“I am.” Only as he ’ported, I couldn’t. I needed a way back in. One look. That’s all it would take so I had the image.
As we passed through the dome room, I memorized the space. Yuck. It was nothing like I’d imagined, although the smell was the same. So dark and dungeon-like. There weren’t even any doors, just four gloomy walls constructed of a gray-black brick with slabs of floor-stones in a dull gray-green. Aged cracks in the floor’s surface oozed with slimy green moss, and right there in the center, a well. It was no wonder not one protector had ever visualized this as the entry point. Even I couldn’t believe it. Not that I would ever reveal it. No one could know I held the knowledge. I slammed my eyes shut as we continued on.
“Here we are. Your room.” Guy’s voice rumbled over my head as we arrived.
I lifted my eyelids. “What do we do now?”
He walked to the bed and carefully laid me down. “What we discussed at the cliff. Our memories will sustain us.”
“What?” He couldn’t mean this was it.
“I had to get you out of Dralion without any argument. I’ll speak to Faith and make sure she’s aware you’re not going back in.”
“You can’t be serious?” He couldn’t leave me. Not now.
“You fell off a cliff, and then broke almost every bone in your body. It’s my job to keep you safe, not to see to your harm.”
“It wasn’t your fault I speed-jumped. I’d have rather it not been off a cliff, but you were there and brought a healer.”
“You have your own healers here, and you would have found a softer place to land had you been here.” He gripped my hands between his. “And now one of the leading eight is aware I’m mated. No more, Silvie. You’re not going back into Dralion.”
“You want to end things, just like that?”
“I’ve aided you as Faith foresaw.”
“I still have to get back there. I haven’t done what’s needed. I haven’t even gotten close.” What else could I say to convince him?
“Maybe you’ve done enough, and if you haven’t, you’ll have to do it from afar.”
“You don’t want to be a part of this anymore?”
“I can’t watch you get hurt again.”
“I’m not ready.” My chest squeezed in on itself. I couldn’t lose him, not now. “I want more time with you.”
“As I do with you, but we’re getting dangerously close to the point of no return.” He pressed my hands to his chest. “I wish you every happiness, and—”
How dare he? I jerked free. “Don’t you dare trivialize what’s between us by saying you wish me well.”
“I’ll tell Faith to bring the pain killers.” He stepped back, his expression anguished.
“Great. You do that.” I squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn’t watch him go, not after all we’d been through. He was the one man I should always be able to count on, and now he was going.
“Get plenty of rest.”
“Go.”
The air moved. My arm hairs bristled, and I slowly opened my eyes.
He was gone.
Tears fell. I gripped his mother’s ring and tore it off. I wanted to toss it, to never lay eyes on it again, but instead I shoved it on the third finger of my right hand, where it fit the best.
“Hey.”
Faith shut the door behind her and strode to the bed. She popped the lid on a bottle of water and passed me a packet of pills. “I saw. Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, just help me out of these clothes, and no, I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Water and pills first.” She passed them across and I downed them.
“I should have thought of a softer landing, only there wasn’t much choice.”
“You did just fine, and Nicolas healed you. Wiggle up, okay? But slowly.” Gently, she eased the leather pants down my legs, and then with as much care as she could, unbuttoned my shirt and slipped it off my arms.
“My pajamas are in the dresser.”
“Gotcha.” She found a brushed cotton top with yellow sunflowers embroidered on the pockets, and white pajama shorts. My favorite set. “Are you sure you don’t want to talk?”
“Absolutely.” I changed and eased my head onto my pillow. “I can’t believe he’s gone.”
“You had next to nowhere to land, and he feels responsible for your injuries.” She scooted onto the golden covers beside me and pulled her knees to her chest. “He just needs some time.”
“Do you think Nicolas will be a problem? He knew we were mated, but we told him we were cousins.”
“Physically and emotionally it goes against the grain for healers to bring any harm to another. Think of Belle. She’s compassionate, kind and understanding. Healers, and those with empathy, have the same qualities.”
“Well, Guy’s gone.” And my heart was lodged like a stone in my chest. “Have you had any further forewarning?”
“No. Perhaps he’s done all he needed to in assisting you. You’ve always been the key, not him.”
I turned onto my side and winced. “I hate that I miss him.”
Soothingly, she rubbed my arm. “I’m always with you.”
I yawned. “I’m so tired, and sore.”