Everlife (Everlife #3)

Afterward, as I cuddle against him, my cheek resting against his racing heartbeat, I can’t help but look ahead to our future. After we save the spirits here, we can work with Eron to save the people of Myriad from Ambrosine. If Archer and the others haven’t already done so, that is. We can live in Troika, as planned, without Killian having to go to court in order to defect, or even travel between both realms. But…

After his treatment in Troika, that may not be something he’s willing to do. I’ll understand. I won’t like it, but I’ll understand.

“You stiffened,” he says. “Tell me why.”

“Just thinking about what will happen after we rescue the damned. You know…where we’ll live.”

“We’ll live in Troika, and visit Myriad if we so desire— and if the realm still exists, of course.”

“Really? You’d be willing to pack up and move to Troika, even though you were treated so horribly?”

“You were treated horribly in Myriad, lass. The difference is, my people tortured you, and planned tae do worse. Yer people only locked me away.”

This is true. “To be fair, my people might have tortured you if we hadn’t been bonded.”

“Doona care. I’m choosing Light. I’m pulling a Tenley Lockwood and forgiving those who have wronged me.”

How much do I love this boy. “Thank you.”

“Even before my memory returned, I’d begun tae like the Light.”

I kiss his collarbone. “I’m sure the Light liked you, too. How could it not?”

He snorts. “The last time I had tae choose a realm, I picked based on hatred. Hatred for Archer, and his rejection of me. Hatred for the people of Myriad, determined tae prove tae everyone I deserved a family. This time, I pick for love—for you.”

As I luxuriate in the beauty of his words, a new bond clicks into place. A stronger bond. I can feeeeel his love for me, more luminous than ever before, every shadow gone.

“The Grid,” I say, and gasp. “It’s so much brighter now.”

“For me, too.”

Love has won.

No matter what else happens, love has won!

“Killian,” I say, grinning ear to ear.

He leans toward me, as if drawn to me, only to go still. We both go still.

He frowns. “Did you hear that?” he whispers.

In the distance, a twig snaps. For the second time.

I scramble for my clothes—zero! We left every garment on the other side of the waterfall.

Another twig snaps. The murmur of voices arises.

Incoming!

But will we find friend—or foe?





TROIKA

From: M_V_3/54.5.8

To: L_R_3/51.3.15, J_A_3/19.37.30, S_C_3/50.4.13,

C_M_3/5.20.1, T_B_3/19.30.2, B_S_3/51.3.13,

A_S_3/42.6.31, J_B_3/19.23.4, S_J_3/62.5.5,

M_P_3/45.10.9

Subject: RIP Tenley Lockwood I just received word. Tenley Lockwood has been slain inside Myriad, and she has not entered into the Rest. Because of her connection to Killian Flynn, she entered Many Ends.

Before his disappearance, Alejandro posed the question: What if she’s right, and we’re wrong?

I believe he was on the correct track. The girl needs our help. Let’s offer our help.

Light Brings Sight!

General Mykhail Vasiliev





TROIKA

From: S_C_3/50.4.13

To: M_V_3/54.5.8

Subject: Worse is on the way Forget Miss Lockwood. Penumbra is still spreading in the Land of the Harvest and Troika. Abrogates are loose. There’s no way we can cleanse them all, even with our ever-increasing number of Conduits.

Also, Miss Lockwood’s guardian hunted me down. After biting me for “daring to hurt the best human born in, like, ever,” he demanded an audience with you, Mykhail. Well, an audience with whoever thinks Miss Lockwood is “right about everything, always.”

I suggest you take the meeting. He claims we’re all going to die if we fail to do everything he says.

Light Brings Sight!

General Shamus Campbell





TROIKA

From: M_V_3/54.5.8

To: S_C_3/50.4.13

Subject: Stay the course I have a feeling the Abrogates are a distraction meant to divide our forces. You say forget Miss Lockwood; I say forget the Abrogates. More of our people are dead. Conduits we desperately needed. They are not in the Rest, but Many Ends.

The source of the shadows must be negated. And from whom do Abrogates receive their power? Their king. Remove the king, and victory will follow.

So, our first order of business is as simple as it is complex. Find a way to fill our trapped Conduits with Light. We can’t take down a king of darkness without Light. They are Light. And before you argue, know that this instruction comes directly from Eron.

So how can we get our Light into Many Ends? As for the dog, send him my way.

Light Brings Sight!

General Mykhail Vasiliev





chapter twenty-five



“In the end, you will have what you say.”

—Troika

Killian

As quietly as possible, I crawl to the other rock to retrieve our clothing. I toss Ten her garments and dress in my own as quietly as possible. She does the same.

I will protect this girl with my life.

Of course, I should have known my Ten would climb from the rock, determined to protect my life. She’s as fierce as she is beautiful, her loved ones always her top concern. And I am one of those loved ones. Me. Killian Flynn. She loves me with all her heart, soul and body. I’m still amazed, will probably be amazed for the rest of eternity. I’m not sure how it happened, only that it has; Ten told me so, and she never lies.

For the second time in my life, I understand the importance of hearing the truth and telling the truth. Had Ten lied to me even once—about something, anything, large or small—I might doubt her word now. But she never has, never will. Despite the consequences, she always tells me straight. Her word is as good as gold, no, better than, and from this moment onward, mine will be better than gold, too. I want her to experience the same trust in me that I have in her.

In trust, there’s absolute peace and utter joy.

Ten moves to my side, and together we inch forward. I kinda sorta want to murder our intruders in cold blood. Interrupt my time with Ten and suffer. But I’ll resist the urge. Barely.

I’ve never stuck around after sex, but this time I wanted to stick around more than I wanted to take my next breath. I wanted to hold my wife, enjoy her, bask in the pleasure we just shared. Pleasure unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.

Watching her come alive under my touch proved to be the great accomplishment of my life. So what that I wasn’t wanted as a child. I’m wanted as a man—Ten’s man. She is the soothing balm to every hurt I suffered in my past.

Muttering voices reach my ears, and I ball my fist, preparing to launch a sneak attack. Then the intruders come into view at last.

Ten gasps and rushes forward. “No, no, no. What happened? Why—how—are you here?”

Archer, Dior, Raanan and Reed swing around to face her. They are cut and bruised, their dirt-stained clothing torn. But Dior no longer appears sickly. I caught a glimpse of her as we fought our way to the Kennels, and shadows had filled her eyes and run through her veins.

Seeing Ten, Archer sprints to meet her halfway. The two embrace, and shockingly enough, I experience no hint of jealousy. Or maybe it’s not so shocking. Ten is mine. Willingly, happily. Always and forever.

Archer looks up, and our gazes snag. We share a moment of silent communication: I’m still not sure I like you, but I’m glad you’re here.

“How are you here?” she asks him again.

“After you died,” Archer says, “our Grids got nailed by a total blackout. We were severely weakened, which allowed the Myriadians to slay us quickly.”

Her eyes go wide, and she presses a hand over her mouth. “My fault. I’m so sorry.”

Through our new bond, I offer words of comfort, and she casts me a thankful half smile.

“Hey, hey now. No apologies.” He grins at her, saving himself from a…chat with me. No one makes my girl feel guilty about anything without severe consequences. “We planned to enter Many Ends one way or another to help you save souls. This just sped up the process.”

“So you owe me your eternal thanks?” she asks, her tone now pure sass.

He snorts.

“Where’s Clay?” She rises on her tiptoes to try and peek over Archer’s shoulder.