year’s Tryouts?”
“The Chamber of Fears,” Jonah answers. “I watched my sister die.”
“And I was here with this well. I couldn’t have faced it without your help. I couldn’t have destroyed it.”
He looks over my shoulder at the well, his eyebrows knitting together. “Do you remember what I said to you?”
I grin at him, resting my palms on his chest. “You said I’m Corvina Fucking Charles, the most bad ass woman you’d ever met.”
Jonah chuckles and wraps his arms around me. “And I wasn’t wrong.” He tucks my head under his chin and kisses my hair, his heart pounding against my ear. “I forgive you, Corvina.”
“I don’t deserve to be forgiven,” I mumble into his chest.
“You were just a kid,” he says. “You had no control over your powers just like the rest of us didn’t.”
I close my eyes, my tears soaking through his shirt. “I wish I never jumped into that stupid well.”
“We all wish at times we never became a shadowborn.” Jonah pulls me back and frowns at me. “But if you hadn’t, we’d never have met, and as much as you’re a pain in the ass, you’re my pain in the ass.”
I chuckle, my cheeks heating up. “Are you saying that you love me, Mr Vincent?”
His reply is to kiss me, and I smile against his lips. This is the only forgiveness I will ever need.
When we go back to the cottage, we find David sitting on the porch. Jonah lets go of my hand and enters the cottage first, his shoulders tensing as he prepares to confront his sister. I don’t think I’ll ever stop feeling guilty for the pain I’ve caused them both. While Jonah may have forgiven me, I highly doubt his sister ever will, and I don’t blame her.
“She finally calmed down,” David says, jutting his chin over his shoulder. “Sage may or may not have knocked some sense into her.”
“Is Sage all right?” I ask, my heart stuttering with concern. I love that Sage always has my back but I also hate the thought of pissing Jane off even more. At the end of the day, I’m the one in the wrong, not her. Jane doesn’t deserve to get hurt even if my head still aches, and I’m pretty sure she pulled out a few clumps of my hair.
“It’s Sage we’re talking about.” David takes a drink from his flask, the edge of his lips twitching. “Of course she is.”
Chuckling under my breath, I enter the cottage to find everyone gathered around the table. Jane is in the kitchen behind them, preparing dinner, and her eyes never leave me while Jonah whispers in her ear. With obvious reluctance, she sets the soup bowls down on the table and follows him up the stairs. I sigh and sit down between Gage and Pitch, trying desperately hard not to focus on Jonah’s cum making my panties wet.
“So,” Zander starts, tucking his hands behind his head and glancing around the table. “What’s the plan?”
“We can’t stay here forever,” Gage sighs, crossing over his arms. “We need allies.”
Zander nods. “Maybe King Chiron can be persuaded.”
“Persuaded?” I repeat, looking between them. “What do you mean?”
“Ever since King Ares ascended the Throne of Luna, Chiron has remained passive to our wars,” Pitch explains. “He doesn’t involve himself in fae business anymore. He cares only for his own kingdom.”
“Sounds like they’re a bunch of hermits,” Sage mutters across from me, rolling her eyes. “Pass. We need more shadowborns on our side. Plus, they’re more powerful.”
Zander nods and unclasps his hands. “Then we go to the Black Harbour.”
“Is the training arena still there?” Ambrose inquires, narrowing his eyes in contemplation.
“I believe so,” David answers. “I had a former student who moved there a few weeks ago.”
As soon as David finishes talking, Jonah and his sister climb down the stairs. For a long, strained moment, everyone falls quiet as a tense silence drifts between us. Jonah slumps into one of the chairs at the table while Jane starts pouring homemade soup into ceramic bowls.
“What is the training arena?” I ask, trying to diffuse the tension.
“It’s where shadowborns who are training to become wardens go,” Pitch tells me. “The Black Harbour alone has more shadowborns than the academy.”
“Then we should go there,” I say, almost suggesting we leave now until I see how noticeably exhausted everyone looks. “Once we’ve had some food and rest.”
Jonah nods and watches his sister place a bowl in front of everyone. His eyes narrow on her when she