Page 120 of Between Imminent Fates

By now, several of the other lieutenants had teleported to them, immediately catching wind of the conversation.

“We have to talk to him, Celeste,” Zeke said, desperate. “Will you—”

“He’ll receive us now, sovereign,” she replied. “Isaiah has opened his home to the ones Key originally spoke to.”

Zeke nodded, understanding the urgency. “Tzuriel, maintain the territory. Kaien, Remmus, grab your mates and meet us there.”

Without delay, Zeke teleported them into Isaiah’s territory.

A quick glance around told her that many of the others were already there. The vampires and their mates, wolves, the Elementals, all of them must have been teleported in by Raeths of Isaiah’s own clan or Nero’s.

Now that her shock at seeing Isaiah had worn off, she recognized what she’d missed before.

Obviously exhausted, Isaiah had lost a considerable amount of weight. Fatigue clung to the Raeth like a bad sunburn, and every inch of him looked weather beaten. Reluctance shadowed his face when he caught Zeke’s stare, but to his merit, Isaiah didn’t cower at the intensity he found there.

The moment Zeke began advancing on him, his lieutenants pressed forward, ready to defend their weakened sovereign with their lives. If she hadn’t been shocked at her sovereign’s actions, she might’ve taken offense to theirs.

But when Zeke extended his hand, it was to grip the other man’s shoulder before drawing him into an embrace. Immediately, Isaiah stiffened, holding his breath in a way that made it clear he was still waiting for impending violence.

When none came, Isaiah’s frame relaxed, and thin arms reached up to return the embrace.

Zeke retreated. He gripped Isaiah’s shoulder and asked, “Was she scared, Isaiah? In the end?”

Isaiah instantly softened, and he sluggishly shook his head. “No, Zeke. Dedicated to the cause, yes. Resolute, yes. But scared? No. Nina knew what she was doing and what it would lead to. We all did.”

Zeke nodded silently, turning to find a seat somewhere in the crowd. Celeste watched him, wishing she could feed him energy through clan bonds. Now that she was cut off from him, she had no ability to do so.

Rukia quickly ushered Isaiah into an armchair, then perched studiously on the arm beside him. Undeniably, if any of them made a wrong move toward her mate, she’d had no qualms in taking out the threat. The same was true of the Sylth lieutenants that hovered around the room. None of them would allow Isaiah to be injured.

Isaiah leaned forward and put his elbows on his knees, clasping his hands together. “I’ll tell you what I know. Key approached Nina and me four months before she disclosed the battle to us on Nero’s island.”

Drake asked, “You knew before the rest of us?”

“It was a necessity,” came Isaiah’s even reply. “Our research was tedious and time consuming, and it was imperative that we begin it immediately. For months, we came up emptyhanded, but in Nero’s archive, and the one below the vampire council building, we finally found what we needed.”

Zeke needed confirmation. “Which was what?”

“Records of sovereignties being transferred from one Raeth to another without bloodshed,” he nodded at Derikles, “and of using Key’s Link ability to combine our Reaper gifts.”

Kaien crossed his arms. “We had all believed Reapers couldn’t be touched by Links, nor Amps or Mirrors. What did you find that made it possible?”

“Nina found that if we bring our abilities closer to the surface, Key could grasp hold of them,” Isaiah grimaced. “We sought the Light.”

A brief lull as the immortals in the room pondered what he’d disclosed.

Gideon spoke after a few moments. “That’s why you asked how I kept my sentience while I became my element.”

Isaiah nodded. “Yes.”

“And you already knew,” Gideon questioned, his molten gold eyes betraying the deep emotion behind his ask.

“Yes. And I’m still glad she has you.” Isaiah’s features pinched in disdain after he spoke the words, and then he snapped at Gideon, “Stop making me feel sentimental. I hate that feeling.”

A round of laughter lightened the moment, and Drake clapped back, “Ah, there’s the Isaiah we all know and love. We missed you.”

“I’m certain you did no such thing, vampire.”

“Why did you keep it from us?” Locking eyes with Isaiah, Zeke demanded answers. “You and Nina and Key—none of you would explain your goal, and Key purposefully kept us in the dark about what you three would do that day.”

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