familiar, and fed my magic into the trees. I imagined it flowing into them as a glowing light of life. Eventually, they released the animals. I felt it more than saw it, but I knew they were fine. Shaken, but alive.
My strength waned as the trees turned greener. The buds unfurled into flowers, and leaves appeared. My vision went blurry, and my thoughts turned slow.
One second, I was standing away from my physical body, and the next, I was inside it. For the briefest moment, I felt Hades’ arms around me. I should hate it, knowing the way he’d pushed my magic.
I didn’t. Couldn’t.
Before I could fully process the thought, unconsciousness reached up to take me. I collapsed, my knees going weak. The last thing I felt before passing out was Hades sweeping me off my feet.
Hades
In my arms, Seraphia collapsed.
“Seraphia!” The fear in my voice would have shocked me if I’d had time to think about it.
Her form had gone completely still, and fear was an icicle through my heart. I swept her up, then went to my knees, cradling her against me. Her face was pale, her cheeks almost hollow.
“Seraphia.” I shook her gently, cradling her back with one arm while I brushed the hair off her face with my other hand, wishing I wasn’t wearing the glove. “Wake up, Seraphia.”
Her breathing was shallow. Too shallow.
I pressed my hand to the middle of her chest, about to heal her.
She gasped, jerking, and her eyes opened. The emerald depths were slightly cloudy with exhaustion and confusion.
“Don’t,” she croaked.
“Don’t heal you?”
“Don’t want anything from you.”
Pain pierced me, a thin blade of steel through the heart. I blinked at her, surprised by the feeling. She hated me that much.
Of course she did.
“Are the animals all right?” she whispered, trying to sit up. She was too weak, and the movements were barely a twitch.
“They’re fine.”
“You almost made me kill them.” Accusation echoed in her voice.
“I didn’t. That was you.”
Shadows flashed in her eyes—anger and confusion. Regret. She had to know it was true. I hadn’t commanded that. I’d had no idea how she would use her magic, just that I was meant to help her embrace it. She was in control of how she used it.
“This place…” Her words were weak, but she seemed determined to get them out. “The darkness.”
“What of it?” My tone was sharp. “The darkness is this place. It’s the underworld. It’s not meant to be anything other than what it is.”
Frustration bubbled up within me, worthless, pointless frustration. I was a creature of the underworld, created from death and darkness itself to lead. And yet, she expected the underworld to be different. Expected me to be different.
“Don’t you see that’s impossible?” I asked. “Asking me or the underworld to be anything other than what we are is like asking the earth not to circle the sun.”
“Physics again?”
“Fate.”
Her lips tightened, and she looked like she wanted to say something. But her eyes fluttered closed, exhaustion seeming to suck her down.
I swallowed hard, staring at her. My chest was a riot of emotion, conflicting feelings battering against each other. It made my head spin. Made me want to rise up and fight something, anything, to get this energy out.
But I couldn’t. She needed me.
I swallowed the feeling down and rose, trying not to jostle Seraphia. She needed to rest. I carried her to Horse, mounting as smoothly as I could, then nudged him in the sides.
He took off at a smooth walk, and Seraphia’s mount followed. Though the walk was slower than my usual preference, it was better for Seraphia.
I held her close, trying not to be swayed by the warmth of her in my arms. It burned, as usual. But I loved it. Far too much.
I could die like this. Happily.
Fates.
These thoughts were insane. She was diverting me from my path, stirring up things that should never happen.
I looked down at her, trying to see her as what she really was—my opponent.
A worthy opponent. Not a pawn.
I wouldn't make that mistake again.
And she’d proved her strength here today. She’d been magnificent.
Unable to help myself, I looked back at the forest.
The enormous trees grew tall and strong, green leaves tipping each branch. It didn’t look bright and cheerful, but it was a gem of life in the middle of a sea of death. I’d never seen it like this—not in all my time in the underworld.
And yet, Seraphia had changed it on her first try.
I frowned.
What did this mean