Page 108 of Courting War
Theo would not give in. She couldn’t. The stakes were too high. “I’m not capable of love.” There wasn’t a star in the sky or a grain of salt in the sea that could alter that fact. It was an impossibility.
Wasn’t it?
Theo’s mouth grew dry, and her head ached.
It had to be true. Because if it wasn’t . . .
Fuck.A concession meant death to the one person Theo didn’t want to live without. Kellyn wasn’t just any mortal. He was . . .
Oh, decaying Valysia,she couldn’t even think of it. It was too close to being . . .
Theo sucked in a breath. “I don’t love any humans.”
Havyn laughed, the sound like a wailing harpy. High pitched and horrifying. “Now, that is a pathetic lie.”
Fire licked Theo’s intestines. “You cannot have Kellyn.”
Havyn eyed her sister and slowly picked an invisible speck of lint from her onyx dress as if not talking about matters of great importance. “Interesting you’d suggest him.” A wicked smile stretched across her smug face.
Oh, fuck.It was a trap, and Theo so foolishly fell into it.
Her eyes stung, and she held back all the emotions pooling in her belly. If she let them out, it would be an acknowledgment. A death knell. “You can’t have his soul.”
Havyn shook her head and ran a finger along her lip. “And what are you going to do about it, Theodra?” Her purple eyes curled into a blackness filled with crawling spiders. “A deal is unbreakable.”
“But not unbendable.”
“Oh . . .” Havyn raised an eyebrow, teaming with shadows. “Have you figured out how to bend it?”
“Take another soul.” Theo swallowed. “Any other soul.”
Shadows twisted around Havyn’s neck and reached out as if wanting to taste War. Theo waved them off like an irritating wind sprite. Havyn cocked her head and searched her sister’s features. “Which soul would you have me replace him with?” She paused, her voice soaked in cinnamon spice and mischief. “The original soul?”
“No, that’s not an option,” Theo snapped back, her voice hollow.
Anger pulsed in Theo’s veins like a war drum signaling battle. She was sick of being toyed with. Sick of Havyn playing her like a violin, stroking her strings, and forcing her into traps. All the gods did was tempt and tease, and Theo was sick of it.
“Well, well, look at you, loving two souls,” the words thrilled from Havyn’s tongue. “What an interesting dilemma you have.”
“I don’t love either of them.” Ice crept over Theo’s heart, and she willed it true.
Havyn scoffed. “Right, and I'm a mermaid.” She waved her hand dismissively. “See, what you said sounds just as ridiculous.”
Theo growled, gritting her teeth, and scrunching her fists tightly, resisting the urge to punch her sister.
Havyn’s eyes raked over War’s skin, touching first the tension in her muscles, then her stance before landing on her haunted face. The examination left goosebumps in its wake. “You have until the end of the Sacrifice. A little over a day to decide which one you want me to steal.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
KELLYN
Champion of Theoden
THEODEN QUARTERS, CITY OF THE GODS
It was a night forged from fights. First, with Morrigan, no, Theodra—he would never get used to that. Kellyn shuddered. And now a fight with Cecile. She’d lain in wait, accosting Kellyn as he entered his rooms.
“You knew about Gallagher?” Cecile yelled. “You were working with her this whole time?”
