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I raise an eyebrow, fighting to keep my composure, but the dark humor in his voice always manages to unsettle me. “You’ll have to survive first,” I shoot back, my words thick with irony. “Otherwise, I might have to pleasure myself.”

Before he can respond, Ash’s deep, guttural laugh erupts, his hands clutching his stomach as if he can’t hold back the amusement. Ash’s laughter pierces through the bubble I didn’t even realize I was in, reminding me that we aren’t alone. I freeze for a second, his voice yanking me back to reality.

Oberon’s eyes flare, surprise flashing briefly across his features when he realizes I’m not backing down. His smile deepens, and the atmosphere around us thickens, the dangerous glint in his gaze now tinged with something darker, as he takes a slow, deliberate step toward me, his presence engulfing the space between us.

His voice lowers, each word dripping with intent, power, and something much more primal. “Oh, I’ll survive,” he replies, lips curling with satisfaction. “If for no other reason than to see that happen.” The edge of his smile turns predatory as he leans in, close enough that I can feel the heat of his breath against my skin. “I’d suggest you don’t get too comfortable. When I return, I’ll make sure you remember exactly what it feels like to have me inside you. What it feels like when you're calling my name, begging for more.” His words hang in the air, thick with promise and threat, leaving a scorching trail where his breath brushed my skin.

It is as if the world stilled, the tension between us thickening with each passing second.

He pulls me back in for one last kiss, deep and consuming, before he pulls away again. His hand slips from mine as he turns, his departure as final as the distance now growing between us.

The gnawing emptiness settles in my chest, more profound than I expect, an ache that I don’t want to acknowledge.

Chapter thirty-three

Shadows

“Looks like it’s just you and me again, sunshine.” Ash grins, clapping me on the back. “Whatever shall we do to fill the time?” His smirk turns devious.

I arch a brow, grateful for the distraction but wary of the look he is giving me. “What exactly do you have planned?” I ask, suspicion lacing my tone.

His grin only deepens before a portal splits open before me, swirling with energy. “It’s a surprise,” is all he offers.

I hesitate for only a moment before stepping through, trusting in the friendship we built on this journey, perhaps more than I should.

I emerge from the vortex to find myself standing right in front of the place I left months ago, the place I never wanted to return to, the cabin. “What the hell, Ash?” I snap, spinning toward him. “What are we doing here?”

Unbothered by my outburst, Ash simply shrugs, ever the playful one. “Oh, come on, Lyra. Thought we could take a little stroll down memory lane with all this free time on our hands.”

“This isn’t funny,” I bite out, my stomach twisting.

“Lighten up, would ya?” Ash grins before continuing, “You unlocked your magic, which is great, but you still need to train it. And let’s be real, you haven’t used it in a long time.”

“But here?” my voice sharper than intended.

“Well . . .” He rubs the back of his neck, avoiding my gaze. “We can’t exactly have you accidentally blowing things up, or gods forbid, hurting someone with whatever it is you can do. Here seems like the safest option. It’s far enough away from . . . everything.” He gives another casual shrug, but there is an edge of sincerity beneath his usual teasing.

I exhale slowly, hating that he has a point. As much as I despise this place, it is isolated. If something goes wrong, no one else can get caught in the aftermath. Still, the sight of the cabin stirs an unease I can’t shake.

My time here wasn’t entirely awful, but it was a cage nonetheless, a reminder of how this all started, of how Oberon brought me here as an enemy, not the lover we have grown into. The thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

I don’t answer right away, only glaring at Ash, hoping my silence alone will make him reconsider.

He only grins wider in response, completely unbothered. “If you’d rather, we can go back and gossip over a cup of tea while you spill your heart out about whatever’s going on between you and Oberon.” He flutters his eyelashes mockingly, his voice dripping with false sweetness.

“You’re insufferable,” I mutter, rolling my eyes. “Would be a real shame if you got hurt all the way out here . . . so far from help.” I flash him a wicked smile before turning toward the clearing just in front of the cabin.

Ash lets out a loud laugh, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Fair enough,” he concedes. “Guess that means I win.”

I huff but don’t argue.

“So,” he says, falling into step beside me. “How does this ability of yours actually work, anyway?”

I hesitate, knowing I don’t have a real answer. “I don’t really know,” I admit. “I can feel the vibrations of what’s around me, tune into them . . . manipulate them, I guess.” It sounds vague even to my own ears.

Ash makes a sweeping motion with his hand, as if telling me to go on and prove it.

I sigh, shaking out my hands before closing my eyes. Taking a deep breath, I let the world around me settle into something else, something quieter, something deeper. The familiar hum of life surrounds me, but I don’t know how to harness it.