Page 121 of May: Bloom & Bane

“You’re not losing me,” I murmur into her hair. “How could you lose me when I’ve been yours since the moment I woke up?”

“But the visions–”

“Are just visions. Fragments of something that doesn’t matter.” I tilt her chin up, forcing her to meet my eyes. “Whatever Therael’s tincture did, it cleared my head. And the only thing I’m thinking about is you.”

Her lip trembles. “You really don’t remember what you were dreaming about?”

I search again, trying to pull something, anything, from the darkness. But there’s just a vague sense of darkness and peace.

“No,” I admit. “But if it was important, wouldn’t I remember?”

She doesn’t answer, just stares at me with those wide, green eyes.

“Eden.” I frame her face with both hands. “The bond didn’t seal because of me. Not you. Maybe I can’t fully bond with you until I understand who I am. What I am.”

“And what if understanding who you are means…” she trails off, but I hear what she’s not saying.

What if you belong to someone else?

The thought is absurd.

“There is no one else,” I say firmly. “There can’t be. You’re my soulbond, Eden. Without you, I wouldn’t have woken up. The bond will seal. It’s only been nine days since you woke up. We just need time.”

“We have three days,” she whispers.

“Three days?”

“Death gave us three days to figure out why the bond isn’t sealed.”

“When was this?”

“What do you mean? It happened right before you fell asleep.”

My stomach drops.

I don’t remember any of that. The last thing I recall is Therael leaving and crawling into bed with Eden. Everything after that is just gone.

“Last night?” I repeat.

She nods, her brow furrowing. “Yeah. Kaeran tried forcing his way inside.”

My hands drop from her face. “The Horsemen were here? In our house?”

“You don’t remember any of it?”

“Did I keep you safe?”

She tenses. “Sage⁠—”

“Answer me.” My hands move frantically over her body. “Did they touch you? Did they—” My breath stutters. “Did I let them get close?”

Her fingers curl around my wrist. “You didn’t let anything happen. You stood in front of me the entire time. Nook also helped.”

“Promise me. I need you to promise me.”

What kind of mate am I?

“I promise. You were incredible, Sage. Ashán took over the moment War stepped toward me. Your wings flared, shielding me. The floorboards erupted into a jagged protective circle around us. I have never felt safer.”