I wanted to pull her to me—to see if she still tasted like summer and fury. See if I could still make her fall apart the way I used to.
But thenhegrabbed her—too familiar, too entitled—and turned her away from the arena like he had the right.
He dared to touch Celeste.
MyCeleste.
And the way she leaned into him?—
I tasted metal. My shadows flexed at my fingertips, vicious, eager for more blood. I could’ve made him disappear into the dark with a single thought. I could’ve?—
I clench my fists until nails bite skin.
Fuck.Not. Mine. Not anymore.But the lie lodges in my throat like a knife.
The walk to the dormitory was hell. I wanted nothing more than to rip her away from here, wrap her in shadows, and shut the rest of the world out. But instead, I walked in silence, a lifetime of unsaid words and emotions between us.
And when I heard her stifle that small, aching sob as I walked away, it nearly broke through the armor I’ve spent years perfecting.
I will find her. I will finally tell her the truth—the truth I’ve kept locked behind every silence and shadow.
All the things I should have said that night, before I disappeared from her life.
All the things I’ve wanted to say since then, found in the stacks of unsent letters I keep in a small pile in the bottom of my trunk.
Not to ask for forgiveness?—
But because she deserves to know.All of it.
Even if it drowns us both to say it. Even if it doesn’t fix things between us.
Especiallyif it doesn’t.
CHAPTER 23
Elements that fuse do not easily untwine. Even when the fusion ends, the imprint remains.
—Elemental Fusion: The Art and Origin of Convergence
CELESTE
Iclose Noa’s bedroom door behind me and lean back against it, breathless. Noa is in front of me in a heartbeat, hands grabbing my upper arms.
“Did he hurt you? I swear to gods, if he—” But he stops mid-sentence, catching the tear tracks left on my cheeks as I shake my head.
“No,” I breathe. “He wouldn’t even talk to me. For fuck’s sake, he was mybest friendfor years—and he wouldn’t even look at me.” I absently twist the sapphire ring on my finger. “I thought I’d never see him again and now he’s here and it’s like we’re complete strangers… like our past never happened…” I look up and see the smudges of dirt, ash, and sweat still coating Noa’s face, remnants of the duel. “Oh my gods—Noa! Areyouokay? That was insane. Watching you…” Words are lost to me. I don’t know how to describe everything I’m feeling.
He shrugs slightly, brushing it off. “I’m fine. I was more worried about you—about everyone else. A duel shouldneverinvolve outsiders. People could have gotten hurt…” He trails off, a slight sneer curling his mouth. “But your littleboyfrienddidn’t leave a scratch.”
I look up into his face, etched with worry, anger, pride, and something deeper. Something fierce and raw. Unshakable.
This.Thisis what I need right now.
I don’t think. I reach up and kiss him.
At first, he’s still—like kissing a statue. But I press closer, sliding my tongue against the seam of his lips, and he groans.
And the dam breaks.
