Kirill scooted aside and helped Odin lay Trevor beside me. Long lashes fluttered as honey eyes opened to stare up at me. Trevor shuddered and leaned toward me automatically, the bond taking over. I closed the distance between us, wrapping my arms around him, and the pain vanished. We gasped together and then let it out slowly, trembling within each other's arms. I heard the other men sigh in relief. Even Viper.
“Minn Elska,” Trevor whispered, his voice rough as if he'd been screaming, “come home. I love you. I don't care what you've done.” He laid his palm on my cheek. “I need you to forgive me and come home. Vero needs you. Lesya needs you. All of us need you. Stop this lunacy and come back to your family.”
“Honey-Eyes,” I leaned down and kissed him tenderly. “I've missed you so much.”
“He wants you to give this up, Vervain,” Star sneered. “Are you willing to do that? We've come so far, but they still don't see what we can accomplish. They don't see the good we've done. They think we're evil.”
“Is that true?” I looked over at the other men; Kirill, Odin, Azrael, Re, and Toby.
They all glared at Star as if she were a monster or malicious spirit then they looked at me beseechingly.
“I can't stop now.” I sat up. “The Middle East is at peace for the first time in thousands of years. No bombs going off. No children dying beneath mounds of rubble. No mothers crying for dead husbands. No crying at all. The people rejoice. They are happy under my rule; healthy and prosperous. Can't you see that this is for the good of all? This is what we've been fighting for.”
“No, Minn Elska.” Trevor took a strong breath and sat up to face me. “You've become a dictator. They're not happy; they're scared. You're the villain, my love. You've become everything we fight against.”
“No!” I screamed as fury and power swept through me. “I am not the villain!”
“Yes, you are!” Odin roared back at me. “You have been infected by evil, Vervain, and I will not watch you drown in it. Death could not separate us and neither will this. You are my wife, and I love you. Fight for that! Fight for us! You know this is wrong. In your heart, beneath that dark star”—he turned to glare at Star—“you know the truth. You've gone bad, my love. You've taken on the taint of Vainamoinen, and I'm so sorry. He was my friend, and I put you in his path. I am responsible for this. Please let me make things right.”
Odin bent over the bed and pulled me over to him. I fought him for a second, and Viper moved to help me, but Kirill and Trevor tackled my star god and held him down.
“Let her go! If you hurt her, I will fucking kill you!” Viper roared and bared his fangs, rearing back to strike.
“Don't, Viper!” I shouted. “Stand down! I'm fine; stand down!”
Viper hissed but went still in their grip, panting and staring at me intensely as his fangs flicked up. “Choose, Vervain. Choose now! Are you going back to them or staying with me?”
I hesitated, and while I did, the Oathbreaker took advantage of the opportunity.
“Forgive me, sweetheart, this is the only way I can help you,” Odin whispered before he began to chant.
Heaviness filled my body, and I started to go limp, my mind full of mist. The mist brightened and began to seep out, down to my heart. But my heart was having none of that. Suddenly, amethyst light flared inside me and blasted out of my body. It blew away the mist and sent Odin stumbling back. I straightened and leveled my furious stare on him.
“You think to ensorcell me, Husband?” I growled in a voice as ancient as the sky. “You come here and spout words of love and then strike against me with magic? I am magic!”
Viper used the distraction to pull free of Kirill and Trevor. He shoved them aside and strode proudly over to stand at my back. But I was too furious to focus on him. I held my hands out as the dark light set my skin to glowing, and I began to lift off my feet to hover in the air.
“I am the spell you cast,” I declared. “I am all spells!”
“Lala, no!” Re ran toward me.
I turned and flicked a finger at him, sending Re shooting through the Aether to Aaru in an instant. Go home, silly sun god. The others gaped at me in horror.
“Get out of here!” Odin shouted at them. “We'll come back for her later!”
“Come back, and you die, Oathbreaker,” I hissed. “That goes for all of you. Return here, and I will burn you in my light and accept you as a sacrifice.”
I waved my hand at Trevor, and he dropped to his knees, gasping for breath.
“Take this as my parting gift to you, lover,” I growled at Trevor. “A magical touch to last you through eternity. The Binding holds no power over you any longer. You will live forever unless I choose to kill you. And I will never have to see your traitorous face again,” I ground the last bit out as I traced him to Pride Palace.
Before I could do the same to the others, they traced away on their own. Kirill left last.
“Forever, Vervain,” Kirill vowed. “Zat's how long I vill love you. Zat's how long I vill fight for you. Zis is far from over.”
Then he was gone.
I dropped to my feet and stumbled. Viper caught me once more. I looked up at him, my hand trembling as I stroked his cheek, and then I burst into tears.
“Oh, Jesus Christ. This shit is getting old,” Star muttered and vanished.
Chapter Thirty
“It wasn't one thing standing between us, it was six,”
