I was close to going in after her. Whether I was granted an audience with the Elders or not, no one could keep me from Ainsley if she was in trouble.

I had managed to stay calm when Elron was around, but not long after he left I started getting restless. Was I really going to stand around and wait if she was in danger? Would I ever be able to live with myself? I promised her over and over I would protect her. Protecting her did not involve sitting back and letting her handle crazy situations on her own. To top it off Elron was fighting my fight with Gregor. I felt useless and weak. Neither was a good feeling.

I knew the darkness was there. It was impossible to ignore, but that did not mean it was impossible to fight. I could control it.

I was about to head into the clouds to find Ainsley when she appeared through the mist. My heart soared the moment she came into view.

She wore a troubled expression—which had me on alert—but she was back. She had survived her meeting with the Elders, and that alone gave me the strength to push away the anger. The anger was not mine, yet it pressed upon my soul like an unimaginable weight.

I ran toward her, eagerly pulling her into my arms. She relaxed against me and started to cry, cry in a way I had not heard her do before.

I held her tightly as guilt racked through me. She was crying because I had left her to face the Elders alone. I had failed her, and I would have to spend the rest of my life making up for that. "Ainsley? Are you all right?"

She grabbed a fistful of my shirt, and the bawling lessened into light sobs.

"Ainsley?" I asked trying to keep my voice soft.

"I'm fine." She released my shirt. "Sorry."

"Why are you apologizing?"

"For crying. I don’t even know why I’m doing it."

"Please never apologize for crying." She never had to apologize for anything, let alone showing me her true feelings.

"I'm fine." She stepped back, but I still held her in my arms. 

"You already said that." I smiled at her, relieved she seemed to be feeling better.

“Thank you for waiting for me.”

I laughed as relief and surprise flooded me. “Of course I waited. Although I admit I did come close to following after.”

“It is a good thing you chose not to follow.” A blonde walked out of the clouds. She was wearing a short dress and high heels and looked completely out of place on the mountaintop.

“Who are you?” I already knew she could be far more than she appeared.

She grinned as she walked closer. “I am Arabella, but all you really need to know is I am the Elder who was most willing to hear Ainsley out.”

I stared at her. “An Elder?”

“I know. I know. I look far too young to be one, but looks can be deceiving.” She smiled, revealing two rows of perfectly white teeth.

“Absolutely.” I composed myself. “And what did you do to my Ainsley?”

“What did I do to her?” Arabella laughed. “You mean how have I offered to help her?”

“She was hysterically crying when she arrived here. You did something.” Ainsley said she did not know why she was crying, but there had to be a reason. We had been through so much already, and she had never cried like that.

“She is going to help.” Ainsley dried her eyes. “She is here to help.”

There was something in Ainsley’s words that put me on guard. I wanted to trust her, but I could not fully. She was hiding something from me.

“What kind of help are you willing to give?” I eyed Arabella warily.

Arabella opened her hand revealing a bright blue flower on a dark green, almost black stem. “I have this.”

“That is the flower that Charlotte seeks?” I had only heard of her desire for it from Ainsley. How desperate was Charlotte to get it that she would lie to Liam? I would have found it hard to believe except I knew Charlotte would do anything to achieve her goals. She had always been strong-willed, but that personality trait was only stronger now.

“Yes. The flower of eon. They are very rare. In fact this is the only one that will bloom for another twenty-years.” Arabella closed her hand around the flower, and it disappeared.

“Then why are you here? Why not give Ainsley the flower?” Something was wrong. There was far more going on than either of them were admitting. I refused to be left in the dark when we were talking about Ainsley’s safety.

“I am here to make sure you get to where you need to be.” Arabella ran a hand through her long blond hair.

“No.” I shook my head. “I saw Ainsley’s tears. There is more.”

“James.” Ainsley squeezed my hand. “Stop. There is nothing you need to know.”

“What price did you ask?” I looked at the Elder. “Whatever price she agreed to, I will pay.”

“That is not how things work.” Arabella put a hand under my chin.

I stepped back.

She dropped her hand. “A debt is not transferable.”

“He is paying it anyway,” Ainsley mumbled.

“What do you mean?” I turned Ainsley so she was looking right at me. “What are you speaking of?”

“And it may seem high to you, but you will still have life and you will find happiness.” A few tears streamed down her face again.

“Happiness? I already have that with you.” I took her hands in mine.

“But you could have it without me too.” She looked down.

The cold reality of what was really going on hit me. “The price is your life?”

“No.” Ainsley shook her head as tears fell from her eyes. “The price is our bond.”

“The kindred bond?”

She looked down. “Please, James. This is the right decision. You have to trust me.”

“Trust you?” I gaped at her. “Are you really speaking of giving up our kindred bond?” The thought of it made me ill.

“Yes, and maybe it’s a good thing.” Ainsley lowered her eyes. “Maybe that’s the problem. Maybe our bond has skewed everything, and we’d be better off without it.”

“Better off without the kindred bond?” I repeated the words, still failing to grasp how she could think losing the bond could be a good thing.

“How could you ask for that?” I glared at Arabella. “Of all things? How can you ask for something that was a gift from the Source? That is not something that can even be taken.” I spent most of my life trying to defy the Source. I cursed it, I fought against it, but in the end it gave me the greatest gift ever, Ainsley. Now I was supposed to give it back?

“It can be taken by one person.” Arabella cocked her head to the side. “She can take anything with the right tools.”

“Charlotte!” The realization hit me hard. My closest friend would take my greatest gift? “Why?”

“Because if the bond is gone…” Arabella started.

“You can get rid of me without hurting her.” The pieces fit together, and my entire outlook changed. “That is brilliant. Perfect.” I would sacrifice myself for Ainsley.

“No, it is not that simple I’m afraid.” Arabella pursed her lips.

“Don’t tell him,” Ainsley pled. “Please. Let him believe what he wants to believe.”

“Believe what I want to believe?” My body tensed.

“Nothing.” Arabella shook her head “She is right.”

“No.” I fought down the wave of rage building inside of me. “Someone tell me now.”

Arabella laughed. “You two are more entertaining than I imagined.”

“We are not here to be your entertainment. What does she want you to keep from me?” I kept my eyes fixed on Arabella. I refused to send any of my anger to Ainsley.

“She’s your kindred, shouldn’t you ask her?” Arabella’s eyes twinkled.

“Where’s Elron?” Ainsley changed the subject.

“He went to find Gregor,” I answered, trying to calm down momentarily before once again pushing for answers.

“Why?” Arabella asked.

“Because we need to find him. He has to be stopped.” Now I was glad he was the one to leave. Ainsley needed me. He was right.

“There is only one person who can stop him.” Arabella gazed up at the sky.

“You?”

She returned her focus to me. “I appreciate the vote of confidence, but it is not for me to do.”

“Then I must.” I already knew it was my fight.

“No.” Ainsley put her hand on my chest. “I do.”

“What?” Where would she get such an idea? As if I would allow her to fight my fight.

“It is for me to take care of.”

“No. Your fights are mine.” She kept her hand where it was, and I wished there was no fabric separating her hand from my skin.

“Only because of the bond,” Ainsley said softly. “Which is why I think this could be good for you. Freeing you from feeling something that isn’t real.”

“That is not real?” Pain shot through me. “You really believe that?”

“I don’t mean to disrespect the Source, but it is supernatural. That means it is artificial in some way.” Ainsley rested her head against my chest. She was weakening. She needed me.

“You do not believe that.” I wiped a tear off her face. “You are crying.”

“I am crying because the bond makes me.”

“No.” She was wrong. Our feelings went far beyond the kindred bond “Do you really believe you would feel nothing for me without the bond? That your feelings all stem from it?”

Ainsley closed her eyes and tears welled up, seeping out. She opened her eyes. “No. I don’t believe I would feel nothing.”

“Then do not pretend what we share is fake.”

“Then don’t doubt me and try to fight my battles.” Ainsley lifted her head and straightened her shoulders.

“I will never doubt your abilities, Ainsley. Never.” My desire to protect her had nothing to do with me doubting her strength.

“Then leave Gregor to me.” She nodded as if to convince herself.

“What about Elron?” With his form of travel, he likely was already with Gregor.

Arabella sighed. “I suppose we should find him. He may be in danger.”

“And you care about finding him?” I shot back.

“Because I have grown to like Ainsley.” She pointed at Ainsley.

“And what does Elron have to do with Ainsley?”

“Nothing.” Ainsley shook her head. And I knew for sure she was hiding something.