“You’re not broken,” he said, leaning closer, his forehead nearly touching her knees as his hands slid to cradle them. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever known. And whatever they’ve done to you, I’ll fix it. I’ll tear through all the realms, fall off the edge of every map to find a cure.”
Her breath shuddered, and she reached for him, fingers trembling as they slid into his hair. He pressed a kiss to her hand before resting his cheek against her palm.
“I will fix this,” he murmured against her skin. “I swear it to you. You’re not alone in this.”
Draevyn pressed one last kiss to her forehead, sealing the promise he made, and then stood. “I’ll be right back.”
She nodded, though her eyes followed him with a flicker of sadness, and he forced himself to turn away before it broke him.
The night air hit him the moment the door opened, salt and wind filling his lungs as he scanned the ship. He spotted Jak leaning casually against the helm, talking with Sam and Tommy.
“Jak, I need you for something,” he said, the words clipped as he rushed up the stairs, taking two at a time.
Jak straightened instantly, his easy posture gone. “Is everything okay?”
“Aye,” Draevyn growled, lying. “Sam, keep on the wheel for Terrana. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
Sam and Tommy exchanged a tense glance but eventually nodded.
“Good.” Draevyn turned back to Jak, his hand gesturing for him to move. “You’re with me.”
Jak didn’t hesitate. He fell into step beside him, his long strides matching Draevyn’s as they descended the stairs to the lower deck.
“What happened? It’s Esmi isn’t it?” he asked under his breath, his voice already tight with unease.
Draevyn could barely form the words. “I can show you better than I can tell you.”
Jak frowned but didn’t press further. They reached the captain’s quarters, the candlelight spilling faintly through the crack in the door. When he pushed it open, the scene inside was a punch to the gut.
Esmyra was still perched on the desk where he’d left her, her knees drawn slightly inward, her shirt loosely draped over her shoulders as if she hadn’t bothered to tie it properly. Her midnight hair tumbled around her face, but the tension in her posture betrayed the turmoil within her.
When her eyes lifted, they landed on Jak. “Hi,” she said quietly, almost apologetically. Then her lips curved into a faint, brittle smile. “I think I’ve become more trouble than I’m worth.”
“Never,” Jak said.
She let out a lifeless chuckle, her fingers twisting in the loose hem of her shirt. “You say that now, Jaky,” she murmured, “but wait until you see.”
Jak took a step closer, his brows drawn, but she lifted a hand, stopping him. Carefully sliding off of the desk, her voice trembled as she said, “No. Just… let me show you.”
With slow, almost painful movements, she slid her arms out of the shirt and let it fall forward, still clutching the fabric to her chest to cover herself. Then she turned, her bare back facing them.
Jak drew in a sharp breath, his hand instinctively lifting as if to reach for her, then stopping midway. “Fuck,” he cursed under his breath. “Esmi, what the hell is that?”
Draevyn stood stiff beside him.
My brother did this.The thought burned in his skull, each repetition stoking the fire in his blood. The storm inside him built, smoke and flame colliding until he thought he might ignite right there in the room.
Esmyra turned back to face them, that bit of defiance crawling back into her gaze. “Well, it seems we’ve figured out why I still can’t access my powers after we removed the cuffs.”
Her stare raked over them both.
“I think this was their fallback.” Her eyes went distant, as if speaking the thought aloud helped her piece it together. “In case I ever managed to free myself from the cuffs they used to bind me. They must have known I’d try.” She shrugged and let out a small cackle. “And I certainly did.”
When neither Draevyn nor Jak laughed, she continued.
“This—” she gestured weakly to the black veins “—I’m assuming was a backup plan. Something to make sure that even if I escaped, I wouldn’t have access to my powers and could be easily captured again.”
The words lodged like a knife under Draevyn’s ribs. They’d been so afraid of her that they fuckingmutilatedher; the scar down her back was from some jagged blade and sewn together poorly. His nails dug into his palms, the bite of pain barely keeping him anchored. But nothing would change the fact that they touched her, and that alone was enough for Draevyn to make sure they’d burn.
