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“No!” He buried his face deeper into his arms, refusing to lift his head. “Didn’t you hear me? I FAILED YOU. When you needed me the most. I was the last one alive, and I couldn’t…” His shoulders bunched and he roared. “FUCK!”

Screamed. Roared some more. All his rage. All his pain.

My rage. My pain.

He roared for me because I couldn’t.

I pulled him closer, letting him keep his head buried against my thighs, so I could hug his shoulders. Rub his back. Listening to his pain and letting it leach mine away as well. I cried until I didn’t have any tears left. He roared until his throat was raw, his voice hoarse. His body slack against me. Damp with sweat, his hair curled to his forehead and neck.

We’d both needed the catharsis. Though now I was even more exhausted, mentally and emotionally wiped. But… clean. Not healed, not exactly, but no longer raw and bleeding internally. Any little bit of festering debris had been cleansed away before it could cause even more pain later.

Finally, he tipped his head back to meet my gaze. “I failed you, my queen. I beg your forgiveness, though I expect nothing less than for you to return me to stand guard for all time.”

I cupped his cheeks in both hands and leaned down closer, holding his gaze. Bond and heart wide open. Even though it fucking hurt. So much.

I would hurt. For him. For all of us. Because I loved them beyond any pain I might ever endure.

“I put you into an unconscionable position, Sekh. I beg your forgiveness for asking such a thing of you.” He opened his mouth to protest, so I moved one hand to his mouth, lightly pressing the tips of my fingers over his lips. “You couldn’t die with us. It was unfair of me to ask you to kill me, when you already had to watch all of us die one by one.”

I started to lift my fingers, but he kissed my fingertips, his eyes dark with anguish. “I grabbed one of Guillaume’s blades. I tried to help you join him when he was gone. But I kept thinking the knight would surely come back. He always has before. Though ultimately, I don’t know why I thought that would matter. I didn’t want him to have to do the deed either. But I still couldn’t make myself…”

Sekh shuddered, his eyes squeezing shut. “Every time I pressed the blade to your throat, I found a reason not to do it. That fucking necklace didn’t make it easy. I was going to have to take your whole head for it to be a killing blow. The thought broke me. Then it was too late and you were gone. Everyone was gone, except your humans. They looked at me too. Expecting me to help them go with you. I just couldn’t. I’m so sorry, my queen.”

Pressing a kiss to his forehead, I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him up into my arms. “Deep down, you must have known we would find a way to return.”

A ragged, self-deprecating growl rattled his throat. “Sure, that sounds better than I couldn’t fucking bear to end your life one second sooner than the goddess intended. I couldn’t bear to kill anyone you loved.” His mouth twisted sourly. “Even the motherfucking dragon.”

One of the sphinxes crept closer and rubbed her broad head against Sekh’s arm, butting him. Purring, she dropped down to the floor and rolled over on her back, pretending to want belly rubs. Batting playfully at his arm. Though her claws and the tips of her canines glistened.

He grunted, shaking his head. “Fuck you too.”

Though he rubbed her stomach, letting her immediately grasp and claw at his hand. Though of course my stone general wasn’t harmed. Now. Though blood still dripped from the wounds on his throat.

I stared at those gouges. The rich blood streaming down the strong column of his bronzed neck. And hunger rolled over me so viciously that I buried my fangs in his throat before I could even blink. He arched against me, his body quaking with release. His blood pumped into me, laced with the bitter edge of grief. His shame and regret. But once that initial surge was gone, all I tasted was the purest taste of all.

Love.

Flopping down beside us, Mehen rolled his eyes. “You’re fucking welcome, motherfucker.”

He didn’t have to ask. I wrapped one arm around him, pulling him closer, inviting him to feed if he wanted. But all he did was nuzzle in against me, his face against my chest. So he could breathe in my scent and listen to my heart, as if he needed the reassurance that yes, my heart was still beating.

“Me too, asshole,” Sekh grumbled.

“Fuck you.”

“You wish.”

My lips curved against Sekh’s throat. Business as usual. :Let the sphinxes finish clean up so we can go back to the Isador house.:

Sekh heaved a giant sigh. “You heard our queen.”

The sphinxes pounced on Charles Valois to finish the fucking job. Whether he knew what was in the attic or not wasn’t important. Despite everything, we were still alive.

And now he wasn’t.

I didn’t know if humans had the same kind of judgement that we Aima did, but I hoped to goddess he had a few things to say to Jeanne Viennois and Rosalind Valois when he crossed over.

I sure the fuck did.