"What course, Sofi?"
"The one that takes her away from you. She has some serious decisions to make. Yours are probably already made, if you're half as stubborn as Damian," Sofi replied.
"You think I should leave her alone to decide?"
"I think you need to be careful to keep from driving her away. I also know her-and our-danger increases every day. It's not something she can fight."
"I can," Darian said, thinking of the Black God and the Others. "So I have to give her space and protect her. Then everything will work out okay."
"Not exactly. It'll only work out okay if she takes her place at your side. Every other path ends very badly." Sofi's voice took on a dark note.
"This is one shitty fortune cookie," he said with a frown. "I can't make her choose me."
"No, you can't."
Darian scowled. It wasn't the answer he wanted. The way things were going, Jenn would probably choose her own death over being with him. In her mind, she'd probably be protecting him. But she was his mate. There were no limits to what he'd do to protect her. There was a lot Sofi wasn't saying, this much he sensed. He wondered what it was.
"Earlier today, you all acted really weird," he said.
"I'll tell you why next week."
"After whatever happens, happens?"
"Exactly."
"You're in danger, too," he said.
"We all are, Darian. There's a lot riding on the choices you make as the Grey God."
"I'm not sure I like how that sounds."
"You shouldn't. But you can do it. Trust your instincts, no matter what," Sofi added. "Now, I have a question for you."
"Shoot."
"How does time work in the immortal world?"
He studied her. "What do you mean?"
"What happens to people who move between worlds?"
"Why are you asking this?"
"Please answer the question."
"Nothing happens to those who pass between worlds. At least, from what I remember, nothing did. The only time something happens is when you've been in one world more than twenty-four hours. Then you'll become what you were, what you would have been had you been in that world your whole life. Mortals will age faster in the immortal world and immortals age very, very slowly in the mortal world."
"Do those who cross over have increased powers?"