Without the chaos he brought.
Trees warped as he passed, their trunks twisting like they were trying to escape his proximity. The very ground beneath his feet rippled like disturbed water.
He was so tired of it.
This was why he would remain alone.
"Stop it," he hissed to himself, trying to rein in the emotional projection. "Control it. Contain it."
But how could he?
His chest felt like it might crack open, the storm inside him pushing outward with increasing pressure. He'd spent three days practicing control, three days maintaining a tight grip on his powers after nearly killing Jamie.
And for what?
So he could overhear them forming a sacred bond that excluded him entirely?
The forest darkened around him.
Or was it his vision?
Something wet touched his ankles, and Corin looked down to see water seeping from the ground, pooling around his feet.
No. Not again. Not the drowning dreamscape.
But it was happening. Just like before, when his nightmare had trapped an entire village.
When Azelon had saved him.
When everything between them had begun.
He was still just as messed up as he was then.
The trees groaned, their branches reaching down, toward him.
In the distance, shapes moved—formless, dark creatures drawn to the emotional maelstrom. Hunger rolled off them in waves Corin could almost taste.
Let them come. Let them feed.Maybe they'd leave nothing behind.
Corin stumbled to his knees, water splashing around him as his power surged outward in fierce pulses. The forest blurred as tears filled his eyes.
Who was he going to hurt this time?
If he was lucky, only himself.
"Corin!"
The voice cut through the roar of his emotions.
Jamie.
Corin's head whipped around.
Of course Jamie would come after him. Stupidly brave, endlessly caring Jamie, who'd nearly died once already because of Corin's lack of control.
He twisted around to him and Azelon at the edge of his emotional storm. Jamie leaned heavily against Azelon, still weak from his injuries, but somehow here anyway. The Tideborn's markings glowed fiercely as he tried to shield Jamie from the worst of Corin's projected emotions.
"Go back!" Corin shouted. The water surged in response, rising faster. "It's not safe!"
