Page 43 of Final Shift
I scooted closer and lay my head on his shoulder. “All of it brought me to you, Rowan. For that, I could never hate him.”
We sat like that for a while until the hour grew late and we had to leave to meet Caelan.
I'd give him back his territory, but I never agreed to allowing him to die.
Chapter
Sixteen
Caelan was waiting for me at the edge of Keep property. Moira and Garrett had gone back home. There was nothing more they could do, and Caelan couldn't risk killing me until I'd let go of his land.
I didn't think he'd kill me either way, but Rowan wasn't so sure. He stood close behind me.
“Only her,” Caelan said, staring at my mate.
“Evie,” Rowan warned.
I put my hand on his chest. “Safe passage, Caelan.”
The Lord stared at me for a long moment before he snorted. “Once upon a time you never would have said that.”
I held his gaze. Gold flickered around the edges of his irises. “Much has changed since then.”
“Yes,” he agreed, his gaze flicking to Rowan. “Indeed, it has.”
Caelan looked back at me. “Are you happy, Evangeline?”
Rowan stepped forward, but I held my hand up. “You know the answer.”
His gaze lingered on my face, snagged on my lips for too long of a moment, and dragged back to my eyes. “I do.”
Caelan let out a heavy sigh, and he lifted his eyes to the sky. Rowan put his hand on my shoulder and gently squeezed. WhenCaelan looked at me again, his expression was different. Less haunted.
In that moment, I thought he might have let me go.
Even though it took everything I had, I realized I had to do the same for him. I looked back at Rowan. Sadness glimmered in his eyes, but all he did was nod.
“I'll be back.”
Rowan took a step back. “Take care of her.”
Caelan stared Rowan down. “Come, Evie.”
He held his hand out. I took it briefly as he opened his wards and let him go as soon as I was on Keep land. “I'm only going to ask you one more time. Are you sure?”
“Where do you need to be?”
I blew out a breath, unsurprised by his refusal. Slipping off my shoes, I buried my toes into the earth, feeling the sickness in the land buried deep below. My magic penetrated his land, concentrated at the center of Keep territory. I closed my eyes against the memories assailing me.
“Where the tree was would be best.”
Caelan's eyes met mine. My time in that tree had opened my mind to all the possibilities in my life. My friends and the Lord had called me home, and I thought at that moment, Caelan would be it for me. If someone told me then I'd be here now, I never would have believed them.
I saw in his eyes he was remembering the same. When I'd come out of that tree, I received a second chance, and when Rowan carried me out of Joy Springs, I'd received what felt like a miracle.
He jerked his head. “Do you need anything to eat or drink?”
“We brought snacks.”
