Halo must die. He must die after he’d tasted of life for the first time. He must leave his gravita, after he’d promised her forever.
For her sake, he must leave her even before he died.
Both consorts and entwines followed their mates in death, one way or another. If they survived it, they became the living dead. Like Blythe. The only way to ensure Ophelia survived Halo’s loss—teach her to do so now, before his death.
Her smile faded. “Halo? What’s wrong?”
Erebus had used the apple as a weapon. A cruelty meant to taunt Halo with the life he should have, could have, would have had. Centuries of laughter and peace. Pleasure. Contentment. Connection. But Halo would do it. When the time came, he would sacrifice himself, saving both the Astra and Ophelia.
31
Day Whatever
8:46 a.m.
He’s not coming for me.
Ophelia spent the first part of her morning rushing around the bunkroom, cleaning up, dressing in her uniform, and explaining the situation to Vivi. The harpire listened, rapt. As always, she voiced no doubts.
“This kind of sounds familiar to me. Like there’s a memory lodged somewhere in my brain.” Her gaze took on a faraway glaze. “If I could just find it...”
Interesting. Were the others remembering, now that only a lone task remained?
Ophelia plopped beside her friend at the edge of the bed and returned to the subject that mattered. “What did the apple show Halo, V?” Because dang. He’d gone from a playful lover to a cold prick in a matter of minutes. And the attitude had lingered for the past six days! He’d barely spoken to Ophelia since, joining her a little later each morning.
“I snuck over and stole my own bite of the apple before the reset,” she continued, “but the stupid thing evaporated.” Ophelia glanced at the door. “Where is he?” Had he gotten caught up with Roc?
“Wherever he is, whatever he’s doing, there’s a silver lining,” Vivi said, rubbing her hands together. “You get to punish him.”
“True.” And really, with the final labor on the horizon, he had more people to command than usual. More things to do.
Except, shouldn’t Ophelia be a top priority too? They were linked now. An official couple. #Halophelia. #Ophelio. Even their names were cute together!
Another ten minutes passed. Twenty.
Old fears came out of hiding. The trash pandas of the mind. They reminded her of every insult Nissa had ever lobbed her way. The total rejection of her mother. The absence of stardust. Because yes, it had started bugging her again.
Come on, Halo! He wasn’t ditching her right when they approached the finish line. Just because they hadn’t stolen the dagger or discovered a path to happily-forever-after, well, it didn’t mean they wouldn’t. Last-second saves happened all the time.
Besides, he’d fought too hard to win her to ditch her now. Keeping her topped his agenda. Unless he’d seen a truth she refused to grasp? That maybe, possibly, they weren’t actually...fated.
No stardust, no gravita.
Her stomach flip-flopped. The past few weeks, she had enjoyed more pleasure than she’d ever dreamed possible. She had no regrets.
Did he?
He might...if he’d foreseen her death. Or even his own. But why believe a vision given by a so-called “truth apple”? Just because Erebus asserted the apple showed only the truth? What if he’d utilized another loophole?
A few times throughout the week, Ophelia had reached out through the brand. Halo’s replies had been sharp, so she’d stopped, too afraid she would resemble a beggar willing to accept the smallest crumb of affection. But...
What if she came across as a warrior woman determined to get what she wanted?
Wings rippling, she focused her inward attention on the scar he had so tenderly and painlessly burned into her flesh. As the raised mark heated, she pushed a message into his mind.—Where are you? What’s going on?—
A minute passed. Crickets.
“I hear a commotion in the hall.” Vivi popped to her feet. “I’ll be right back.”
“No need. I’ll save you the trouble. Everyone’s abuzz because multiple heads are hanging in the palace foyer, and mine and Halo’s are among them.” Seeing her replica mounted on the wall of victory and defeat had been a shock. Halo had stared at it for hours, his expression blank.
“Your head is mounted on a wall and mine isn’t? No fair!”
Ophelia concentrated, letting her inner voice build into a shout. —Halo!—
—Harpy.—
Frost accompanied his overly harsh timbre, and she shuddered. Cold before, frigid now. —I miss you, Immortal.—The words left her without thought.
—You shouldn’t. I’m told the final labor will occur sometime today. The freeze is over, and the day will repeat no longer.—
They’d run out of time? —What did the apple show you? Please, Halo. Help me understand what’s going on.—
—What’s going on is this. The task is set to conclude and so is our relationship. Get used to being without me, harpy.—He went quiet then. Not just quiet, removed. As if he’d erected a mental block between them.