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Next, his shoulders start shaking and before he can stop it, Fynn grasps his knees as he doubles over in laughter. All I can do is shake my fucking head again because I’m still bound to this chair and all I want to do is smash it to pieces. He regains himself, standing tall while wiping the back of his hands over the corner of his eyes.
“Shit, Drav. I knew you were into kinky shit, but…not with yourself.” He starts chuckling until he can’t catch his breath. “Wait—” Laughter once again fills the room. “I have to grab the others. This is too good.”
What did he— Wait. Oh, fucking hell. He thinks I tied myself up with my own damn shadows and he’s getting Cora and Kye. Just perfect. And there’s nothing I can do.
Suddenly, multiple footsteps echo from the corridor, and I brace myself for being the center of amusement.
“I think you’re lying,” I hear Cora say as their voices grow louder.
“It wouldn’t be the first time Fynn’s tried to pull a prank on us.” Kye’s voice sounds exhausted because, just like me, he can’t sleep. I’ve shared what I know or have seen when it comes to Emma, but I make sure to pull Kye aside and let him know she’s unharmed. Until tonight, when I physically fucking felt her pain radiate down the bond and lash at my body as if it were my own.
“Which is why I grabbed you, so you both know I’m telling the truth,” Fynn’s chipper voice sounds just outside the door. “Just go see for yourself.”
All three of them step into my room. Fynn’s cocky smirk screams I told you so. Cora’s hand flies over her mouth to hide her amusement, and Kye just tips his head down, doing a shit job of hiding the small smile he’s sporting.
“I heard his growl vibrate through the wall,” Fynn starts to explain. “So, I stormed in here as fast as I could to see what was wrong. But…apparently, nothing is wrong.” Fynn winks. He fucking winks at me.
I let out an annoyed groan as I wait for him to stop talking. “These aren’t my shadows, you insufferable bastard.”
That gets him to shut his mouth and silence the laugh that started to bubble up his throat. He walks to me, letting his fingers grace the edge of Emma’s shadows. Cora gasps as she inches closer and Kye remains rooted to the spot.
Fynn’s eyes widen and meet mine, already knowing he can sense the signature of the power constricted around me. “This is Emma’s doing.”
“Emma was here?” Kye rushes to ask, finally showing interest in his expression.
I go on to explain what happened—leaving out the sordid details—and how I stole her away because the beast in me overrode all thoughts of my sanity. The only thing on my mind was to protect her.
“Fynn,” Cora’s feather-soft voice pauses. Her sad blue eyes turn hopeful with raised brows as she clasps her hands together. “Are you able to use the part of your power to see her?”
With a silent nod, he brushes the tips of his fingers over Emma’s shadows once more and closes his eyes with furrowed brows in concentration. After two breaths pass, he draws his hands up, those hazel eyes glinting, and waves his palms in a circular motion.
An outline of gold reflects in the air, and I hold my breath. He’s searching for her, using her power signature to see what she’s doing at this very moment. Not a second later, a blurry image in the center slowly becomes clear, and inside is the female who will never fear the storm, because she is the storm. One that I would gladly get swept away in.
Kye steps beside Fynn and Cora follows suit. All zeroed in on Emma, who is standing on her balcony, looking out at the dark sea. I can’t help the rapid beat of my heart in my chest at just the sight of her. The way her hair dances in the wind, and the slight tint of pink that still flushes her cheeks from my punishment minutes ago.
It was painful and addicting all at the same time. I wanted to rip myself free from her power only to pounce on her and devour every delectable inch of her body. But then, the other part of me wanted to sit back and watch the raised bumps chill her flesh, the hardening of her nipples waiting to be sucked on, and her arousal dripping from her center, glistening for me.
This chokehold she has on me will only grow tighter.
“You said she was here. So, why did she leave?” Kye’s question hangs in the air, heavy and pained.
My jaw ticks and I swallow down the flurry of emotions. “She said for me to stay away. That it wasn’t safe to be near her.”
Kye keeps his amber eyes locked on mine, trying to read between the lines. But there’s nothing; she was vague and spoke with zero explanations.
“She’s sacrificing herself to whatever she’s protecting you from,” Cora says almost on a whisper, causing my gaze to shift to her. A watery sheen brightens her eyes as she studies Emma, and slowly softens the longer she stares at her friend. I know that look. It’s one of relief coated with sadness. To see her and feel so close yet so far away.
Cora’s lip slightly trembles as her hands mindlessly fidget together in front of her. “Look at her,” she tells us as we all drag our eyes to the window of power hovering in the air. “The darkness has rooted itself in her, but I don’t believe she’s completely lost to it. Not anymore. If she was, she wouldn’t be staring off her balcony like she used to do before you ever laid eyes on her.”
On a shaky inhale, she releases a long breath before she speaks again. “Her mind is sane. She’s plotting like I’ve seen her do almost every time she had an interaction with King Oren.” Cora’s voice is stronger, sounding more confident in her assessment of Emma.
In my peripheral, I see Cora’s hand gesture to Emma. “Look at how still her body is, how even though her eyes are void, they are consumed with thoughts that are weighing on her.”
I watch, tracing every curve of her frame, every slant of her face. The look in her eyes, as I dissect her tells. Cora’s right, and then the words my mother spoke registers.
Fate demands the sacrifice of the one who holds the balance of two worlds.
No, she will never sacrifice herself again. For I will rip my beating heart from my chest and shove it into hers. The light in her eyes must never fade for eternity.
