Walking into the room, Kyan’s hands glow as he presses them to the sides of her face. He looks over his shoulder at me.
“What are you doing?” I ask, stepping into the room.
“Channeling her, to find the source,” comes Kaif’s voice instead of Kyan’s.
“Kyan knows you’re forward?” I raise an eyebrow.
“He is with me,” he says before his eyes go past me, and I hear Eziah step into the room behind me.
Kaif growls and his eyes flicker, but he turns back to focus on Marabella.
“Did you find anything?” Eziah asks him, and Kaif growls, turning to look back at us. His canines have protruded, but I can tell Kyan is with him, and their fear courses through me from them both. My stomach drops as Kaif’s eyes flick to me.
“She’ll be fine,” he says, and I let out a breath, then his eyes go to Eziah. “Time to figure out how to open that coffin,” Kaif says coldly, his glare threatening to set Eziah on fire.
“So now you want my help,” Eziah snaps, and I growl at him.
“You only have to keep your mouth shut,” Kaif snaps, rising to his feet and shifting. His body ripples and he cracks his neck standing upright, his head nearly scraping the roof as I crane my neck to look up at him.
“Here we go,” Eziah mutters, and I want to strangle the idiot.
“She had her reasons for not wanting him to know, and now I have no choice but to tell him,” Kaif snarls.
“Well, the cat is out of the bag. Fucking get over it,” Eziah retorts, and Kaif takes a step toward him. Eziah rolls his eyes, unafraid of him, but Kaif isn’t like Kyan. Nothing frightens me more than the monster that stands in front of me.
“Yes, and you made him lose control. You have no idea what you have done, what you have awoken,” Kaif growls, gripping the front of his shirt. He lifts Eziah so they are nose to nose, his feet dangling in the air. “So you will help fix your mistake,” Kaif says, his voice ice cold, like the feeling running through me.
“And why would I do that?” Eziah snaps.
“Because if we can’t wake him to take his power, and the power in her gets out like that again, it can fucking kill her,” Kaif says, letting him go.
Eziah drops to his feet and glances at Mara on the bed. “But you said she would be alright?” Eziah stammers.
“Idiot. Now, where is Celeste’s grimoire?” Kaif demands.
“In Mara’s bag downstairs,” I answer him, and he heads for the door, ducking his head as he steps through it. “Kaif?” I call out, stepping out after him. Kaif stops looking back at me.
“What do you need?” I ask him.
“We need to wake Dominic.”
“What?” I ask, confused, looking at Eziah, who is still staring at his sister.
“We don’t think he is dead,” Eziah answers, and I look at Kaif.
“This is what she was keeping from us?” I ask, and Kaif nods again, then growls, his eyes moving to Eziah and glaring at him.
“But for now, I need to take his magic from her.”
“Why, when he gave it to her?” Eziah asks, spinning on his heel to look at Kaif.
“This is why magic shouldn’t be played with so carelessly. You can only harness so much, and she can’t harness more than she already is. You awoke it!” Kaif snarls.
“Awoke what?” Eziah, and I ask at the same time.
“Our child’s,” Kaif says, looking at me.
“You got her pregnant?” Eziah scoffs, and I swallow. Kaif raises an eyebrow at me.
“Kyan has more control than that. Blame our mate,” Kaif says, though I can tell he isn’t angry, just more concerned. Kyan told me this could happen, and I didn’t think so. I know trio mates always share DNA. Looking at Mara, guilt smashes me. Kyan is right; I may have caused the curse to continue.
“Jonah!” Kaif says, and I look at him. “It’s not your fault. It’s dickheads,” Kaif says.
“I didn’t knock her up,” Eziah snaps, pulling a face of disgust.
“No, you just forced our child’s magic to awaken to protect its mother!” Kaif snarls before stalking off. Guilt hits me as I follow Kaif.
Halfway down the hall, Eziah calls out to me. “Jonah?” Groaning, I mutter under my breath but stop. Turning slightly, I glance at him. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not the one you have to say sorry to,” I tell him, walking out to follow my mate.
I catch up to Kaif on the stairs. “What if we can’t wake Dominic?” I question.
“He has to wake,” Kaif murmurs, walking across the foyer.
“But if he doesn’t?”
“I won’t lose her,” Kaif says.
“Kaif!” I demand as he grabs her bag off the chair. He looks over at me.
“Can you channel that much power?” I ask him.
“I can hold Kyan’s and mine, so yes,” Kaif answers.
“That’s not what I asked!” I snap at him.
“It’s Octavian magic. Kyan is Octavian, Dominic is Octavian, I can take it,” he mutters as if it’s no big deal, just another daily activity Kaif fucking enjoys.
“I know, but each generation gets stronger, doesn’t it? Kyan can barely contain your magic and his own,” I argue.
“Kyan will be fine,” Kaif answers. Yet I know he is hiding something.
“What happens if you take Dominic’s magic?” I ask.
“I absorb it,” he says simply.
Jax presses forward nervously, knowing he is lying to us. He is evading the real question I’m asking. “Kaif!” I snarl.
“I absorb it, and take Dominic’s place.”
I stumble back at his words in disbelief. “What?”
“We open that coffin and can’t wake him. We have the daggers.” Kaif rummages through her bag.
“I’m not following,” I tell him.
“One takes life. One gives it. We open that coffin and can’t free Dominic. You use Celeste’s dagger on me, the one used on Luna,” Kaif murmurs.