Seconds stretched. Then—I felt him. Weak fingers brushed against mine. I latched on and pulled him close, gripping tight like I could anchor us both with sheer will.
“If you want my power, Mother,” I said, glaring up at her through the bars, “keep that monster away from us.”
Mother clucked her tongue at me. “Oh, Elira. You do attract trouble, don’t you.”
She stepped closer, hands folded neatly in front of her. Her voice was smooth, but her eyes were sharp—cutting through me like glass.
“I offered you a room. A warm bed. Safety. But no, you chose this.” She gestured vaguely at the cell walls. “You alwayschoosethe hard way.”
“I chose him,” I snapped, tightening my grip on Finn’s hand. “Because I’m not a monster.”
Her smile turned soft—mockingly so. Pitying.
“No, darling,” she said. “You’re worse.”
I froze.
“You’ve been blessed with somethingmagnificent, and yet you let that fragile little heart of yours keep you weak,” she said, voice like velvet over poison. “If I’d let him die…” She tilted her head, gaze sharp as a knife. “You’d befree.”
Her words cut deep, slicing through guilt and bone.
“And you know it.”
I didn’t flinch. I wouldn’t give her that. I just narrowed my eyes, fury coiling low in my gut.
“I loathe you,” I said, each word laced with venom. “Get out of my sight.”
Mother’s smile only deepened. “I just came to give you a little warning.” She smoothed a non-existent wrinkle from her sleeve. “You’ll be fighting again tomorrow. We’re going to make it a little…interesting.”
My stomach turned.
She leaned in slightly, voice a purr. “Thought you might like time to prepare.”
I gave her a smile of my own—sharp and cold. “Great. Can’t wait.”
Then my voice dropped to a growl.
“Nowfuck off.”
She chuckled softly, like I’d just said something charming. Then she turned and walked away, heels tapping like a countdown.
The door clanged shut behind her.
And the silence that followed was somehow louder than her presence.
“I’m so sorry, Elle. This is my fault. It’s all my fault,” Finn muttered, again and again, his voice shaking.
Then came the thuds—sickening, rhythmic. He was banging his head against the concrete.
“Stop it!” I crawled back to the grate, pressing my hands through it, reaching for him. “Finn,stop!You’re hurting yourself!”
He didn’t answer. Just kept repeating, “It’s my fault,” like a prayer to a god that had never listened.
“I’m going to get us out of here,” I said, desperate, my voice shaking. “I swear it. I don’t know how, but I will. We’ll be free. Just you and me—like old times.”
But even I could hear how hollow the words sounded in this place.
“We can’t run, Elle,” Finn whispered, broken. “He’ll find us now. He’ll always find us.”
