Chapter 41 - Above Cursed Winds

Jeremiah frowned. “Atonement?”

“Sehrin attacked you—multiple times—when the one condition of his entry into clan lands was that he never harm any of my people,” Nero inclined his chin. “His life is forfeit.”

“I understand the conditions, but Nero, Sehrin is Myko’s father,” Jeremiah shook his head, distressed. “There has to be another way.”

Nero’s grimace turned dark. “Oh, there is. But he won’t like it.”

Beside them, both Zia and Luna shuddered, and the Elemental turned his frown toward them. “What is it?”

Before they could answer, Sehrin was gasping, righting himself after Nero ungagged him. He blinked twice, then turned his fury on the sovereign. “How dare you!”

“Silence.”

The single word iced up Jeremiah’s spine, Nero’s jovial demeanor having vanished in the face of Sehrin’s betrayal. The clanless Raeth balked, paling before the sovereign, before rocking back on his heels.

“You’ve broken the trust I put in you, Sehrin.” Lifting his chin, Nero glowered at the male. “As such, your life would be forfeit. Fortunately for you, the man you attacked is of finer stock than you.”

Sehrin’s hands fisted. “And my punishment, then?”

A smile ghosted on Nero’s mouth. “You’ve never once asked what my abilities were, Sehrin. That’s your own fault.”

Stepping toward him, an oppressive pressure scrubbed at Jeremiah’s skin, his gut sucking in at the power that laced the air.

“No!”

Sehrin must’ve sensed what Nero intended. He scrambled backward along the ground, brought low as he crawled through the muck and mire left by the storm.

The sovereign took the male in a stranglehold despite feeble attempts at resistance. An itch crawled across Jeremiah’s skin, the eerie sensation pulling at his core. He shut his eyes, briefly blinded by the brilliant flare that transferred between Nero and Sehrin. When the light no longer bled through his eyelids, he opened them.

Sehrin, blank-faced and sprawled in the mud, panted in front of Nero. “I’ll leave you your telepathy and teleportation, in case you grow a soul and decide to behave like a proper father who visits his son. Otherwise, the rest of your abilities are Locked.”

“Please.” A prayer on his lips, Sehrin’s entire demeanor changed. “Please Nero, please. Give them back to me. I promise I won’t ever hurt anyone ever again.”

Nero’s unforgiving stare spoke volumes. “I don’t forgive Raeths of murder—attempted or not. I’m not tolerant enough to allow the death of a fellow supernatural simply because you wanted to have your cake and eat it, too. Live like a human for a time, Sehrin, and perhaps you’ll come to find your humanity.” Scoffing, his expression darkened. “Get off my lands before I decide to take your life instead.”

Sehrin disappeared.

“What just happened?”

Zia’s arms gently enfolded Jeremiah’s waist. “Nero is a Lock. He’s capable of binding anyone’s abilities away, temporarily or permanently. Until Nero releases them, Sehrin can’t access them.”

Seeing the sovereign in a new light, Jeremiah rested his cheek on the top of Zia’s head. Her hair tickled his skin, and he found himself smiling despite himself.

“A fitting punishment,” Key concluded. “And one Sehrin won’t likely forget any time soon.”

Nero eyed her. “You’d foreseen this, no doubt?”

“I did,” came the initial response, but no pride was present in her gaze. “Everything worked as it should have. Nolan didn’t disclose Sehrin’s abilities, as I instructed that day Rona attacked Jeremiah; thereby leading Sehrin’s piece to fall into place, and allow Rona to be able to catch Jeremiah with her borrowed element. Jeremiah and Zia both worked through their respective issues when the time called for it. Though, I must beg your pardon, sovereign, on the condo. I was the one who ruined the sewer lines.”

“Key!”

“If Jeremiah had been able to sleep there that night, none of this would have happened.” Her eyes frosted white once more. “As the paths fall into place, we will see lives irreparably changed, fated mates found, and destruction abound. With even one mistake, our hope is lost.”

A sickly feeling crawled within Jeremiah. “And is our hope lost, Key?”

“Our path remains unchanged. Your mating is just another tide in the sea, but this tide washes ashore.” There was a pause, then Key’s eyes—so often streaked with white lightning—turned gold as she turned to him. “You should know, Jeremiah, that your element didn’t refuse you that day at the dam.”

Confused, Jeremiah asked, “What?”

“When you said your element refused you, that isn’t one hundred percent accurate,” Key continued. “You were nearing the edge of your abilities—not because you aren’t strong, but because you were exhausted.”

He froze.

“You were nearing dormancy because you’d already helped so many people,” Key said. “That limit you experienced—that was your element protecting you, Jeremiah. Unfortunately, while protecting you, it left everyone else vulnerable. We must all learn to lay less responsibility on your shoulders.”

Zia’s fingers gently trailed across Jeremiah’s hand, the featherlight touch both soothing and reassuring. And then she whispered, “Your element didn’t reject you, Jeremiah. It was protecting you. It wasn’t your fault.”

Blinking against eyes that suddenly burned, Jeremiah could only nod as Zia’s wrapped him up in her arms. Above her head, Jeremiah’s gaze locked with Gideon’s. Something unspoken passed between them, and when Gideon smiled, it was full of relief.

Tears, unbidden but not unwanted, spilled down Jeremiah’s cheeks, and they weren’t from sadness.

* * *

Before they had even returned home, Myko called out for them, trotting up the path to meet the adult group. At Zia’s gasp, Jeremiah tore his eyes away from the running child to look at his new mate.

“What’s wrong?”

“Myko,” she whispered. “We have to tell Myko we’ve mated. I have no idea how he’ll take it.”

On an impulse, Jeremiah smiled, then swathed her in his arms. “We could just tell him, no theatrics involved.”

And then he was theatrical.

He claimed Zia’s lips, unrepentantly marking his woman. Affection overflowed in his gesture. A giggle escaped her as she melted in his arms, responding just as readily to his call. As he reeled from the softness of her lips and the decadent sweetness of her scent, he retreated, nipping at her plump bottom lip just as Myko’s gags met their ears.

“Little man, your mom and I have something to tell you.”

“We’ve mated, Boo.” Gently, Zia was put on her feet, and opened her arms for her son. “Jeremiah and I are fated mates.”

Instantly transforming his face with an open-mouthed grin, Myko jumped up and down before vaulting into Zia’s arms. From inside her embrace, he asked, “Does that mean you’re gonna stay with us, Jeremiah?”

He nodded. “You’re never gonna get rid of me now, little man.”

That was when the tears came. Softening, Jeremiah closed the distance between them, pulling both Zia and Myko into his chest. As Myko cried softly, his happiness a near-tangible thing, Jeremiah’s lips found hers once more.

She was the missing piece of the puzzle, the second part of his soul he’d longed for without knowing it.

And now, cradling her and their son in his arms, Jeremiah had never been happier. Pressing another kiss into Zia’s vibrant hair, he gently cupped Myko’s cheek.

“We love you, Myko.”

Myko grinned enthusiastically, then sobered, asking, “Is Father okay, mommy? He feels different in my head. Like he’s put on a new coat or something.”

Or, perhaps, taken one off.

“Your daddy might need a bit of time to adjust, little man. He’s had a hard day and lost a couple of things he’ll miss terribly.”

“But he’s okay?”

“Yeah, Boo,” Zia lovingly smoothed Myko’s curls. “Your father will be okay. I’m sure he’ll come see you when he’s feeling more himself.”

A childlike determination filled Myko’s face, followed by a workmanlike nod. “Yep. And then he’ll have to find somewhere else to sleep. Since my best friend is taking his spot.”