Page 23 of Immortal Alliance

“Turn?”

“All things have a dark side, Baron,” he mutters.

Then he kneels down beside me and draws intricate runes at a speed that baffles me. “Guardians are no exception to that rule, especially when you take into account the fact that we are dark in nature.” He looks up at me. “Your job is to make sure you feed any energy you absorb back into the Veil so it can thrive. Keeping that energy inside you will only make you susceptible to corruption. Either that, or feed it into Eilish, but you must remove it from yourself.”

I stand and dust the chalk off my hands, scowling up at the sky above us, wondering if Eilish is doing the same. She’s changing me and I’m not sure it’s for the better. “I have feelings for her,” I reveal. “Feelings I shouldn’t have. And I’m afraid they’re weakening me.”

“Feelings aren’t a sign of weakness.”

I nod but I can’t say I agree. “Dragan has fallen for her hard, and I don’t want to stand in his way if it means losing him as an ally.”

“Why would you lose him as an ally?”

“Because he’s jealous of the bond Eilish and I have,” I respond.

“Could you leave her?” Pyre asks.

I swallow hard. “I don’t know.” I pause as I further consider it. “The dark bond she and I share, it’s growing. I thought it would have dwindled away by now, but that doesn’t seem to be happening.” I turn away and Pyre follows me to the next portal. We work diligently, side by side, to heal the Veil.

“Is that a problem?” he asks.

I shrug. “I shouldn’t be able to feel anything, right? I don’t have a soul.”

“It doesn’t matter what you believe youshouldorshouldn’tfeel. The truth of the matter is that you feel what you feel, so why fight it?” he asks with a shrug. “Life is short, Baron, even for those of us who don’t have souls.”

I consider his words but then shake my head. “I can’t allow myself to get closer to Eilish. I can’t become invested in her, not when our futures lead us in different directions.”

“And why is that?”

“I want to become the Guardian of The Veil. I’m working hard at this and I have no intention of giving it up. There are so many things I still want to learn.”

“Like what?”

“Like how to save you,” I say without thinking. Pyre’s head snaps around and he glares at me, but I don’t back down. “You’re always talking about dying, how could you think I wouldn’t pay attention? Not to mention the part of the broken prophecy that says you’ll die if a particular series of events come to pass. I won’t let it happen.”

“You have no choice, Baron. It’s best that you prepare for the outcome we both know is coming.”

“Fate is changeable.”

“Not mine,” he answers with no emotion. “I’m a necromancer. I know when death approaches and approach it does.”

“I don’t want to hear that bullshit,” I snarl. “I need you, Pyre. All of us do, for different reasons. The realms won’t be the same if you aren’t here.”

“All things continue.”

“What about the fae you protect? What about Noni?” I insist as I shake my head. “No. I will find a way to save you, prophecy be damned.”

Pyre faces me with a strange smirk on his face. One that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “You won’t give up on me,” he starts. “Yet you’re so quick to turn your back on Eilish.”

“Eilish doesn’t need me,” I protest.

“Do you truly believe that?”

“She has Dragan and Cambion and whoever else she chooses. Men fall at her feet… you’ve seen it.”

Pyre grabs my arm as if to drive home his point. “Eilish needsallof you, not one or two. All. That means you have to pull your head out of your ass and accept what’s happening.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”