Zadok faced me. “Take care of my son, do you hear?”

I bowed slightly in a show of deference. “I will defend him with everything I have, you can rest assured.”

“I don’t want to say bye ’cause it feels too final,” Luca said, voice wavering. I inched closer to him, hooking an arm around his waist for comfort. He sagged against me, and gripped my shirt as if he desperately needed the purchase. I held him even tighter.

“See you soon works just fine,” Zadok offered, a tear tracking down his gaunt cheek. Flick appeared beside him in an instant, threading their fingers together.

“See you soon… Dad.”

My mate’s bottom lip wobbled, and never one to linger over drawn-out goodbyes, he turned to conjure his magic, crafting the symbols in midair and missing how his father’s tears flowed freely at the endearment. That familiar rush swooped in, goose bumps rising on my skin as an emerald tear opened at our feet. We had discussed beforehand where it would be best to travel to, so I was already aware it led to my office at the club in the human realm.

It was not wise to return to the capital yet, and The Veil was the safest place I knew.

Luca glanced over his shoulder, his wistful gaze spanning the farmstead once more. This was where he longed to be, I could see it plainly. The way he seemed to be memorizing every detail, soaking up his surroundings so he would never forget the source of the pure contentment I knew he’d experienced here. The peace and simplicity that a life here afforded was his calling, and in that moment, I vowed to do everything in my power to one day make it so.

With one last parting smile, my mate nodded his readiness to me. I rested a hand on the small of his back, and together we stepped through the portal.

Chapter Fifteen

LUCA

A familiar body crashed into me as arms flew around my shoulders, clutching me for dear life. “I can’t believe you almost died,” Alex sobbed, sniffling right into my ear.

“I did die,” I corrected him wryly, hugging him back just as tight. “But I got better.”

Suddenly, he shoved himself off me, gripping my biceps to hold me in place, his face twisted in fury. “As soon as we got your letter, I tried storming to the Fae realm to kill the fucker myself,” he said, and I didn’t doubt that he meant it. “But the Veil spat me back out.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw Teighan’s jaw pop at the recollection. He’d obviously had his work cut out for him with his mate the last few weeks. I sympathized. I knew how confrontational Alex could get about the people he cared for, but normally he’d threaten to hire a hitman when his opponent was beyond his capabilities. I guessed he’d felt confident enough—or had temporarily lost his sanity—to take on the Fae king himself.