Chapter Twenty-Six

THE DOOR TO THE LIbrARY opened. Alesta and Khal, who'd been looking through a stack of papers, suddenly whipped their heads up to see who'd just walked in. As soon as Alesta's eyes found the man's, her shoulders sagged in relief, and she let out a sigh.

"Balgair," she greeted warmly as she rounded the table. "It's just you."

Balgair stood in front of the now-closed door. He was tall with broad shoulders and limbs built like a god. His golden hair was tied back at the base of his neck, and he wore gold armor decorated with intricate green designs. His amber eyes were pinched in anguish, and his mouth was set in a grim line.

"I'm not here with good news, Alesta."

Alesta slowed and stared at her friend with a creased brow. Shaking her head, she asked, "What do you mean?"

"Has there been another ambush?" Khal asked in worry as he joined Alesta and Balgair. He shoved a hand through his dark hair. "I thought we'd managed to evacuate the last of Morardia safely."

Balgair glanced over his shoulder at the library door. He swallowed hard, and when he looked back at Alesta, grief clouded his eyes. "King Zair has given me direct orders to kill both of you."

Alesta's face instantly drained of color. "What?"

Khal stepped closer to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Balgair—"

"He knows I'm friendly with the two of you, and he knows I can get close enough to do it. If I don't kill you, he's threatened to kill Myra and my son."

Alesta slowly shook her head and opened her mouth to speak, but Balgair held up a hand. "I'm not going to do it, Alesta. I can't do it. But I also can't let my family die."

"What do you need then?" Alesta asked quickly, reaching out to grab Balgair's hand. "Do you need our help hiding? We can—"

He shook his head firmly. "It's too late, my friend. A Land Fae division is storming Morardia right now. Thankfully, they don't yet realize we've already evacuated everyone. But we don't have much time before they get here." He glanced back at the library doors.

"So what's your plan, then?" Khal asked. "If you aren't going to follow through on Zair's orders, how are you going to make sure your family is kept safe?"

Balgair gave a sad smile. "I'm going to lose."

"What?" Alesta snapped, her chest heaving as her breaths seemed to come faster. "What the hell is that supposed to mean, Balgair?"

He grabbed Alesta by the shoulders and held her gaze with resolute eyes. "It means you have to kill me, friend."

"Balgair!" Alesta cried, her shoulders shaking. "I'm not—"

"If I die during the fight, my family will be spared. They may be demoted, may lose some face with the public, but they will be alive . As far as anyone knows, I will have tried to follow Zair's orders, but you were too strong for me. This way, it won't be an act of disobedience. Just a tragedy. This way, the two of you and my family still live."

"But you'd be gone," Alesta whispered. She grabbed at Balgair's armor and shook him. "You'd be gone, Balgair. I can't — I won't let that happen."

Balgair cupped her cheeks, and his eyes pleaded with hers. "We don't have a choice. Please. The others will be here any minute. I need you to do this. I need your help to protect my family. Even if I survived this, I'd still be forced to kill for Zair. I'm tired of it, Alesta. I'm tired of murdering. I can't face my son with more innocent blood on my hands. I can't face him and teach him that it's okay to take the lives of those who don't deserve it."

"But you don't deserve this, either."

"Please, Alesta," Balgair begged. "I've come to terms with my fate. Please do this for me."

Their eyes searched each other's as silence fell over the room.

Khal suddenly placed a hand on Alesta's back and looked at Balgair. "I don't want Alesta carrying that with her." He paused, and his frown deepened. "I'll do it."

Balgair placed a hand on Khal's shoulder and squeezed. "Thank you, Khal."

Alesta covered her mouth with quivering hands, and her eyes slipped closed as tears rolled down her cheeks. Her shoulders shook with quiet sobs, and she shook her head. "This can't happen."

Balgair grabbed Alesta's hands and pulled her close to him. He pressed his forehead to hers and held their intertwined fingers to his chest. "This is the right thing to do. This is for my family. All will be okay. I promise."

She swallowed hard. "I can't lose you, Balgair."

"You won't. I'm still going to be here." He pressed their hands to her chest. "I need you to keep fighting. Keep living. You haven't had your family yet, remember? You're not allowed to stop living until you've gotten that chance, because I know it will happen. I know you're going to be a mother someday, and when you are, you'll be astounding . So promise me. Promise me you'll keep living and have that family you've always dreamt of."

Alesta finally opened her tear-filled eyes to meet his. "I promise."

Balgair smiled and placed a kiss on her forehead. He pulled her in for a tight, brief hug, and as they squeezed each other, he said in her ear, "Do me a favor. If you have a boy, name him Balgair. It's a good name."

Alesta gave a sad, wet-sounding laugh. She let go as Balgair walked backward from his friend and her husband. Crashes and shouts sounded from the hallway beyond the door, and Balgair's shoulders went rigid. The Land Fae soldiers were nearly there.

"What if it's a girl?" Khal suddenly asked. He glanced at the doors then back at Balgair. The desperate look in Khal's eyes was like a man seeking to distract everyone from what they all knew was coming. "What if we have a daughter? What do we name her?"

Balgair seemed to consider the question a moment. "Bria. I've always liked the name Bria."

Khal nodded. "That's a beautiful name. I'll make sure she knows someone truly amazing and brave gave her that name." The voices in the hall drew nearer. "I'll also make this quick and painless."

Balgair gave a somber smile as the shouts reached the door. He got in a defensive stance across from Khal. "Please do."

The doors busted open as Balgair and Khal rushed each other. Alesta screamed as she fought off the newcomers, but despite her fierce movements, all that could be seen on her face was pain. Grief. Loss. Because right behind where she fought the Land Fae soldiers, her husband ripped the heart out of her best friend.