“If this is about your own wants-”
“No…” It isn’t. I’ll live in heartbreak as long as everyone else is ok, if Jayce is ok.
My heart thunders.
He will have a mate out there. He’ll find love again. He can live without me.
My eyes prickle at the thought of him, my mama, Ahren, Heaven, Allie… everyone.
“Does Jayce Westwood, the Deimos King, have a mate? Can you see that?” I ask, the pain in my chest is unbearable. My emotions are spiralling, and I can feel them whip around me.
He nods. “He does.”
I look down, then I am all there is to sacrifice. Mama will have Dad, Ahren will find his mate, and Allie and Heaven have each other. I’ll join my grandfather and Uncle Chris.
“Very well then. I agree,” I whisper.
“Excellent! Then it is bound by our blood.” I blink as I feel sharp pain rush down my neck. I gasp, clamping my hand over where my mate mark would go as I feel searing pain rush through me. I think I see something molten gold blaze from Helios’ neck. I wouldn’t call it blood; it’s more like a dazzling light, and then he steps back as everything becomes blindingly bright.
“Then on the night of the Blood Moon, come to where the veil is weak and we will make the exchange; your father for you.”
I nod, my heart shattering.
“Even a god cannot break the oath made by a god. Remember, if you do not honour this oath, your entire bloodline shall suffer and the ones you love most. Remember it, daughterof three.”
Helios’ voice echoes from all around, from within, from behind, from above.
And then he’s laughing.
“To have the mate of the Deimos King on my arm! Do you see this, Andronikos?! I win!”
His words echo again and again in my head as I find myself being sucked away.
His words turn in my mind as I process them, my own heart thrumming in my ear.
To have the mate… I gasp, a sob escaping me as agony rips through me as I realise what I’ve done.
I’m Jayce’s mate! I am Jayce’s…
He tricked me.
He tricked me!
“Sienna!”
Someone calls me, but there’s nothing I can do but cry my heart out. Hope, faith, and trust all shattered. He’s mine, but I can never have him. I traded his love… I… I failed once again…
“Sienna, please, my lovely, talk to me…”
Arms wrap around me as I simply keep crying.
“Someone! Jayce! Someone call Jayce!”
I vaguely realise it’s Shahira, and I hold on to her.
This time I’ve fucked up so badly that I don’t think anyone can help me… I touch my neck, flinching when I feel the open wound. A blood oath…
I stare at my hands as Jayce’s scent fills my nose, and then Ifeel Shahira’s arms release me, and they’re replaced by stronger ones. I can’t stop the tears even as he strokes my hair. The guilt is consuming me.
