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“No, and don’t say that.” Against my will, my gaze darted to my hand and the mating mark. Neverra was still alive.
She twisted against my wrists hard enough that I felt the tendons strain. I hissed as she tossed my arms from her.
“What is with you Rashearim men?” she demanded, stepping around me and toward the slowly closing portal. “You can’t let anything go, can you?”
“You’ve never been in love, have you?”
Dianna grimaced when I stepped in front of her again, her lips forming a thin line. She placed her hands on her hips, more than frustrated, but I knew she wouldn’t hurt me. Some part of me knew it.
“Listen, this portal is a one-way ticket. You go in, and you’re not coming out.”
“Obviously,” she said, her tone so matter-of-fact it took me by surprise.
“You knew.”
“Of course, I knew.” She rolled her eyes and waved her hands at me as if shooing me away. “Now go home.”
Everything clicked then, a sudden, horrifying realization washing over me.
“That’s why you didn’t bring the others with you, the witch and the fate. You weren’t planning on coming back, were you? That is why you keep pushing Samkiel away. Why won’t you let him help? This is a suicide mission for you.”
“If I’m right, this portal will take me to Kaden. It was never the plan for me to come back.” Her eyes bore into mine as she tried to step around me, and I countered, blocking her way. “Go home,” she snarled from between clenched teeth.
“What would Gabby say about your suicide mission? Or Samkiel, for that matter? Dianna, you can’t leave him.” Fear swept through me. I knew what she was to him and what her death would do to him. He was already slipping, retreating back into himself.
“You lost me long before Rashearim fell.”
My heart thudded in my chest.
“He’s not mine to keep.” She snapped. “And if you were really his best friend, you’d make him forget about me and marry her.”
“Imogen?” I scoffed. “You’re a selfish, godsdamned fool,”
She struck at me. I blocked it, catching her fist against my palm. She swung again with her free hand, and I caught her wrist. My muscles strained as I held her. She was unnervingly strong, but I was furious with her. We stood, glaring at each other, locked in a standoff.
“How could you do that to him? After everything he is risking for you, doing for you! Do you even realize how much he cares for you? You know what he has lost, and you want to add to that pain?”
“You know nothing of me!” She threw her head forward, connecting with mine hard enough to make me see stars. I reeled, my grip loosening enough that she was able to twist and flip me over her hip. I hit the ground, and all the air left my lungs.
“Bullshit.” I coughed. “Gabriella told Neverra and me everything. The way she spoke of you… She looked up to you and wanted to be strong like you because you feared nothing. You’d die for those you care for. She admired you and loved you so much. Now look at you. Just giving up without even trying and wasting her sacrifice like it meant nothing. You’re pathetic now. She would be embarrassed.”
Dianna fell on top of me, her fist connecting once, then twice with my face. She gripped my collar and pulled me up. Her fangs descended, her eyes bleeding red.
“You say her name again, and you won’t have to worry about finding your soon-to-be-dead wife. I’ll send you to her myself.”
She shoved me to the ground before standing and stalking toward the portal.
I half sat up, wiping at my already healing lip and nose. “If you don’t take me with you, I’ll go straight to Samkiel and tell him. I’ll tell him where you are and what your plans are. Then he will rip this place apart to get to you, and any plan you think you have will be ruined.”
Her nostrils flared, and her jaw clenched as she turned back to me. “Are you threatening me? You know, I could just kill you? Right here, right now.”
“Do it. We’re not scared of you. The Hand is not afraid of you. None of us are. You wouldn’t actually hurt us because you’d hurt him. Deny it all you want, but I see it. Everyone does. I know you care about him at least that much.”
A sick smile graced her face. “Are you sure about that? I gutted Cameron.”
“You missed every major artery and organ.”
Her eyes narrowed. “The dream eaters?”
