Cautiously, I rose, not wanting to overwhelm my system, and reached again toward the crystals.
“Do you feel them?” he whispered.
All I could do in response was nod.
I did. Ididfeel them.
As soon as I touched the crystals, one in each hand, a sense of rightness washed over me. I tentatively reached out with the warmth in my chest toward the crystals and sucked in a surprised breath when the colors responded. As I watched, the color drained from each until I could feel it humming just beneath the surface of my skin.
My eyes rose involuntarily to the man standing in front of me, and I saw a look of utter shock and amazement on his face.
“It worked. Itfinallyworked!” he exclaimed.
All at once, the room erupted in chatter and whoops of congratulations from the men in robes. But my eyes were drawn to the other men and women in the room. It may have worked for me, but it wouldn’t for them, and my heart sank at the thought.
I had a rune that allowed their sick experiments to work. They didn’t.
No doubt, the men in black robes would double down their efforts, increase their torture with a new fervor because they had knowledge of its success.
But it wouldn’t work again.
The realization hit me with the force of a thousand bricks.
I just condemned them all to death on a false promise.
Chapter 84
Lex
PRESENT DAY
My hands shook as I finished my story, gave Faylinn my confessions and sins, and waited in sweat-soaked fear for her judgement. I couldn’t save her then,shesaved me, and I couldn’t save her from the pain of knowing what she experienced. At some point during my story, I’d dropped her hand and curled mine together in my lap. My eyes focused there now, unwilling to look up and see the hatred or pity in her eyes.
I couldn’t handle either, even if I did deserve her hate.
“Well, I suppose that explains why I have a panic attack each time I see the Academy,” she said dryly, her voice cracking slightly as she attempted to make light of the situation.
My head shot up of its own accord, and what I saw surprised me—tears flowed freely down her face, the wetness in her eyes making the golden flecks in her hazel orbs flash and glow.
“Don’t do that,” I admonished quietly. “Don’t try and make it seem like what happened to you was nothing. If it wasn’t for me . . .” I trailed off.
“Then neither of us would be here,” she stated firmly as she wiped away the evidence of her sadness. “You would be dead from that torture and I would be . . . gods know where I wouldbe. But it wouldn’t be here with you. And this, Lex, isexactlywhere I’m supposed to be. I feel it in my bones.”
The edges of my lips quirked at her vehement confession.
“Okay, Faylinn.”
“Don’t ‘okay, Faylinn’ me. We were heart-friends during one of the most terrifying moments of our lives—whether I can remember it or not—and I will not let you cheapen my sacrifice like that.” Her words were stern and unyielding, and I found myself nodding to her statement.
“Heart-friends. I like that,” I admitted quietly, the beating of my own heart slowing as I realized she wasn’t angry with me. Not in the slightest.
“So the King’s fucked-up then, huh?” she hedged, and this time, I did laugh. It felt good, like the dark cloud of my memories, the weight of what I’d done, dissipated from my mind. Faylinn had always had that effect on me, ever since the first day I’d met her.
How amazing it is to have her back.
I smiled tentatively at her.
“He’s a bit fucked-up.”
