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‘That male is a blade. A weapon. And his mind is dark. Are there healers among your people accustomed to dealing with those internal wounds? Because his flesh may not bleed, but there is harm to his mind.’

Skhal quietly agreed. ‘I wish you could see him when he’s in a good headspace, Jayah. You’d love him. And he’d love you. He’s so hurt because his heart is soft. He adores his mate, and has yearned to be a father. He fought a sick and desperate war with the humans for months before he came here. You have to understand, the hope of this place is what kept him going until they got Zan back. His normal self is… well, if not sunny, he is warm and… The male that you’re seeing here is the male the humans molded, the assassin they forced him to be. Not the natural state of him.

‘I promise you, Jayah. He’s like my younger brother—I love him. And he loves his people. And he’ll come to love yours. He just needs to reach a place of safety.’

Then he sent her an image of them together—Jayah and Skhal, Zev and Sasha, and half-a-dozen other Chimera that Jayah didn’t know, all of them sitting around a fire in an evening, smiling and laughing, the males teasing each other and the females humbling the males.

It was a warm image that made Jayah’s heart sing to be included in it.

With a rush of joy, she showed him her home, her people—sitting in the market at a feast. The feeling of warmth and humor, the affinity she anticipated between Skhal and Tarkyn, and the way Gar would tease and Elreth would roll her eyes—then Aaryn would set them all down a peg.

Her heart swelled with love for her dear friends and leaders...

.....

But she and Skhal both went quiet in the bond then, because she was sure it came home to him as deeply as it suddenly struck her…

Where would they live? Whose life would be upended?

Neither of them spoke about it, but they sat in the grief and uncertainty together.

Jayah reached for him in it, the love she felt for him, bringing tears to her eyes. She let herself remember the feeling of being wrapped in his arms and the warm strength of his calloused hands.

‘The Creator will show us, Skhal. He got us this far.’

Her mate agreed, and her nerves were soothed somewhat with knowing that no matter where they ended up, they would be surrounded by love.

She only had to pray that they did, indeed, end up together and alive and—

‘I can hardly wait to be surrounded by your love again, my mate,’ Skhal growled through the link.

Jayah’s cheeks flushed, not with embarrassment, but with heat and she gave a throaty laugh. But just as she did, she passed an equine guard on the trail who looked at her strangely. She waved him off, but hurried forward to the healing center.

She had to stay focused. She couldn’t give anyone any reason for alarm. Night had descended. She had less than three hours until the shift change. Skhal only had to remain undetected for that long, then…

Then she would make it possible for him to remove Zev. Safely. Safely, she prayed.

Her stomach thrummed with nervous tension.

Then, just as she took the corner in the trail that would lead her to the door of the healing center, she almost ran into the wide chest of Gar, obviously having just left the building and in a hurry.

Adrenaline coursed through her body until she wanted to shake.

She stepped back as if to give him room, but in truth, she was shifting herself to make sure she was downwind.

She’d been doing that all day. Most Anima wouldn’t analyze the scent of a friend they trusted unless they felt threatened or worried. But Gar scented for truth, and was remarkably astute. If he caught any whiff of her changed scent—

“Jayah, thank goodness. I was looking for you.”

“What’s wrong?” she asked quickly. “Is the baby okay? I only left a few minutes ago—”

“The baby is fine. I had no idea you were staying at the prison so late—thank you for being so diligent. You don’t need to do that. There must be healers we can trust to watch over the care of the babe?”

He would have continued, but Jayah waved him off. “I want to be present,” she said quickly. “Elreth called me for the care of Zev as well as his son. I’m more worried about the Alpha, to be completely honest with you.”

Gar’s face went grim and he nodded. “We are working on… easing this for him.”

“I know. And I know Elreth wants to protect us all, but that male is on edge. I worry for the guards being so close to him for so long. His scent… he’s—”

“I know. I know,” Gar said, raking a hand through his hair and grimacing. “I’m working on it, Jayah. Truly.”

“I know…” Then she tilted her head and made herself meet his eye. Gar was the son of her dear friend, the former Queen—Elreth and Gar’s mother. Jayah had vowed herself to their care literally since the day they were born. And here she was possibly leaving them… this might be her last chance to honor her promise to her friend.

She prayed it wasn’t so. But just in case…

“Are you okay, Gar? Rika hasn’t been around much. And Elreth’s resting. Are you… are you well?”

Gar waved her off. “I’m fine. Rika has a friend who’s struggling and she’s trying to help. I’ve been consumed with this shitshow. That’s all. It’s life.”

Jayah didn’t like the way his eyes drifted away from her as he spoke. Her heart went out to him.

*****

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