Chapter 29 Continuation
Everyone went silent.
"What?" Selene turned to look at him.
"You want revenge on someone. Someone who wronged you. Take me." Zevran's voice was steady. "I was supposed to protect you. I was supposed to be your husband. But I failed. I let Ronan poison you. I let you die. So if you need to punish someone, punish me."
"Zevran, no!" Mara grabbed his arm.
"Let me do this," he said quietly. "For once, let me be the one who saves everyone."
"You were not responsible for my death," Selene said. "Ronan was."
"But I was responsible for your safety. And I failed." Zevran walked closer to the ghost. "So possess me. Control me. Make me suffer however you want. Just let the girl go."
Selene studied him for a long moment. "You really mean that. You would sacrifice yourself for this child."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because that is what the person you loved would have done. The old me. The one who was not cursed. The one who was worthy of your love." Zevran smiled sadly. "Let me be that person again. Even if just for a moment."
Tears formed in Selene's black eyes. "You were always worthy. I never blamed you for what happened. Not once."
"Then why are you doing this? Why hurt innocent people?"
"Because I am angry! Because I died for nothing! Because I was murdered and everyone forgot about me!" Selene's voice cracked. "I was supposed to marry you. Have children. Live a long life. But Ronan took that from me. He took everything."
"I know. And I am sorry. But hurting others will not bring you peace."
"Peace?" Selene laughed bitterly. "I am dead. There is no peace for me."
"Then let me help you find it." Zevran held out his hand. "Possess me. Stay in my body as long as you need. Experience life again through my eyes. And when you are ready, when you have found peace, you can move on."
"You would share your body with a ghost? Risk your soul?"
"For you, yes. You deserved better than what you got. Let me give you that now."
Selene looked at his outstretched hand. Then at Lyssa. Then back at Zevran.
"You are either very brave or very foolish," she said.
"Both, probably."
Selene released Lyssa. The girl collapsed, unconscious but alive. Kira caught her and held her tight.
"If I possess you," Selene said, "I will have access to all your thoughts. All your memories. All your secrets. Are you prepared for that?"
"Yes."
"And your mate?" Selene looked at Mara. "Is she prepared to share you with another spirit?"
"No!" Mara stepped forward. "I am not prepared! I do not want to share him!"
"Mara, please," Zevran said.
"No! You are my husband! Mine!" Mara's voice broke. "I just got you back from the curse! I cannot lose you again!"
"You are not losing me. I will still be here. Just sharing space with Selene."
"That is not the same!"
"I know. But it is necessary." Zevran touched her face gently. "Trust me. Like I trust you."
Mara wanted to scream. To fight. To refuse.
But she saw the determination in his eyes. He had made his choice.
"How long?" she asked Selene. "How long will you possess him?"
"Until I find peace. Could be days. Could be years."
"Years?" Mara's heart broke. "I cannot wait years!"
"Then perhaps you should have kept your promise and brought me Ronan." Selene turned back to Zevran. "Last chance to change your mind."
"I am not changing my mind."
"Then open yourself to me."
Zevran closed his eyes. Selene flowed into him like smoke.
His body went rigid. His eyes turned black. When he spoke, it was with two voices. His and Selene's.
"This is strange. Being alive again." The dual voices laughed. "I can feel everything. The wind. The ground. The pain in this body."
"Zevran?" Mara reached for him. "Can you hear me?"
"He can hear you. We both can." The black eyes looked at her. "Do not worry, Moon Wolf. I will take care of this body. It is precious to me. It was supposed to be mine through marriage. Now it is mine through possession."
"Give him back."
"Eventually. When I am done." The possessed Zevran turned and walked away. "Come, Zevran. Let us go find somewhere quiet. We have much to discuss, you and I."
"Wait!" Mara ran after them. "Where are you going?"
"Away. To find peace. Or revenge. Whichever comes first." The dual voices faded as they disappeared into the forest. "Do not follow us."
Mara tried to follow anyway. But Shade blocked her path.
"Let them go," the Shadow Wolf said. "Zevran made his choice. Respect it."
"But he is my mate! My husband!"
"And he is sacrificing himself to save others. That is who he is. You cannot change that."
Mara fell to her knees, sobbing. The mate bond was still there but it felt wrong. Distant. Like Zevran was a thousand miles away instead of just in the forest.
Riven knelt beside her. "We will get him back, daughter. I promise."
"How? Selene is a ghost! How do we fight a ghost?"
"We find Ronan. We bring him to her. She gets her revenge and she releases Zevran."
"And if we cannot find Ronan?"
No one had an answer for that.
As night fell, they made camp in the clearing. Healers tended to the wounded. Scouts buried the dead.
Mara sat alone by a fire, staring into the flames. The bond with Zevran pulsed weakly in her chest. He was alive. But he was not himself.
"Here." Nyra appeared with a cup of something hot. "Drink this."
"What is it?"
"Does it matter? Drink."
Mara drank. It tasted terrible but it made her feel slightly better.
"Selene cannot possess him forever," Nyra said. "Eventually, her spirit will run out of energy. She will have to leave or fade completely."
"How long will that take?"
"Months. Maybe a year."
"A year?" Mara's voice was hollow. "I cannot wait a year."
"Then find Ronan faster." Nyra sat down beside her. "But be careful. He is more dangerous now than ever. The Shadow's Blood changed him. Made him unpredictable."
"I do not care. I will do whatever it takes to get Zevran back."
"Even if it means becoming a monster yourself?"
Mara looked at the witch with sharp eyes. "What do you mean?"
"I mean the shadow power inside you grows stronger every day. The more you use it, the more it consumes you." Nyra's purple eyes glowed in the firelight. "Soon you will have to choose. Keep your humanity or keep your power. You cannot have both forever."
"That is not fair."
"Life is rarely fair. Especially for those with power." Nyra stood up. "Get some rest. Tomorrow we hunt for Ronan. And for answers."
She walked away, leaving Mara alone with her thoughts.
Above, the stars shone cold and distant. The moon was full and bright.
Mara wondered if the Moon Goddess was watching. If she cared that her chosen champion was falling apart.
A wolf howled in the distance. Long and lonely.
It sounded like how Mara felt inside.
Lost. Broken. Alone.