Chapter Twenty

CHAPTER TWENTY

ASCHER

A scher watched as Morgan's world collapsed around her, his heart clenching at her grief, and he'd never felt so helpless. Not only had she lost her parents all over again, but she lost her grandfather as well.

The others practically quivered with the need for action, but there were no dragons to slay. When they went to gather around her, he held up his hand and waved them off. She was already on edge and overwhelmed. He feared what would happen if she snapped.

Though the guys weren't happy, they kept their distance.

He'd been her companion the longest, so he knew how hard this news would've hit her.

While he wanted to gather her in his arms and grieve with her, that wasn't what she needed right now. The other guys could give that to her in due time. What she needed now was answers, so she didn't do something that she would later regret.

He strode across the room, then came to an abrupt stop at the lost, shattered expression on her face. He clenched his teeth against the urge to curse, trying to remember his plan when all he wanted to do was gather her close.

Only when he got the impulse under control did he reach out and lift her chin. Her violet eyes were dull, no recognition in them as she stared straight ahead. Panic was a nasty kick in the chest, and he tightened his hold on her jaw.

A furrow appeared between her brows at the pinch of pain, and he snapped, "Morgan!"

She blinked furiously, then jerked back, as if startled to see him standing so close. He breathed a sigh of relief when a spark of life darkened her eyes. When she would've pulled away, he slipped his hand to the back of her neck and tightened his grip. He feared if he allowed her to retreat, she would never open up to them and it would be too late to undo the damage.

Ascher hardened his heart and chose the words he knew would infuriate her. "In his own way, I think your grandfather loves you."

"What?" She reared back, her voice harsh with betrayal. She slipped from his hold and glared up at him with furious eyes, her hands on her hips, those blades of hers gone.

"He's been watching you for months, if not longer. He could've easily blasted you out of existence at any time." Steam rose from his clothes, his beast agitated, not liking that they were pushing her when he wanted to snuggle in her lap.

Ryder and Draven shot him dark looks, the wolf even flashing his fangs, pissed that Morgan seemed even more agitated. Kincade looked like he was cast in stone to stop himself from going to Morgan or kicking his ass. Atlas and Caedmon remained passive, but he knew they were just giving him enough rope…then they would hang him with it if he hurt their mate.

"He wanted to meet you. I wouldn't be surprised if he found a way for this coven to be assigned to you." When Morgan tipped her head to the side, he knew she was listening, and it gave him hope. "While he's not allowed to interfere openly, that doesn't mean he didn't find a way to get you help."

"By trapping us in the wards and almost getting us killed by wendigo?" She cocked a brow at him, her tone snarky, but she was asking questions.

That meant she wanted to believe .

"Where you found a distinguished fae warrior for a mate—someone strong enough to stand against the high fae who want you dead." The room stilled at his claim, and he pushed home his point. "I can't help but wonder if he's the reason why you were invited to the Academy in the first place. He would've felt the instant your powers woke. It was only when they started unraveling that you were forced to accept the invite to the Academy, where you met your other mates."

"What if you're wrong?" she whispered, as if afraid to say it out loud, a fragile hope in her eyes.

Ascher reached out and tapped her necklace. "And what if he's been guiding you along this whole time? What if he gave this to your father, who gave it to your mother, who imbued it with magic to help you survive? Just like the key ability is passed through the bloodline, maybe he planned for this to be passed down to you as well. It's pieces of their soul—your mother's ability with metal mixed with your father and grandfather's gift of prophecy."

Much to his shock, the necklace heated under his touch, the silver chain twisting and melting until a perfect circle formed, holding a stunning family tree in the center. The ancient branches were massive, stretched out wide and crusted with diamonds so bright that he'd swear they sparkled with magic.

Morgan's eyes widened at the revelation, and she clutched at the necklace. "It only began changing well after I arrived at the Academy. How did you know?"

Ascher rocked back on his heels and wanted to smack himself for not seeing it sooner. "It has a spell on it to keep it hidden. Now that Thanatos revealed himself, I can see his magical signature on it."

Morgan glanced down with a gobsmacked expression, then rolled her eyes and muttered to herself in annoyance, "Of course! He's been cloaking himself for the last few weeks as well."

When she threw herself at him, he wrapped her up in his arms, the starch going out of his spine.

She was going to be okay .

He nodded to the others. They didn't hesitate to surround her and press close. Kincade met his gaze, his eyes hard with determination. Because whether the other guys knew it or not, they were in deep shit.

"I don't think Thanatos wants to hurt Morgan, but I doubt he'll be given much choice." The guys pulled away, shooting him dubious looks, and Ascher swallowed hard at the horror the god must have endured. "It's a family duty he's forced to perform over and over again, probably a curse he suffers for daring to imprison the gods. Nothing comes without a price."

"Fuck me," Ryder murmured, his whisky colored eyes glowing as his wolf rose. "So as long as we keep the key to Tartarus safe, Morgan will remain alive."

"No pressure then, huh?" Draven scowled, looking seconds away from losing his shit, like he wanted to rip the world apart with his bare hands.

A sentiment Ascher shared.

Fire licked along his skin at the thought of their mate being harmed, because a world without Morgan in it could burn in hell for all he cared.

He'd see to it personally.

W hen the silence in the room stretched uncomfortably, Morgan reluctantly pulled herself away from the protective arms of her mates. Her insides felt raw, like something fundamental had changed and she no longer fit together anymore.

Her view on the gods became a little more jaded and a hundred times more complicated.

Worse…her men looked at her like she would shatter at any moment, and she hated it. "Nothing like having the weight of the world on my shoulders to keep life from becoming too mundane. "

Her mates exchanged uneasy glances, like they expected her to burst into tears. Draven stepped forward. "Morgan?—"

"Don't." She waved away whatever he was going to say. "We have more important matters to discuss—like how to strengthen the wards to keep the fae from descending on us in force."

While none of the guys looked happy with the change of subject, no one protested, which she was inordinately grateful. She wasn't ready to think of her parents and everything she'd lost, and she sure as hell couldn't deal with their compassion without losing her shit.

Looking away from their sympathetic gazes, needing to keep her mind busy, she turned toward Shade and gestured toward the book on the desk. "What did you find?"

Shade remained frozen, his expression harsh as he gawked at her, like the revelations of her heritage was a personal betrayal. A twinge of loss struck hard, like a punch to the chest, and she rubbed the spot where her heart ached. She gave him a smile, hoping he didn't notice the slight tremble. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure I can find something?—"

"Don't be an idiot." He snapped out of whatever funk that had gotten hold of him. "It would take you and your goon squad decades to find the right spell and figure out how to cast it."

The door thudded open behind them, and Loki bounded into the room, his hackles raised. He skidded to a stop, his head tilted to the side, his red eyes darkening as he surveyed the room. The phoenix on his chest shimmered, his wings twitching in agitation. He sniffed the air, then stalked toward the desk, his tail stiff as it lashed back and forth.

Shade stiffened, scowling at the beast like he was a mangy mutt that had rolled in shit. But instead of attacking, Loki rounded the desk and sat by the demigod, then narrowed his eyes and surveyed the room as if searching for a threat.

Shade's jaw dropped as he glared down at the dog, then he shot her an incredulous look. He ran a flustered hand over his head, giving a massive huff of exasperation…but he didn't move away, silently accepting the dog's protection .

MacGregor and Ward trailed behind the beast, chatting amicably. The warden smiled when he saw her. "The wards are still recovering from years of neglect and nearly being drained, but they're amazingly well maintained. Keep doing what you're doing, and they should make a complete recovery…" Ward trailed off, as if he could sense the trace of power in the room. "What happened? Did the spell backfire?"

While he still appeared a little wild, he was no longer rumpled or unkempt. His chin-length black hair had been cut, but it looked like he'd done it himself. His clothing was a mismatch of modern and ancient. Instead of looking goofy, it suited him. He held himself in a way that spoke of years of training, the man ready to burst into action if threatened.

Those discerning eyes of his, a combination of silver and black of pure void magic, locked on her, reminding her once again that he was not human and hadn't been for a very long time.

She smiled at him, glad to see him, despite the circumstances. "You might say I had a family reunion of sorts, but it didn't go the way anyone expected."

He scanned her clinically, not missing a detail. Only when he was satisfied she was unharmed did he relax slightly and give her a nod. "You will call us if you need us."

He meant if it came down to a war.

Morgan was shocked by his offer.

She didn't expect such loyalty. "This isn't your fight. Why?"

He grinned, the first genuine smile she'd seen from him, making him appear almost human. "We would come because you asked. You rescued both of us and fought for us when we were lost. You gave us a home at the Academy, then gave us our greatest treasure—our mate."

"And if we didn't help you, Breanna would have our balls," Shade grumbled as he cracked open the book, but the crinkle at the corner of his eyes betrayed his amusement.

A burst of laughter escaped her at his unexpected comment, and the part of her that remained frozen from the earlier confrontation finally thawed.

Ward glanced out the window with a frown. "The wards are still healing. While they might hold for a while under attack, they will eventually fail. We need to find a way to make them stronger without damaging them further."

Morgan nodded, willing to do anything to keep her coven and mates safe. She refused to fail or everything she'd built would fall when she died, and that was unacceptable.

Her magic hummed in agreement, and she strode toward the desk, determined to find a permanent solution to keep them all safe. As she neared the book, the pages began to flip. Shade lifted his hand and backed away, the pages fluttering faster and faster, the only sound in the room was the rustling of papers.

Then it stopped so suddenly, it was almost violent.

The book lay open almost innocently, and she edged closer, not sure what she expected. As soon as her gaze landed on the book, ink bubbled up from the spine and spilled over the blank pages. It dripped down the page, wiggling across the surface, words and symbols gradually taking form.

Morgan peered up from where she was leaning over the desk and gave Shade a squinty look. "Was this the same spell that you saw when you opened the book?"

Because the book was created to show the person holding it what they wanted most.

He didn't bother to look up at her suspicious question, his focus on the pages, his brows furrowed, and he answered her absently. "No, but I believe this will work better."

She straightened abruptly, something chilling in the way he spoke raising the hairs on the back of her neck, and her insides turned to stone.

Whatever he'd had planned wasn't going to be pleasant.

Or it would be extremely dangerous.

Knowing Shade, it would probably be both.

The demigod took great pleasure in torturing her, much like an older brother. While at times, he would protect her from others, he had no compulsion about putting her in danger himself.

The asshat.

"Morgan…" Ryder captured her hand and turned her toward him. "If you don't trust him, we can find another way."

Morgan shoved aside her unease, cursing that Ryder was so perceptive. She flashed him a smile and couldn't resist leaning into him a little and soaking up the fresh green scent that was just him. With a pat to his chest, she pulled away. "I very much fear we don't have the time. I have faith Shade will do everything in his power to keep me safe. My death will release the gods back into the world, and he's a selfish enough ass that he would do anything to stop that from happening."

Shade shot her a murderous glare before he continued to pore over the book, muttering under his breath as he meticulously worked through the various steps of the spell. If they did one little thing wrong, magic had a way of turning on the caster.

She took comfort that keeping her alive gave him incentive enough not to fuck her over.

Because whether she liked it or not, they had no choice but trust him. Without the wards, her mates would take it upon themselves to keep her safe, and she refused to put them at risk.

Not that her men believed her bullshit.

Kincade had his arms crossed, as if trying to get her to confess all her sins at his intimidating look. She mentally rolled her eyes—she was a much harder nut to crack. Draven wasn't much better in the way he pursed his lips and tapped his knife against his leg absently as he plotted, and she mentally made a note not to get too close to him, or he would try to use his wiles to get her to spill all her secrets.

Atlas and Caedmon stood next to one another, observing her every move, their silence making her suspicious, a stillness to them that was a little unnerving. She shook her head at the sexy image they made standing next to each other. They were complete opposites, but she knew they were a united front and would do whatever it took to keep her safe .

Ascher was the only one who appeared calm in the middle of the turmoil.

Much too calm.

She narrowed her eyes, wondering what scheme he'd concocted. While Ryder remained steadfast at her back, she refused to be lulled by it. When her safety was at risk, he was the first to snap.

Refusing to be intimidated by any of them, she gave a bright smile and a jaunty wave, then headed toward the desk. When she neared Shade, the smile dropped away, and she muttered under her breath, "You try to screw me over or hurt my mates, you'll wish that I left you in Tartarus. Understand?"

Shade shot her an annoyed glance as he straightened. "I'm more afraid of what Breanna would do to me if she thought I upset her friend."

Morgan beamed at his response, never imagining that he'd be so whipped. It was good for him, Breanna the perfect balance to his demigod ways. She wasn't afraid to put him in his place when it was needed…which Morgan imagined was quite often.

Being a banshee didn't lend to having a lot of friends, especially when you saw dead people all the time. Morgan had been surrounded by death for as long as she could remember, so it didn't bother her a bit. She was glad the banshee was finally carving out a life for herself.

More confident, Morgan smiled at Shade. "Now that we've got that settled, what do we need to do?"