Page 106 of Accidental Fae (Fae War Chronicles 1)

To know love once is a gift.

But twice?

Ember rolls over onto her back and groans. It’s then I notice the paleness of her complexion. As fear takes root, I kneel at her side and press my hand to her forehead. It’s cool to the touch, far cooler than it should be.

“Ember.” I shake her. “Ember.”

Her eyes flutter open, and she groans again. “Rafferty? I feel—” She tries to sit up but falls back down. “No. It can’t be happening. This is different.”

“Different?”

“Usually when my disease rears its nasty head, I’m hot,” she whispers as she draws the blankets up to her chest. A violent shiver overtakes her, and her teeth begin to chatter uncontrollably. “But I’m so cold.”

I don’t even hesitate as I rush around the other side of the bed and climb beneath the covers. Gathering her into my arms, I pull her into my lap and cradle her against my chest. She begins to relax slightly, but that does nothing to ease my own terror as I realize what’s happening.

The bond with Taranus is killing her, eating away at her because the second blood exchange was not made. I’d hoped that since she’d shown no signs of fading, the bond between them was void given that she didn’t speak the oaths herself.

A hope that is now dead.

“Thank you,” she whispers. “If it’s too hard—”

“It’s not. Shh now, and get some sleep.” Lust and want are the last things on my mind.

“Okay.”

“You’re welcome.” I cling to her as she drifts to sleep again, not releasing her body even as she warms up. And then I realize that with the bond secure, the promise I made to Fin just sealed her fate, as well.

I’d been so enraged over what Taranus had done that I didn’t even think before I sent him off to re-spark a Rebellion that is going to destroy the one thing that matters to me.

If I kill Taranus, I lose Ember.

If I let Taranus live to save her, I lose hundreds—if not thousands, including the sacrifices of those who died that day in the camp—of Meena.

Save one.

Lose many.

Kill one.

Lose everything.