"Then what do we do about it?"
"That," Ruth said, setting down her knitting and fixing Lyra with a stare that seemed to see straight through to her soul, "depends on how much you're willing to sacrifice for this community."
The words hung in the air like a challenge, and Lyra found herself sitting straighter in her chair. "What kind of sacrifice?"
"The original binding required three founder bloodlines working in perfect harmony," Dr. Vasquez explained, pulling out a thick folder of documents. "But harmony isn't just about magical compatibility. It's about emotional and spiritual connection. The founders weren't just allies—they were bonded to each other in the deepest possible way."
"Bonded how?"
"Mated," Ruth said bluntly. "All three of them, in a triad that combined their powers and tied their life forces together. Theseal wasn't just held by their individual magic—it was held by the strength of their combined bond."
Lyra's founder's mark gave a particularly strong pulse, and she pressed her palm against her thigh to hide the glow. "You're saying they were all romantically involved with each other?"
"I'm saying they were bound by magic, emotion, and physical connection in ways that made them stronger together than they could ever be apart," Ruth said. "And I'm saying that kind of bond is what's required to repair the seal."
"But there are only two active founder bloodlines," Councilman Bradford pointed out. "The fae line has been dormant for decades."
"Actually," said a familiar voice from the doorway, "that's not entirely accurate."
Nico stepped into the chamber with the kind of dramatic timing that suggested he'd been listening from the hallway. His usual air of amused detachment was gone, replaced by something more serious and infinitely more dangerous.
"Nico Beaumont," he said, inclining his head toward the council. "Descendant of the fae founder line, and apparently the third piece of this particular puzzle."
The room erupted in surprised murmurs and sharp questions, but Lyra found herself staring at Nico with a mixture of understanding and betrayal. "You knew. This whole time, you knew what we were dealing with and you didn't tell me."
"I told you what you needed to know when you needed to know it," Nico said, settling into an empty chair with fluid grace. "Overwhelming you with the full scope of the situation on your first week in town seemed counterproductive."
"So now what?" Sheriff Torres asked, cutting through the growing tension. "We have three founder bloodlines in the same room. What does that mean for the seal?"
"It means we have options," Dr. Vasquez said, consulting her notes. "But those options require a level of cooperation and connection that..." She paused, glancing between Lyra, Cade, and Nico. "Well, that doesn't currently exist."
"Meaning?" Lyra asked, though she was starting to suspect she didn't want to know the answer.
"Meaning the three of you need to form a triad bond," Ruth said matter-of-factly. "Magical, emotional, and physical. The same kind of connection that held the original seal."
The silence that followed was so complete Lyra could hear her own heartbeat. She looked at Cade, whose expression had gone carefully blank, then at Nico, who was studying his hands with unusual intensity.
"That's not happening," Cade said finally, his voice flat with finality.
"Cade," Ruth began.
"No." He stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. "I won't force Lyra into a magical arrangement she doesn't want just because some ancient binding requires it. And I sure as hell won't share her with someone else, bond or no bond."
The possessive edge in his voice made Lyra's magic flare with interest, but his words stung more than they should have. "Shouldn't that be my choice to make?"
"Not when you're being pressured into it to save the town," Cade shot back. "Not when the decision is being made for you by people who think supernatural necessity trumps personal autonomy."
"And what's the alternative?" Dr. Vasquez asked. "Let the Mistbound break free and start hunting again? Hope we can evacuate the supernatural population before it escapes the valley?"
"There has to be another way."
"There isn't," Ruth said firmly. "The founders tried everything else before resorting to the triad bond. Solo magic isn't strong enough. Allied magic isn't stable enough. It has to be bonded magic, or the seal won't hold."
Cade's hands clenched into fists, and Lyra could see the struggle playing out across his features. "Then we're asking them to sacrifice their freedom for our safety. How is that any different from what the Mistbound wants to do?"
"Because we're asking, not taking," Nico said quietly. "And because the alternative is much worse than magical polyamory."
"Is it?" Cade's green eyes flashed gold. "Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like we're trading one form of imprisonment for another."
