Page 48 of Immortal Alliance

The familiar thrum of the Veil’s power is the first thing I notice as I fight toward consciousness. Power is stronger here, but not as strong as the guilt I feel for leading Theren and his army through the portal. No matter what punishment befalls me in the hands of my allies, it’s well deserved. Even now, as my body feels bloated and waterlogged, I don’t think it’s enough. They should have let the kelpie have her way with me and allowed me to be lost to the abyss.

My eyes open and I see Baron kneeling over me. I scramble back on my hands, reaching for weapons, but the fight quickly leaves me.

“I’m not going to fucking attack you, dickhead,” the vampire says on a breath. “Jesus, I just fucking brought you back to life.”

I collapse against the ground. I’m exhausted and I can’t put up a fight even if I wanted to.

“Thank you,” I mutter as I squeeze my eyes tight. Part of me wishes Baron would just kill me, like I’m sure he wants to. It would be poetic, really, that the one who hates me the most would be the one to finally end it all. Would I remain here in the Veil once dead? Or would my soul return to the places that haunt me the most?

People tend to think spirits haunt them, but it’s the other way around.

When I open my eyes once more, Baron’s perplexed expression only fuels my own confusion. “I won’t make excuses for myself. I should never have stolen the mirror from Pyre’s secret room, and I shouldn’t have crossed into Oronrel without telling the rest of you.”

“Okay, that’s a good start,” Baron says.

I take a deep breath. As the minutes pass, I start to feel better and better. “Even though it wasn’t my intention to lead Theren back here, I had a part to play and for that, I apologize.”

Baron glares at me. “You think we’ll just accept your apology and forget the devastation you’ve brought on us?”

“No,” I reply. “I don’t expect you to accept anything I have to say. What I expect is punishment of the highest degree.” I turn to face Pyre. “My actions destroyed your home and they wounded the Veil. Innocent lives were lost, and I will never be free of the guilt.”

“Don’t forget that Morrigan escaped,” Baron adds.

I nod but don’t shift my gaze from Pyre. Baron can suck a cock at the moment. It’s Pyre I need to make amends with—or at least apologize to. “The torture I received at the hands of the Unseelie was... unforgettable, but it didn’t cleanse me of my guilt.” I take a breath. “I can only ask that you allow my soul to take dormitory here, in the Veil, upon my death.” I pause. “If you would be so kind.”

“Shut your fucking mouth, Cambion,” Baron says. “We aren’t going to fucking kill you, asshole.”

“You’re not?” I ask, shocked.

“Did you not hear me when I told you we just brought you back to life, dipshit?” Baron demands.

“I thought you brought me back to life so you had the full satisfaction of killing me again.”

“Fuck,” Baron grumbles. “You are even dumber than you fucking look.” He glares at me. “And you look pretty fucking dumb.”

Pyre lowers his head and glares in my direction. “You have much to atone for, Cambion, but you won’t die by our hands. As for your guilt and the torture you sustained, I see them as punishment enough. My fight is with Morrigan and her disciples, not you.”

The bitterness and the anger I once felt for my companions is no longer there. “Thank you. I will do whatever is asked of me so I may once again earn your trust. My lessons have been learned and, no matter how long it takes, I will never stop trying to right the wrongs I’ve committed.”

Baron stands and offers his hand. With his assistance, I pull myself to my feet and sway for a moment. He stares into my eyes and doesn’t release his hold. I feel something probing at me, something searching within me. It’s his power.

“He isn’t under her influence,” the vampire announces. Pyre releases a long exhale and both of them look relieved at the revelation. “Now, tell me what you learned while you were in Oronrel. We know someone has infiltrated the courts, and supposedly Morrigan has your brother under some sort of spell,” Baron says.

“The Midnight Queen does indeed have Theren hidden beneath a thick barrier of magic, trapped in his own mind.”

“Though not fully,” Pyre says. I look at him and nod.

“His interactions with Eilish on the battlefield cracked the barrier enough for him to pull through temporarily. And the things he revealed to me are quite disturbing.”

“Do you know who infiltrated the Unseelie Court?” Pyre asks.

I shake my head. “No, but whoever it was, they aren’t one of Morrigan’s followers. Aima sensed the magic signature and she believes this person was a changeling. Learning its true form may be impossible.”

I quickly look at Pyre. “Aima?” I start.

He nods. “She’s healing and in the hands of the Sentinels at the moment.”

I nod as Baron grabs my attention.

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