Heart of Radiance | Eternal Bonds: Book 3

Chapter Sixteen

AN: Hello and welcome to Chapter Sixteen! We'll be starting in Gabriel's head again. Hope you all enjoy! Be sure to drop some comments as you read! Now onward and forward to Chapter Sixteen!

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*Gabriel*

I must have been hallucinating. But something inside me told me I wasn't. Something inside me said that she was truly here. She was alive!

"Maricara?!" Tatiana asked, "But you're—"

"Dead? Is that what you were going to say?!" Mother demanded.

"Mari...I—" Tatiana began.

"Don't you 'Mari' me!" Mother growled, "Anyone who takes away my son's opportunity to find his soul mate, doesn't have the right to call me Mari. Now get your daughter to release my son and call off your guards." Mother's eyes flashed red and a growl escaped her lips. "Now!" she snarled.

Tatiana nodded at Calypso. The faerie Princess sighed before lowering the barrier. The guards released Raine and Leon. I sighed in relief and walked over to Raine before pulling her into an embrace.

Starlene approached us.

"What the hell did you do?" I asked.

"We found Mamă," Starlene replied. I gave her a look. "It's a long story," she told me, "I'll tell you later."

"Now tell me why you can't release my son from that ridiculous contract," Mother growled.

"Gabriel is meant to save us from Nysa," Tatiana replied, "When he transforms into a faerie, his vampire blood will linger in his veins and make him stronger and more powerful than Nysa. We'll be able to defeat her. Please Maricara...my people can't handle a civil war."

Mother opened her mouth to speak, but I held up my hand to stop her.

"Why are you so sure that I'm the one meant to save you?" I asked.

"Because you'll be as strong as Lysander was," Tatiana replied.

I shook my head.

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't," I told her, "You can't be certain. But that doesn't mean you don't have a saviour."

"What are you talking about?" Tatiana asked.

"Melisande is Lysander's eldest daughter and from what I've seen, she is just as powerful as he was," I replied, "I've seen her practicing in the woods. With a bit more training, she could defeat Nysa."

"I won't put my daughter in danger, Gabriel," Tatiana told me.

"Then I propose a wager," I told her. Faeries couldn't resist wagers. "If Melisande becomes strong enough to face Nysa by the next full moon, then you have to tear up that contract and let me and my companions return home," I told Tatiana.

"And if I win our little wager?" Tatiana asked with a raised eyebrow. I sighed.

"Then I'll accept the terms of the contract as they are," I replied, "I'll marry Melisande, forsake my vampirism, and defeat Nysa."