Chapter Twenty-Seven

The morning came and Will found she was alone, bundled under thick covers, feeling well rested but… wrong. Like the pieces that made her whole had a fine layer of plastic film coating everything, not quite stopping a connection, but slowing things down to a mild annoyance. There was fresh magic turning in her, bright and tingling, so she knew Phobos had linked some to her throughout the night. It just didn't seem to be as potent as the day before. The odd feeling was unsettling, but she understood enough now to know what it meant, and focused on something else for the moment. Like the pleasant feeling of Phobos' magic thrumming through her and his scent covered blanket pressing on her like a purring cat between her shoulder blades. Eventually, while she knew no one in the apartment would protest to her spending one of her possible last days in bed, she peeled herself from the cozy cocoon and stretched.

Getting ready to face another day, it was a nice surprise to see the bathroom spotless. So there were some benefits of her boyfriend being a royal mage, after all. High cleaning standards and the magic to make it happen in an instant. At least they would never have to worry about chores as a couple.

Dressed in her hoodie and sweats, not about to spend the last week of her life tied down in a bra, she shuffled out to the mouth watering smell of a full breakfast.

Out in the common area, Irma was still lounging on the air bed, browsing on her phone and reading out loud whatever post caught her attention. Hay-Lin was helping Serena in the kitchen, as it looked like there was already one round of food served and they were working on a second. Susan was sitting at the dining room table, on her laptop, with Taranee acting as a very competent assistant, her own laptop open, asking her questions that seemed very vague but Susan knew instantly what was needed. Will assumed everyone else was gone.

Dean was at work, but that was the end of who was where that she knew of.

"Morning, pumpkin," Susan greeted, standing to walk over and kiss her daughter on the cheek. "Make sure you grab something to eat while it's warm."

"Mornin'," Will answered, pecking her back. "Where's everyone?"

"Well, your dad's still sleeping," Susan started, only for Serena to interject.

"Actually, he's up! But," she lowered her voice to a loud whisper as she looked around the room, eyes shifting, like everyone there were her closest friends. "But he got into some argument with Phobos last night. He came to bed so grumpy and has sworn to stay in the room until he's kicked out."

"Oh, yeah," Irma called, looking up from her phone. "Like keep it down, please? Remember, poor Hay-Hay can hear and feel like everything, guys. Air powers equal unlimited chisme."

Why was Irma looking between Will and Susan?

Oh, dear god.

Susan and Dean were sharing a room, something they never got to do as they held off moving in together because of Will's reaction to them dating. Will and Susan both quickly turned away, not about to address that.

"Irma!" Hay-Lin admonished. "I said it was fine! Drop it!" Irma nodded, dropping the subject she never needed to bring up in the first damn place, and turned back to her phone.

I see that fucking smirk, Will thought with a glare at the water guardian.

Hay-Lin walked over and guided Will to sit at the counter while her mom went back to work.

"Cornelia's just outside with Phobos. They're trying to see if they can open a portal with their combined access to Earth's magic," she said, placing warm food before Will.

"Oh, that's a good idea," Will said, mouth already half-stuffed.

"Caleb and Matt left to do some tracking with Napoleon and Huggles, while Lilian's at school," Hay-Lin went on, rolling some extra sausage links on Will's plate the moment there was space. "I'm going to go after we clean up here."

"Me too," both Taranee and Irma called out at once.

"Jinx," they both said, conditioned from years of living with a brother and cursed with owing many a cokes. "Double jinx! Triple jinx!"

But Irma floundered as Taranee said, "Quadruple jinx! Ha!"

Now successfully jinxed, Irma looked around the room, only for no one to utter her name, everyone happy for the talkative guardian to suffer. Pouting, Irma went back to her phone, only for Taranee and Hay-Lin's to vibrate in rapid succession.

"Texting doesn't count," Will called, knowing what she was up to, smirk now on her lips.

The moment was broken as Cornelia came charging in from the patio, the door snapping open. Phobos was hot on her heels, both still deep in a heated argument. Seeing Will, Cornelia pointed at her.

"Will! Get your man! I'm done ever trying to work with this psycho!"

"Work with me?" Phobos mocked with a tight, fake laugh. "I have been lowering myself to function in the most amateur of ways for you to follow clumsily along. Yet, you refuse to try even the most sensible of options-"

"Sensible!" Cornelia snorted, not about to let him talk down to her. "That's not 'sensible'! It's not even an option!"

"It is our only option! Time is short, and she is the only one-"

"She's a child! A little kid! And already has been a target of Ner-"

"So because you failed to protect her, even with your full powers, you are going to let Wilhelmina die from that past failur-"

Cornelia slapped him.

"How fucking dare you?!" Cornelia raged. "You're asking me to make Lilian a target! My little sister! When we can't even stop Nerissa from hurting us!"

At Cornelia's hit, they all sprung into action. Will and Irma pushing Phobos back, who looked furious, jaw tense and hands balled. Taranee and Hay-Lin went to Cornelia, as she looked damn near the same. It suddenly struck Will that if Cornelia and Phobos wanted to throw down, there wasn't anything they could do to stop them, as only those two had access to a magic source.

"I'll do anything to save Will!" Cornelia yelled, blue eyes glowing a faint green. "But I can't, I can't risk Lilian. Not her. Never." She was shaking, no, the room was shaking.

"Shit," Taranee hissed, seeing the pool water outside slosh side to side. Below, they could hear cars honking, alarms becoming audible. "Hay-Lin!"

Hay-Lin understood, placing her hands on her taller friend, making her look down at her. "It's okay," she soothed, air cooling, tinting with color. "We know you love them both. No one would ever ask you to choose between Lilian and Will."

The glow around Cornelia's eyes faded, but she still countered with heat in her tone, "He did."

Hay-Lin rubbed her back, calming her even more.

"Phobos?" Will questioned, hand on his arm. "What happened?"

He still looked angry, but he had not tapped into magic like Cornelia. He was more level-headed as he answered, "We cannot open a portal, even with our combined magic. Neither can the Regents. That is a power only the Light of Earth, this child Lilian, can call on."

"Oh," Will uttered, now understanding the cause of their fight. "So you think Cornelia should tell Lilian about her powers?"

"Give Lilian her powers!" Cornelia yelled, eyes flashing brightly with her returning anger. "In the middle of Nerissa collecting Hearts like- like Halloween candy, when she's already tried to trick her once already, he wants to-"

"If she gets her powers now or at a later point, there shall always be those who hunt her. Like Elyon. Like Wilhelmina," Phobos countered. "Coddling her does her no favor!"

Cornelia scoffed. "How funny you mention Ellie and Will, like half the danger they faced wasn't you. I'm not about to let you put Lilian in danger, too."

"What if we make Lilian think it's a game?" Taranee offered, liking the idea even if her face was not showing it. "And then have the regents reinstated once we're on Metamoor? We just need to get Phobos and Will across the veil to the Infinite Library."

Cornelia was shaking her head. "If we keep making her think it's a game, it's just that much easier for Nerissa to enthrall her. If Lilian has her powers, none of us will have access to it, and she can't fight Nerissa alone."

Seeing that Irma was quiet, Taranee glared at her, quickly muttering her name under her breath. Now jinx free, Irma agreed with Cornelia.

"Let's be real, guys; she's out there watching us. Watching us right now. Do we think we can really come out on top when, not if, Nerissa shows up and Lilian thinks we're playing some fairy tale make-believe?"

"So?" Phobos challenged, not caring about the safety of someone he's never even met, no matter her connection to the group. "Even if the witch shows up and takes a third Heart, as long as I can crossover and cure Wilhelmina, is that not all that matters?"

"Is he right?" Susan asked, walking over. "I understand losing to this woman is not… idyllic. But Will's life is on the line."

"But she's escalating," Serena said, now joining in. "And Lilian is so little. If Nerissa treats her like she did Will… would that little one be okay?"

"I'm not risking that," Cornelia stated venomously as she stared at Phobos, who was glaring back just as intensely

"And you don't have to," Will added, having time to think. She understood where both sides were coming from. "I see your point, and Phobos'. But it's moot."

"What do you mean?" Taranee asked, interested.

"I'm a Light, remember? And I know what it's like to take over a Heart that has a lot of strain on it. Lilian is going to take over one that's split five ways, so it would take a while for those streams of magic to realign to her. And, more to the point, it takes a long time for that level of magic to mature. Even if we tell her about her powers, and she becomes a fully powered Light, it will take more than a week for her to open portals. More time than I even, um, have."

They all fell quiet at the reminder of her shortening time.

"Useless, all of you!" Phobos spat, angry, as he stormed away and slammed the bedroom door.

Giving him a minute to calm down, Will approached Cornelia. "Are you okay? You know I would never put Lilian in danger-"

"I know," she said, expression falling now she didn't have Phobos to fight with. "And I know… I know he wants to help you. We all do."

Will smiled, hugging her. "I love you, Cornelia. No matter what happens, you're here with me, and that means so much." Will pulled away, seeing the sad faces around her. "I love all of you. I know this is a lot to handle. But even if we argue, cry, fight, and everything else that'll have my dad's posh neighbors calling the cops in like five minutes, know I'm happy we all stayed together through all of it."

With things calmed down, Will took a moment to make sure Cornelia was okay, as the idea of having to choose between saving Will and risking Lilian ripped at her friend's kind heart. Cornelia said she was okay, asking them not to text Caleb, as he would rush home, and his tracking skills were needed in the field right now. Checking on her mom and Serena, they both tightly hugged her, worry visible in both. Then, as she was worried just the same for the prince, Will went to their room.

Phobos was standing at the window, staring out at the skyline, late morning light warming his skin. He was wearing his gray sweater and dark slacks, hair glamoured short to stay out of the way. At her entry, he didn't move or say anything, just stood with his arms behind his back.

Closing the door, she walked over and stood at his side. Still, he didn't look at her, so she moved before him and wrapped her arms around him, laying her head to his chest. His heart was beating faster than normal and she knew he was still mad, as he didn't return the embrace.

Still, Will held him, closing her eyes, letting her body lean against him, and waited.

Slowly, he relaxed, arms wrapping around her, cheek resting on her crown.

"I didn't mean to profess last night," he said, voice low, pained. "To place more pressure on you was not my intent. I do not care if you say it back." His voice shook in such a slight way she almost missed it. "Only that you know, know without a doubt, how deeply and completely I love you."

Now Will's heart was thundering, arms gripping him tighter.

"And now I must watch the first woman to make me feel so die. You are already not absorbing magic as potently as just days ago."

"I know," Will said. "I could feel the difference when I woke up. Not going to make it a full week."

Phobos pulled back, the expression of pure desperation raw on his face. "Tell them! Tell those fools so they know we cannot afford to devolve into petty arguing! Even if Earth's Light is overwhelmed by Nerissa, she won't be killed. Only you have been cursed with this fate."

Will swallowed, trying to stay composed. "Do you honestly think that maybe three days is enough time for Lilian to master interplanetary magic? Really? You needed to make an advance seal, and god knows how long that took, since you didn't make another after it was stolen. While I needed access to the Heart. We can't even teach her how to do it without a talisman, Phobos. And she's never even been to another planet; she won't be able to direct the portal to Metamoor." She sighed, feeling defeated. "Giving Lilian her powers is just giving Nerissa another Heart." Will looked at him, knowing her next words were truer each day.

"So when I die, and you go in a mindless rage to fight her, I don't want you at such a huge disadvantage. I don't think she'll keep sparing you the more Heart's she collects. You are the only person in the universe able to take away her powers. She'll come for you next."

"Let her," he growled, arms near painfully tight. "Let her face me and end this blasted waiting!"

"I would love that, too," she agreed, forcing a smile. "But she's got the edge this time and isn't about to slip up. We know she wants to talk to you, meaning she'll try to bargain." Will reached up and touched his cheek. "Just promise me you won't fall for her lies. Matt's right; her thrall is strong. You saw she almost had me back there. Don't take that threat lightly."

Phobos didn't answer, just pulled her closer. She dropped the conversation, knowing whatever was going through his head was not pleasant.

"Phobos," Will called, as there was something she needed to talk to him about while she was still well enough to speak. "Can we sit? I need to… tell you something."

Phobos released her, allowing her to pull them to sit on the messy bed, her hands holding one of his.

"Do you remember your vow to me- of course you do," she joked with a hollow laugh. "I mean, do you remember how it was worded?"

Phobos nodded. "I swore to not use the reclaimed Heart for myself."

"Let's be honest here. If you didn't fall for me and my womanly wiles," she said with a wink. "Make friends with everyone. Have your feud with Matt that you enjoy way too much for a sane person-"

"I do not enjoy the tengu's company."

"I didn't say company, but sure, buddy, sure." She held in a laugh. "If you didn't find a place you fit pretty damn well in on Earth, you would have broken your vow, right?"

Phobos' jaw tensed, but he was smart enough not to lie. "Yes. I originally planned to take the two Heart's and return to Metamoor."

She nodded. "And I planned for that."

That sparked Phobos' interest as he waited for her to clarify.

"I had the smallest hope you would chill out and not betray me. But I had to plan for the worse given my life, you know? So I made you vow on Kandrakar and, umm, approached Raythor."

"Explain," he urged, eyes hard to read other than his normal hunger for knowledge.

"Raythor's loyal as long as you're honest. He's a weird one. And as long as you didn't break your vow, you didn't break his loyalty."

"So if I did, he would become a double agent?"

Will nodded. "Just for one purpose. Not to hurt you, just make you fulfill your vow. Make you think taking over Kandrakar, a place filled with everything you hate most about the current magical order, was a bangin' good idea."

Phobos held her gaze. "I would have taken his advice to heart, as he was always opposed to conflict outside our own realm. If Raythor advised it, then-"

"You would have been so big-headed after not only getting two Hearts, tricking me, and, oh, beating the guardians over and over on the battlefield? Making my Heart look vulnerable?"

"So you planned on losing encounters to lure me into a false sense of superiority?"

"Lose a few battles to win the war, ya know?"

"And why tell me this now?" he inquired.

"I want you to know I'm not… I'm not one to not try. Try to plan as much as possible and prepare for a hard fight." Will licked her dry lips. "So when I say please don't push with Lilian, know that I have thought about it. But the risk to her, to the girls, to you, is just too much."

"You think Nerissa is unbeatable?"

"Compared to you? It's a different type of fighting. Phobos, to plan that far a head, you realize I have to know you pretty damn well? That as much as I would have hated admitting it before, we are a lot a like. Nerissa is, funnily enough, alien to me compared to you."

Phobos agreed. "You see me for me, that is what drew me to you."

Will smiled, relieved he wasn't upset over the confession. "Are we okay, then?"

Phobos chuckled. "I would have been worried if you completely trusted me at the start. Telling me now, when you might not be… around… much longer, shows you trust I shall not execute that plan anymore."

"Yeah. I'm sure you'll come up with some other wild ass plan for world domination," she teased, sliding over to him.

He kissed her. "There are no plans ahead of me that do not include you, my light."

Will hugged him. "You're so cheesy and-" She swallowed, pulling away to touch his neck. "And there is one more thing. One more important thing."

Will smiled, feeling her eyes sting as she admitted, "I've been afraid of what you now mean to me, because I thought you could break my heart. But I'm breaking yours, and you're still here, spending every painful moment with me until… until…" Damn, she didn't want to cry.

But it was real between them. Even if she died, at least it was real. She just wasn't sure how to say that just yet.

"Thank you, Phobos. For staying with me. I… this sucks, so fucking much…."

The smile that broke across his face was so bittersweet as he said, "Do not thank me. It is my selfishness that has led you to this path. When you are well, then we may reflect on the ties this journey has given us."

"... right," Will ended weakly, wanting to say more, but knowing they both were not in the right state of mind to handle it. So she said, with forced mirth, "And we can have a picnic in the whisperer garden, since we still need to tidy things up there?"

Phobos nodded. "I shall look forward to that day."