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“It doesn't matter,” I say after Zev’s silence practically eats up the space around us. “You two can't take the chains off me. No one can know that you were involved. I want you to get whatever you’re looking for and get the hell out of there. I know it's important to you. Besides, I've known all along that I was going to die the second I did what I've planned to do since I was a youngling. I’ve made peace with that.”
I'm lying through my teeth, but I hope they have the decency not to call me out on it if they can spot it.
I might’ve been fine with the idea of death a year ago, but that was before Six scrolled his first message across my arm.
That was before Zev bought a private dance.
That was before I met a siren-drifter who smelled like autumn and tasted just as good.
I kind of want to hate all of them for giving me hope. For creating a life that would be worth living for.
But the fault lays with me. All of this is due to my obsessive need for revenge. For the hope of a world where beings aren’t killed because of what blood runs in their veins.
“Besides,” I continue. “My heart is going to stop beating one of these days, I might as well die on my own terms and for something greater than myself.”
Jagger hums to himself a little, his eyes churning with thought. Even when he doesn't know he's singing, he sounds beautiful. The sensation slides over me like a warm blanket. Normally I’d chide him for manipulating my emotions, but not tonight. Tonight, I'll take any solace I can get.
He stops humming abruptly, looking at me sharply. “What if there's a way youcouldtake out all the major threats at once? Zev and I could handle the core in the interior chamber, and by that point all of the major players—the Collector, the Prince, and the Treasure—would be eliminated. We’d take control of the palace, and therefore the armies within it. It’d give us time to call Corshna and everyone she's recruited to join the cause.”
“A fairy tale,” Zev says. “You should have sung it. It would’ve gone down better.”
I snort out a laugh at Zev’s dry and annoyed response before giving Jagger an apologetic look.
“It's a lovely idea,” I say. “And I truly do appreciate the flattery. I have no qualms about telling you two how powerful I am, you know that. But it’ll take everything in me to cut down the Collector, especially if he senses the threat and shifts into his beast form. He's one of the most powerful beings in existence, and the fact that I'll be chained in silver? It’ll be a miracle to take just him out.”
“I already told you we’ll take the silver off at the opportune time,” he says, completely ignoring that part. “What if you hadan extra boost in power? Say, the power of a drifter? The power of a siren?”
I swear the wooded area around us goes still and silent at his suggestion.
Zev's eyes carefully study Jagger as I look between the two in disbelief. There’s only one way for me to have that sort of advantage.
I blow out a breath, finally remembering how to speak. “No,” I say despite him not asking me anything specific.
“That's not fair,” Jagger says. “It's not solely your decision to make.”
I gape at him. “Itissolely my decision,” I say firmly. “I told you I've Linked once. I will never do it again.”
“You haven't even heard me out?—”
“I will not,” I cut him off, standing up and pacing the length of our little camp, unable to handle the energy sitting down. “I will not allow you to even suggest it,” I continue. “Linking with me is not something you want to do. You’d be tied to me for the rest of my life, which, if you don't remember, it’s going to be very long. Severing a bond like that is one of the most unimaginable pains for the Linked. Just shy of losing a Matched.”
“I can handle it,” Jagger says, standing in front of me to stop my pacing. His teal eyes are sincere and imploring, his full lips offering a supportive smile. “I can handle you,” he says. “And I want to support you in this. You should not fight this battle alone. I believe in this cause just as much as you do. The Collector wiped out more than half of my species when the sirens took up arms against him in The Great Purge. The only reason I even exist is because my grandmother sent me to the safety of the Drifter Academy, giving me one chance at a life without persecution. Too many of my kind were slaughtered. Too many ofsomany kinds were slaughtered.” He looks to Zev, then back to me. “I never thought there was a chance at changing thingsuntil I met you.” He reaches up, gently smoothing his hand over my cheek. “You're the key to everything, Liv,” he says. “Let me do this. Let me help you in any way I can. Because you’re the only one powerful enough, the last known tress in existence, who can take him out.”
Tears well in my eyes, my bottom lip trembling at the offer. At the way he’s prepared to endure whatever pain he’ll face upon my death, losing his Linked. He’s prepared to give himself to me, to lend me his power as only Linked can do, in order to change our world.
“I can't ask that of you,” I whisper, shaking my head. “I can't ask you to Link with me just so I can get a power boost. That would be selfish and unkind and irresponsible?—”
“Liv,” he cuts me off, cupping my other cheek to draw my attention to his eyes. “This isn't just about a power boost. This isn't just about the mission. I want to Link with you even if our world isn’t about to end. I choose you, because of your heart and your bite,” he says, smirking at me and drawing a tearful laugh from my lips. “I'm choosing you, and I'm asking you to choose me.”
I swallow hard, my heart pounding with the possibility. My instincts are shoutingyes! I would love to spend what little of my life I have left Linked to someone as amazing as him. But I can't bring myself to say the word.
Heat radiates at my back, and I turn slightly to see Zev standing there, golden eyes glowing in the night.
He looks down at me with a studious gaze, curious and sharp as a dagger.
I nod up at him, motioning to Jagger. “You should talk some sense into him.”
I know I can count on him to bring Jagger back to reality.
