Chapter 7: Why Should I Come Back to You?

Justin's entire body went rigid.

"Gracie..."

Her voice had been weak, barely more than a whisper, yet it was unmistakably hers.

He tightened his grip around her hand.

"Because I love you."

Silence.

Then her voice came again from somewhere beyond the Veil.

"Love me?"

There was a bitter laugh in her voice.

"Is that what you call locking me in an ice coffin while I was giving birth?"

Justin closed his eyes.

Every word was deserved.

"No," he whispered. "I was wrong."

"You weren't wrong, Justin. You chose."

His heart twisted.

"I chose Isolde."

"You chose her child over ours."

"Yes."

The admission nearly destroyed him.

"And now you want me back because you finally discovered our child was the answer to your curse."

Justin's lips trembled.

"No. I want you back because I can't live without you."

"You should have thought of that before you let me die."

The Bloodspring suddenly erupted with silver light.

Justin was thrown backward.

The healer shouted, "My Lord! The Veil is rejecting you!"

Justin forced himself back onto his feet.

"Then tell me what I have to do."

The healer stared at the ancient runes.

"She doesn't trust you enough to return."

Justin froze.

"Then how do I make her trust me?"

"You can't force a soul to return. She has to choose it herself."

Justin looked down at Gracie's motionless body.

"Gracie, listen to me."

His voice was softer now.

"I won't ask you to forgive me."

"I won't ask you to love me again."

"And I won't ask you to return just because I need you."

He swallowed hard.

"If you want to leave me behind, I'll accept it."

The spring grew still.

"But please know one thing."

Justin knelt beside her.

"I finally understand what I did to you."

"You begged me to save our child, and I called you a liar."

"You begged me to take you to the Bloodspring, and I refused."

"You reached for me through our mate bond, and I turned away."

His voice broke.

"I watched another woman cry and believed her before I believed you."

A tear fell from his cheek onto Gracie's hand.

"I'm sorry."

For several seconds, nothing happened.

Then Gracie's fingers slowly curled around his.

Justin's eyes widened.

"Gracie?"

A faint silver glow appeared beneath her skin.

The healer gasped.

"She's responding!"

But before Justin could celebrate, the Bloodspring suddenly turned black.

Isolde screamed.

"What's happening?!"

The cursed child in her arms began crying.

Black veins spread across his tiny body.

The healer's face changed.

"The curse is trying to return to its original source."

Justin looked at Isolde.

"What does that mean?"

"The ritual was built on stolen blood magic. The curse won't disappear until the false blessing is removed."

Isolde shook her head violently.

"No! You can't take my child away!"

Justin stepped toward her.

"No one is taking your child."

Isolde stared at him in confusion.

"Then what are you going to do?"

"End the ritual."

The healer immediately understood.

"My Lord, if we destroy the ritual, the curse will lose its vessel."

"And the child?"

The healer looked at the infant.

"He may survive, but the corruption inside him won't."

Isolde's face twisted with horror.

"No! You promised me the blessing!"

Justin's expression hardened.

"I promised nothing."

"You said my child would become the heir!"

"I was a fool."

Justin turned away from her.

Behind him, Gracie's body suddenly lifted slightly above the Bloodspring.

Silver light surrounded her.

The healer stared in awe.

"The Progenitor is choosing again."

A deep voice echoed through the sanctuary.

"The stolen blessing shall be returned."

The golden light surrounding Isolde's child vanished completely.

The black veins on the infant's body began fading.

Isolde collapsed, screaming.

At the same moment, a brilliant silver mark appeared over Gracie's heart.

Justin stared at it in disbelief.

The mark was identical to the ancient symbol of the Progenitor.

"She has been chosen," the healer whispered.

Justin's eyes filled with tears.

"Then bring her back."

The healer shook his head.

"The final step must come from her."

Justin looked toward the silver light surrounding Gracie.

"What do I do?"

The healer pointed toward the Bloodspring.

"Give her the truth."

Justin frowned.

"The truth?"

"The Veil will not accept promises. It will only accept a sacrifice freely given."

Justin understood immediately.

He stepped into the Bloodspring.

The water burned through his vampire skin.

The healer shouted, "My Lord, you'll die!"

Justin kept walking.

"I already lost the life I wanted."

He looked at Gracie.

"If my life is the price for hers, I'll pay it."

The silver light grew brighter.

For the first time, Gracie's voice sounded less distant.

"Justin... stop."

He looked up.

"Please."

"Come back."

Her voice trembled.

"I don't want you to die."

Justin froze.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Then come back to me."

The entire Bloodspring exploded with light.