Wren POV
My hope that Destin will wake up ebbs and wanes with each passing day. Some days, he opens his eyes and smiles. He asks about the twins and thanks me for caring for them when he could not. Between his naps, he tells me about the plan to get the children out of the Immortal Realm without Gracus being suspicious. I am angry that I wasn't told of the plan, but when he slips back to sleep, I forget my anger.
Other days are worse. He groans miserably in his sleep, and his eyes do not open. The poison in his veins becomes apparent on his skin, and I worry that he is fading away. The only thing that gives me a moment of peace is the symbols and runes on my right arm. They glow brightly, and I know the bond between us is repairing.
Today has been a particularly bad day. Charlie has had to wrestle Coren from the room more times than I can count. The little celestial is determined to heal him, even though we all know it is likely to cause him harm. Each time Charlie drags him out of the room, a string of Spanish curse words spews from Coren's mouth. I should scold him for his use of language, but I don't have the strength. Not today.
The door creaks open again, and I groan loudly. "Coren. Go, play, be a child."
Only it isn't Coren standing in the doorway. It is Nyx, and she looks awful. Dark circles line her eyes, and black smudges mar her skin. Destin mentioned something about her being lost in dark magic, but I didn't think the cost would be so apparent.
I get to my feet and step between her and Destin. I can tell she cares for him by the way she looks at him, and I can't help but feel a little jealous. She isn't offended by my actions and doesn't walk into the room.
"You don't have to worry about me."
I swallow hard and step away from Destin. She slowly moves into the room and stands beside him, looking down at his broken body. She sucks in a sharp breath, and tears stream down her cheeks.
"I loved him like a brother," she whispers. "Make sure he knows that."
My brow wrinkles in confusion. She kneels beside the bed and places a hand in the center of his back. A soft glow fills the room, but it quickly turns to flames. I scream as the fire surrounds the bed, and I am pushed back against the wall. "What are you doing?"
Nyx looks over the flames and gives me a weak smile. "Promise you will tell him."
"I promise," I cry, still not fully understanding what is happening.
I inch my way toward the bed, but the flames push me back, leaving burns on my skin. It doesn't keep me from trying. I yell out for help, but it comes too late. Macy rushes into the room just in time to see the fire engulf Nyx's body. She doesn't cry out, but I can see the fear on her face. It will forever be etched into my mind.
Her body is reduced to nothing but ash, and only then do the flames disappear around her. Hestitantly, I approach the bed, and a sob leaves my chest. Destin's eyes are open, and he is trying to get to his feet.
He rubs his arms like he is cold, and looks at the pile of ash on the ground. A silver necklace is lying in the center. Gingerly, he dips down and picks it up, turning the charm over in his hands. "What happened?"
"Nyx," I dare to breathe out her name. "There was a fire, and she…"
My voice fades away when I see the look on Destin's face. He sits on the bed and hides his face in his hands. I sit beside him awkwardly and lay my hand on his leg.
"She wanted me to tell you she loved you like a brother."
He smiles through his pain but doesn't look at me. His eyes are on Macy. She is barely holding it together. Her body is shaking with grief. Nyx used to be part of her. They shared one body and soul for a long time, and now that part of her is gone. That is why I don't move when Destin gets to his feet and holds Macy in his arms.
She breaks down and collapses in his arms. Destin is the only thing keeping her on her feet until Winston comes in. Destin passes Macy to him before holding out the chain in his hands. "Take this."
Her fingers close around the charm, and she whimpers in her mate's arms. Scooping her into his arms, Winston carries her out. I don't speak. I couldn't if I tried, I wouldn't know what to say. Nyx sacrificed herself to save my mate, and I will never be able to repay that kindness.
Destin slips past me and pushes the window open. As if the earth knows what has happened, a breeze flows through the room, twisting around the ashes without disturbing anything else. Nyx's ashes float from the room and disappear into the sky.
"Does she have family?" I whisper.
Destin's jaw ticks with irritation. "A father."
I try not to be hurt by his mood. Instead, I get to my feet. "I should speak to him. I need to offer him my condolences and my thanks for the sacrifice his daughter made for my family."
I try to walk out of the room, but Destin pulls me back. Our bodies crash together, and his eyes soften slightly. "You will do no such thing."
"I don't understand," I whimper. "She…"
"Nyx was dying already," Destin snaps. "Yes, she saved me, but she also saved herself from the dark magic coursing through her veins. Do not put yourself into debt with a Fae over this."
My lips press together in a hard line, but Destin doesn't let me pout for long. Tilting my chin up, he presses his lips to mine. The tingles from the mate bond spread over my skin, and I can't possibly be angry at him, not when he kisses me like that.
Parting my lips, I allow him to deepen the kiss, and he groans in my mouth. I curl my fingers against his skin, needing to pull him closer. He edges me closer to the bed, lying me on my back. Pulling away from the kiss, he hovers over me, and the door bursts open.
I look to the side and giggle when I see Coren and Veyra standing with their hands on their hips.
"You didn't tell me he was awake," Veyra pouts.
"You didn't give me time," I try to defend myself.
Destin presses his lips to mine once again before pushing off the bed. "Later."
He strides across the room, like he wasn't just on death's door for weeks, and picks up the children. He plants a wet kiss on each of their cheeks, and Coren growls more inappropriate words in Spanish.
Destin shoots me a glance, and I shrug my shoulders. "It is a long story."