22. CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

ENDER

My mate's a miracle—a priceless gift that I'll never take for granted.

Our bond is a revelation, an ever-present flame that burns within me, casting light into the deepest recesses of my soul that my past overshadowed.

Her every touch, every kiss, every whisper of contentment is a lifeline, binding me tighter to her.

I never knew how badly I needed all these things until this moment.

As we prepare to return to The Valley of Souls, a sense of purpose envelops me.

Sera's resolve mirrors my own, a fierce echo that strengthens my conviction.

We cannot fail the only home I've ever known.

The weight of responsibility, once a solitary burden, now feels lighter with her by my side.

Her presence is a balm to my weary spirit, her determination a force that propels me forward.

When The Valley of Souls stretches out beneath us, I reach out to stop Sera and take her hand.

She's nearly as adept at flying as I am, no small feat given the size of her wings.

"I need you to make me a promise."

"No."

Her refusal sends a spark of irritation flowing through me, but I take a deep breath.

"Why not?"

"Because I already know what you want, and I can't give it to you. I don't ever want to break my promises, so I won't give you one."

Damned gorgeous woman is a menace, and I almost resent having her in my mind at the moment.

"Fine," I grumble.

"Fine," she chirps with too much cheer.

I send her a glare, and she laughs, but it dies out.

"The valley looks worse today."

Even without being able to see, I know she speaks the truth.

The scent of decay grows stronger with every visit until I can barely stomach the smell.

Sera's grip tightens around my hand as we land.

The souls muck about with an agitated energy, their vibrational presence flickering like a dying piece of human technology.

My mate gags against the oppressive atmosphere bearing down on us, a tangible reminder of the realm's impending demise.

"Ender!" Sera hisses, the panic clear in her voice.

"I know. The Veil's instability is affecting them. Their unrest is a sign that the collapse is accelerating."

Dread fills Sera's mind as she thinks about losing her aunt for good.

"We have to figure out how to stabilize this place before it's too late."

A part of me wants to argue that we can't, but I'm trying to be fair to Sera by giving the future another chance.

The two of us hover over the ground, flying a few feet above it.

Souls part as we pass, the cold wisps of their form making me break out in a sweat.

"Denine?" Sera calls out, her voice cutting through the crushing silence.

To my right, I sense a figure emerge from the throng of other souls.

"You came back!"

The elation in Denine's voice floods my mate with guilt, and I brush a wing down her cheek.

You're not to blame, angel.

She nods, the movement barely perceptible against my shoulder where Sera's rested her head.

"Things are worse," she croaks.

"Indeed they are, but it looks like you two resolved some of your issues."

Sera shifts, but I feel her elation within my bones.

"We did—we sealed the mating bond last night."

"I see your seduction worked its magic," Denine crows, and I feel Sera wince.

"Yep, but it doesn't really help with what's going on here in The Veil."

"Doesn't it, though?"

Her aunt's question makes both of us pause.

"Erm, what do you mean?" Sera asks.

"Well, last night, an altar appeared at the other end of the valley. Coincidence— I think not. "

My wings flutter. "An altar?"

I've lived in The Veil all my life, never have I heard of an altar in The Valley of Souls.

Denine leads us through the twisted remnants of the trees that shoot up.

We reach a dip where the almaberry trees grow in groves, the area thick with the sickly mist that pervades the valley.

As I explore, I discover an ancient stone altar in the center that I know for a certainty wasn't there before.

My premonitions never showed me this.

I run a hand over the smooth stone, feeling the intricate runes that line it.

The air is nearly electric with magic, charged with a potent energy that thrums around us.

"Ender, do you know these symbols?" Sera whispers, as if she doesn't want to disrupt the space, either.

"They're old—the most archaic form of language spoken in The Veil."

"Can you translate them?"

"I can try."

Pushing all my concentration into the ancient tongue of my kind, I realize that the runes speak about duality—a balance that must be maintained.

"They speak about a power source, but there's another element, something that binds it all together. The Veil was created to be a bridge—a place where souls could find solace and resolution. But over time, the balance has been disrupted. The power source is crucial, but without the binding element, the instability will persist."

Sera stirs next to me, her inner excitement thrumming to me.

"It's the souls!" she gasps. "Their unresolved emotions, their unfinished business—it's creating a rift, disrupting the balance, allowing an opening for space to press in on. We need to find a way to help them resolve their issues, to bring peace to their restless spirits and close the gap so space won't collapse the realm!"

"That's a rather daunting task. The runes say we must harness the power of a Guardian and use this to guide the souls and repair the rift."

"I'm a Guardian."

"So you are."

We fall silent, but I know Sera hears my internal worries about her role in all of this.

"Ender, stop. We don't know what's going to happen, but I promise whatever it is won't be the end of me."

"How do you know?"

"I just do because I choose life—I am life. It's the only way."

"And you're mated to death."

Denine clicks her tongue.

"Aren't you a morose one? All this means is that you and Sera balance one another—the same balance this realm needs."

Her words release some of the tension flooding my body, and for the first time in a long time, my mind blanks, a sign of an incoming premonition.

I find myself not in the future though, but my past.

My father screams at me that I killed his mate, and I feel sick.

The scene shifts, and I replace my father, holding my deceased mate in my arms.

"Ender," Sera's voice echoes through my thoughts, grounding me. "I'm not dying. We all have our demons, but they don't define us. You're stronger than this. You have me to lean on. We're in this together, remember?"

Her words soothe the turmoil the future prophecy invoked within me.

My mind blanks again, and I stop fighting my birthright as I sense the presence of two figures.

Their hands are clasped, a united front against the uncertainty of tomorrow.

"It's us," I murmur, my heart swelling with hope. " We're the key to saving The Veil."

"Of course we are. We're the balance needed to help the souls find peace so that they stop creating a rift."

"But you're the Guardian whose power will be the one to close it," Denine tells her.

"Ender will show me. If he taught me to fly, then he can teach me anything."

Her aunt chuckles.

"This is true. Those wings are far too large for you, my dear, but they suit you now that they don't drag behind you."

Sera laughs.

"It's hard to believe I hated them so much. I've never felt so free as when I'm flying. And I have Ender to thank—although you didn't have to kidnap me!"

"Agree to disagree," I tease. "Let's go home. We need to talk about these runes and get a game plan."

My mate bids her aunt goodbye, promising to come back tomorrow.

On the outside, she's calm, but on the inside, she's a veritable volcano of emotions.

Excited.

Hopeful.

Scared.

Finding this altar is a godsend, but we both know we're running out of time.

But failure isn't in Sera's vocabulary.