Page 230

The way she said it made it sound like they’d gone overboard to destroy me. No wonder I thought my insides were melting.

Cyn’s natural scowl deepened. “What do you mean by a stasis?”

Quinfina looked at him. “His energy is too strong to be destroyed by the force they exerted. I’m unsure if he would have survived if they’d all used their magic.”

“We did,” Caendra said.

Ezra and Cyn shared a look I didn’t understand.

Quinfina ignored her. “Raelynn’s magic healed them both, restoring Ashryn from stasis.”

Cornaith’s lips pressed into a firm line. He glanced at the guys and then at me. “If she has power like this, she needs to be put down. Someone of mixed blood shouldn’t possess such abilities.”

Racist fuck. Or is it specist… species-ist… speciest?

I shook my head to clear it, tensing as the start of his declaration hit me.

Cyn squeezed my ankle as Zeke took my hand again. Ash laced his fingers with mine.

Quinfina clasped her hands together and faced the council. “No.”

“No?” Rhistel’s eyes narrowed.

She continued to stare Cornaith in the eye. “To kill Raelynn is to kill your son. All of your sons.” Her gaze moved across the other council members.

“Explain,” Cornaith barked.

“You all know the answer. You simply refuse to accept it.”

“She’s their Nyrith,” Lymsrana said.

Caendra sucked in a breath, looking at Rhistel. Ardvaen looked at Lymsrana, and she nodded. Amra moved to Lymsrana’s side.

Ardvaen looked at Cyn, confusion lining his forehead. “How is it possible when only two mates—”

“It’s a question we’ve all asked,” Ash said, anticipating Ardvaen’s words.

One of the main points of contention since Shane dropped the mate bomb came with their understanding of Shyrlivi mate norms. From what I understood, I shouldn’t be able to mate all four of them—even if they accepted me, and I accepted them.

Quinfina nodded. “It’s new for our kind, but not an impossibility. At least, not anymore.”

Ezra stilled as Cornaith stepped around everyone to draw closer to where I sat.

Ash’s grip tightened to the point of pain. Cyn released my ankle, and Zeke shifted from foot to foot.

“Quinfina has been a trusted advisor to this council for the thirty-plus years I’ve sat on the throne,” Cornaith said, stopping in front of me. “So while I find this quite illogical, we must assume her words as fact.”

“What are you saying, Cornaith?”

Cornaith looked over his shoulder at Rhistel. “If Raelynn here is, in fact, a Shyrlivi—and the mate to our sons—I believe it appropriate for her to come to Elyrdin, where we can monitor her.”

Cyn’s eyes narrowed. “What?”

“Multiple Nyrith mates are unheard of,” Cornaith said, turning to Cyn. “And if her magic is enough to reverse our influence, she may pose a threat to both Earth and Elyrdin now that this ‘seal’ is broken.”

Ardvaen nodded in understanding. “She knows nothing of her powers. It could be dangerous.”

I didn’t disagree.