He felt her lips move and the warm puff of breath when she yawned hard against his neck. “But Aurora…”
“Is probably in her bed as well.”
“Yeah, you’re right.” She snuggled closer to him and his chest tightened at the sheer rightness of having her against him.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
When Esha walked into the dimly lit kitchen at dawn the next morning, she found Aurora playing with a flashlight.
Aurora looked up and said, “Ready to do this?”
“A thousand times yes.” She was so ready to get out of this damn city. All they had to do was destroy the temple and free the souls, and she’d be able to leave. She and Aurora were both powered up, courtesy of Ana, and Esha had a feeling they’d need every damn bit of it to see this through.
“Good. We need a plan.”
“Sure, when Warren gets—”
“I’m here.”
Esha turned at the sound of his voice and reached for his hand. When his rough palm gripped hers, she stifled a grin. It was weird, but so wonderful, to be with him like this. After calling herself all manner of fool, she said, “We’ll go to the temple as soon as the sun is up. Aurora and I will disrupt the foundations of the building so it collapses. That’s what you saw on the painting, right, Warren?”
“Aye. When the temple collapsed, the souls were released. No doubt it’s holding them here.”
“Aye,” Aurora confirmed. “Mother said the temple is the center of our power. It calls to the souls when they canna pass over. Destroying it should work.”
“Good. Just one loose end, and we’re done here,” Esha said. Then she could start the rest of her life, one that contained Warren and her sister and would be so much better and fuller than the one she’d left behind when she’d started on this adventure.
“Are you sure you want him to come?” Aurora nodded at Warren, her brow wrinkled.
Esha frowned. “Why wouldn’t he?”
“All that falling stone—it’s going to be dangerous, and he’s mortal.”
“What?” That didn’t make any sense, but the mere possibility made the air heavy, as though it were pressing in on her. Warren shifted next to her.
“He’s mortal now,” Aurora said. “I thought you knew that.”
“No.” Fluttery wings of panic beat inside her chest, and there was a low humming in her ears that couldn’t be normal. “No, he’s not. He’s part of the Praesidium. He’s one of us.”
Aurora frowned. “Nay. Now that he has his soul back, he’ll age and die like a normal mortal. He was never really a Mythean to begin with.”
Esha looked at Warren, whose brow was furrowed, and shook her head frantically. “No. No. That’s not possible. Did you know about this?”
His gaze heavy, he said, “I suspected.”
“No. No. No.” The buzzing in her ears grew louder. “I don’t believe you.”
“I’m sorry, Esha. I’m pretty sure it’s true. I wasn’t sure ho
w to tell you.” Concern wrinkled Warren’s brow, and his green eyes searched hers.
“No. Just no.” She was repeating herself, and it was crazy, but she couldn’t help it.
He looked at his feet, then withdrew a knife from the sheath in his boot and made a small incision in his palm. She watched in horror as the blood welled. Kept welling. As the wound refused to close.
The breath whooshed out of her lungs. “After everything I told you? You let me love you, all the while knowing you would die? How could you do this to me?”
“I dinna think—”