“I think he takes advantage of you, and it’s not because you have autism,” I said. “You’ve never had a boyfriend before, so it’s not like you know what to expect, and him being ten years older than you gives him a hell of a lot of leverage.”
“You never had a boyfriend before Ethan,” Odette said.
“Yeah, and look how that turned out.” I took a pause. “Why isn’t Igor mated, anyhow? He’s ancient to be without a mate.”
“Um… his mate broke their bond after they were together for a year,” Odette confessed. “She said she couldn’t deal with him, I think, and married someone else.”
“Imagine that.” If his own damn mate couldn’t tolerate Igor, I doubted any woman on this earth could.
She made a face. “Okay… if I’m honest, I’m really getting tired of him. He’s the neediest guy ever, and that’s saying a lot for an alicorn.”
“Do you want me to show him the door? I’d be more than thrilled to put a foot up his ass.”
She sighed and flopped backward. “No. I’ve gotta do it. I know I’m not happy.”
I sat beside her. “Sorry to hold you hostage in my room, but I couldn’t think of anything on the fly.”
“It’s okay.” Tygrys purred when he saw Odette, and flew over to nestle in her hair. “I wanted to talk to you in private anyway.”
“About what?”
Odette chewed her lip guiltily. “Well… I didn’t tell everyone everything I learned at the Pool.”
“What? Why?” I asked in shock.
“Emma, my dryca ancestors want me to share certain things with only you,” Odette said. “It’s not that they don’t trust our friends, but there are some things only you can hear. They told me that specifically.”
“So what did they want me to know?” I crossed my arms, annoyed the druids didn’t just tell me outright when I’d been at the Pool.
Odette gave a nervous laugh, and slowly sat up. “You know the prophecy says you’re going to die, right?”
“Yes. The hag made that clear.”
“Well, there’s a way around that,” Odette said, and hope rose. “But… you can’t be with Ethan ever again.”
My gut took a heavy blow. I was winded as I asked, “What do you mean?”
“In the Pool, I saw a path, diverged by two roads.” Odette held up two fingers. “You were standing at the crossroads, trying to see which path to take. On one path, you allowed the demon to take Ethan’s life. On this path you stayed alive.”
Odette shivered. “But on the other, you saved Ethan from the demon. The two of you mended your relationship, but it was all for nothing, because Ethan led the Hidden King right to you, and you died as a result.”
“But we know who the Hidden King is. It’s Elijah,” I argued. “Ethan would never lead his cousin to me.”
“I’m not so sure.” Odette shook her head rapidly. “I know that Ethan will be the key to the Hidden King destroying you. Ethan won’t want to. It’ll be an accident, but it’ll bring about your death.”
Odette quaked with fear. “This is serious. If you’re not careful, the Hidden King will hurt you. I asked my ancestors if there was another way, but they told me this road only leads to two paths. Your life, or Ethan’s.”
My entire form had turned to ice. “So I have to let this demon kill Ethan. If I don’t, he’ll be the reason Elijah kills me?”
“Yes. My dryca ancestors made it clear I’m not to interfere with any choice you make. This is your decision alone. You can save yourself if Ethan crosses into the Great Hunting Grounds beyond.”
Odette took a deep breath. “But if you save Ethan from this demon, and get back together, the Hidden King will find you. And you will die.”
Odette was white-faced. “The sight of you lying there, your eyes glassy and clothes covered in blood… Emma, it was so scary. I never want to witness that again, especially not in real life.”
She reached out to take my hands as her big blue eyes shone with tears. “Emma, promise me you’re going to let Ethan go. You have to, if you want to save yourself. The shifter you love is already gone. This is the only way.”
Odette gripped my fingers tightly, but no matter how hard she begged, I just couldn’t make that promise. I loved Ethan. My life, or his? A futile decision, even with how far gone he was.
But the prophecy had taken this out of my hands. I