
“No, that doesn’t solve anything. Breaking their blood deal doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t protect Lumi,” Nyx says. Nor does it protect him.
“But it gives them both free will back. Isn’t that important?” Riven looks from me to Ambrose.
Ambrose is about to answer before I jump in.
“No, it’s not. We both had free will when we made that deal. For the time being, it stands,” I say, hating every word that leaves my mouth. Hating that it means that I will have to accept Ambrose as my mate. But it’s the only way to ensure that Nyx lives. I need Ambrose to keep to his part of the blood deal. I need him to break the curse for the vampires to save Nyx.
Both men look at me with sadness in their eyes for different reasons, but it’s the right thing for now. There is no other choice. Ambrose might be my mate, but I don’t fully trust him to do the right thing for Nyx. And Nyx I love too much to risk his life.
“Then we should focus on breaking Ambrose’s individual witch curse with magic while ensuring Nyx stays sane long enough for you to break the vampire curse on the next full moon,” Riven says.
I nod.
“At least we have a plan now,” Sylara says, her own eyes displaying some disappointment in me.
I don’t care. Nyx lives—the rest I’ll figure out later.
Chapter 6
Nyx
“Does it hurt?” I ask Lumi when she approaches me in the living room while I stare out the large windows at the fading sun sinking over the horizon. She’s almost survived an entire day since Ambrose’s curse was triggered. Her standing next to me isn’t triggering any psychosis. I’m not filled with rage to kill her. But I don’t know how much longer it will last.
I spot Talonis and Brax standing at the edges of the living room. I’ll never be left alone with Lumi as long as I live, which probably won’t be much longer.
She glances down at the new markings on her hand that shine brighter than her silvery white hair. “No, it doesn’t.”
“Are you lying?”
“No. Why would I lie?”