Chapter 24 · The Birth Door

Cole's voice is still ringing in my ears when Derek moves.

Not fast. Not violent. Just one step forward, and the temperature in the room drops ten degrees. My daughter is still wet against my chest, still making those tiny gasping sounds newborns make, and I can feel my body trying to shut down. Everything hurts. Everything's bleeding. But I tighten my arms around her anyway because Derek's eyes are locked on her face.

"Don't," Cole says.

His voice. God, his voice. It's rough, like he's forgotten how to shape words, but it's there. Real. After years of silence, he's talking, and the first thing he does is step between me and the alliance leader.

Derek stops. He tilts his head, and for a second he looks almost amused. "You can speak now. How convenient."

"Stay back." Cole's shoulders are shaking. The gold in his eyes is flickering, like a candle about to go out, and I can see the silver burns on his arms starting to crack open again. He's running on nothing.