“Give me a reason not to believe what they’re saying,” she said. “If you have one, I could talk to my father – make the Council see it.”
His expression shifted with something that looked like trust. Guilt flared but she ignored it. Tried not to think about the way her heart stumbled when he looked at her like that. He wanted to tell her, she could see it, but he said nothing. He finally closed the distance and took her hand. Instantly, there was that familiar pull of their magic, the hum of his strength inside her.
She’dmissedit.
They stood watching their emerald and crimson dance together for far longer than was safe, and his expression softened. The dangerous warrior she’d chased was gone, replaced by the man who’d stood by her side at the Arcalon, who’d protected her, trusted her. He let out a slow breath, as though a weight had been lifted.
“I have to do this alone, Kara,” he said, low and certain. “You can’t be involved. Go back to Caldris. He’s always been your safe choice.”
He tried to pull his hand away, but she held it fast, keeping him close. “I’m here with you now, aren’t I? That should tell you something.”
His studied her, his expression full of suspicion, but also something that looked a lot like longing. “What it tells me is that you’ve lost your mind, following me here,” he said.
Her throat burned with the words she couldn’t say. She nearly told him the truth. But instead she moved closer – and wrapped her arms around him. And he... oh Gods, he let her.
“It’s going to be okay,” she whispered. A promise she couldn’t keep. A promise she was going to break.
You’re giving me no choice.
She wasn’t sure he would return the embrace – he’d stiffened under her touch. So she just stood there holding him. Trying to think of anything but howrightit felt. At last, his arms came around her slowly, warily, like he couldn’t believe she was actually here. With him. As if that didn’t make it worse. The tension loosened from his shoulders, but it wasn’t relief – only exhaustion, and the resignation of someone who already knows they’re not making it out alive.
“It’s not going to be okay,” he said roughly in her ear. “But I have to do this, Kara.”
She told herself to wait. One more breath. She wanted to stay like this. Pretend. She could hear his heartbeat – steady, trusting, as her magic hummed beneath her skin, eager, enjoying the closeness. But the orders were there, pushing down at her until she couldn’t breathe under the pressure of it. Her magic twisted away, resisting what she was about to make it do. It knew. Gods, it knew.
This was cruel. Dishonest. Unforgivable.
But she moved her hand anyway – slow and shaking, behind his back – and her magic unfurled in green tendrils from her palms. It was gentle at first, brushing along his arms, his shoulders. But her magic fought back. It writhed angrily, the emerald darkening to a sickly olive green, cold and unfamiliar, recoiling from what she commanded of it.
But she made it obey. Like she’d practised.
Sebastian didn’t realise. Not until it was too late.
He frowned at the dark shapes floating over his shoulder, confusion lining his face.
“Kara?”
The tendrils snapped tight like a serpent – binding his limbs in glowing olive light. He flinched. Crimson magic burst in a flare at his fingertips – heat brushing against her skin, wild and dangerous. This was the Sebastian she knew – the one who always fought back. She almost hoped he’d break free. But she didn’t hesitate. Knew she couldn’t. Her spell bit deeper, dulling the flame, smothering his magic until it died completely. His eyes widened as the numbness spread – as she stole feeling from him. He looked down at his hands like they were someone else’s.
“I can’t feel them.” Panic bled into his voice.
He tried to step back. His body barely moved.
“What – what are you doing?” He sounded scared. She looked up at him, horrified by herself. And what she saw was the shocked disbelief of someone who had, for one reckless moment, actually thought he was safe.
“Kara... I can’t move.”
“I know,” she said, and her tears started to fall.
“Please.” His voice broke on the word. “Don’t do this,” he said as his knees hit the ground. She dropped with him, her arms wrapped tightly around his middle. “You don’t understand.”
His words nearly broke her.
Stop it! Stop it now!
But she didn’t. Her magic surged around him. The quicker the better. If she hesitated, she’d never–
He became heavy in her arms, and she caught him before he could fall, her whole body trembling as she knelt beside him. He looked up at her.
