Ten
Broken
Saber’s skin prickled in apprehension. As a fully bonded mate, Maya’s death should have killed Cass. No, he had to be imagining that it was his friend. Yet as Saber drew closer, his mouth dropped open. A bonded mate was not supposed to outlive the one who was his soul.
But somehow, someway, Cass had. And it was clearly tearing him apart. How is this possible? He knew for a fact that Cass and Maya had bonded.
Yet there was his best friend, a male that was every bit his brother as his own were. His green eyes wild and his blond hair plastered to his face, Cass roared and fought the warriors holding onto him.
Saber couldn’t imagine what his friend was going through, and here he was about to add to the misery. Saber groaned. He’d rather rip out his own heart and die a slow, brutal death than subject Cass to this.
With Maya’s body in his arms, Saber’s gut clenched in dread as he approached the gathered crowd. He jerked when Cass let out another piercing, mournful cry. Cass wrenched free, staggered forward, and fell to his knees.
Saber bit his tongue, tasting blood, and steeled himself as Cass stretched his arms out to his dead mate. Absently, Saber noted the destruction of the village square, an indication of how badly Cass had lost control.
“Cass,” Saber said, wishing there was something else, anything else he could do, rather than this.
“Give her to me. Give me my mate,” Cass’s voice cracked.
Saber clenched his jaw and lowered Maya into his friend’s arms. As Cass sobbed over Maya’s body, Saber moved away a few feet and herded the crowd with him, allowing Cass some privacy. As he was bombarded with questions, he attempted to push his own emotions aside to calm everyone.
“Where is Adarias?” someone asked.
Saber grew still. It was like time slowed, and then no matter how hard he tried to keep his emotions in check, his anger surfaced. Saber’s eyes flashed with the fire of his hatred.
Gasps tore from a few throats as everyone moved away from him.
When he managed to rein in his emotions once again, he answered the question, leaving everyone speechless.
Then more sobs arose, and Saber closed his eyes. If he was going to get through this night, he’d need to get away from all this.
“Sabe—” Cass whispered, but whatever Cass wanted to say, caught in his throat.
Saber crouched down beside his friend and laid a hand on Cass’s shoulder.
“Why am I here?” Cass asked, and the sorrow in his voice broke Saber’s heart.
“I don’t know, buddy. I don’t know.” Tears prickled at the backs of Saber’s eyes.
“I know how, but not why,” Cass said.
Saber frowned, but before he could ask what Cass meant, his friend interrupted him.
“Can you …?”
“I got it,” Saber replied and set about organizing the sendoff for Maya.
The males helped build the large funeral pyre, then everyone went and found something personal to go with Maya to the afterlife.
As they worked, Saber let his anger and hatred fuel him, not even attempting to control it. It was far better than the misery of losing Maya, Adarias, and Cass, who though still alive, looked ready to climb up beside his mate and burn.
So it was no surprise when Cass finally relinquished Maya and turned to Saber. “I need to go with her.”
At the agony and despair in his friend’s eyes, Saber blinked back his tears, unable to argue.
Yet that didn’t mean he wanted to witness Cass’s death either. Suddenly, an overwhelming need to be alone, to fly until his wings could no longer carry him, took hold and hung on. Saber tried to shake it off, but it only grew stronger and stronger. He had to get away, he couldn’t watch what was about to happen.
As Cass followed Maya’s body to the pyre, Saber found himself inching away. Then, as he started to turn, he felt a tug on his pants. Saber blinked and found Maya’s four-year-old daughter staring up at him.
“What’s wrong with Mata?” Skye asked, then stuck her thumb in her mouth. Worry shone bright in her blue eyes.
Saber swallowed deeply and glanced around. Shit, he’d forgotten about Cass and Maya’s Young. One of the elders held Maya’s baby boy, and everyone was so lost in their own suffering that no one paid little Skye any attention. He debated on leaving, but instead scooped Skye up in his arms. Saber buried his face in her hair and inhaled her sweet, innocent scent as he held her close.
Then he hurried after Cass. “Brother, you can’t do this. They need you.”
Cass gazed at him, then his blank eyes landed on Skye. He blinked and then shook his head. “I have nothing to offer her. Please, take care of her.”
Saber let the tears fall. Tears for all that had been lost this night, and shielded Skye as Cass climbed up and lay beside the love of his life.