Nathan Grier returns from the Veil a changed man. The consequences of his time with Malak, the dark sidhe king, and the deal made to free him may be more than he can bear.<br><br>The weakening of the Veil and new enemies foretell of a greater battle still ahead. With Nathan’s brother Jim now an Awakened changeling, and Nathan’s role in Malak’s plans finally revealed, Nathan’s love for fae hunter and incubus Sasha Kelly may not be enough to save him after all.

Sidhe

“Don’t…treat me like I’m…” He shook his head fiercely.


“Hurt?” Sasha finished, refusing to let go and instead holding tighter, enveloping him.


Nathan shook his head again, straining against the embrace. “Like I’m…w-weak,” he stuttered, hating the word, hating that that’s exactly what he was.


“You’rehurt, Nathan,” Sasha said, “you’re hurt and pained and…and everyone deserves to be a little weak sometimes. It doesn’t change anything about you. Not to me. I still love you. I want to figure this out with you and…and make it better. We can make it better.”


It was like a mother comforting a child that would die too young and the lie was worse than soothing words. Nathan couldn’t hate Sasha for it, but he still resented it. “Don’t…” Don’t try to save me, don’t try to fix me, don’t hold me like I’m breaking…even when I am.“Don’t tell the others,” he said instead. If he kept denying that he could be helped they’d only worry more and insist even harder that he could be.


Chapter 20