But the feeling remained as the room erupted into chaos.
36
ARIANA
Awall of my mist encased me before expanding out. It circled Kole, keeping him from the others before stretching forward, pushing everyone around Clause aside, except for him. The three of us were walled off from the rest in the room.
Though separated, I felt their attacks and sensed their steps through the thin film of mist I left in the room, surrounding their feet.
Gregory’s movements rushed towards Olive, who stood deathly still.
A sensation of whips slammed against the side of my wall. There was something odd about those blows, the depth of them, but they did not last. An intense heat followed the several blows as Iver’s flames pushed him back, keeping the conjuror away.
Eislyn seemed to engage with the whisperer, and Kiora kept her distance while preoccupying the air conjuror.
Soren danced with blades, keeping the sight conjuror busy.
I forced my attention to pull inward. Those outside my barrier were a distraction. They were all skilled, and I needed to trust in that, to let them go, so I could focus on the obstacle standing before me.
Clause glanced at the wall of moisture before centering those cold eyes on me. He could walk through my mist if he wanted to, but he wouldn’t. Because he wanted this, the two of us with limited distractions.
Kole said nothing, and asked nothing as he approached to stand at my side, briefly drawing Clause’s eye.
“And why are you here?” The Sidhe King asked, displeased at having anyone else sharing this space with us.
“I am her blade,” Kole answered easily, standing at the ready, sword drawn and poised. He knew his purpose, for he truly was the blade, the only one of us who could get close to the Sidhe King without fear of death from a simple touch.
Clause grunted and turned to me. “You continue to push me, Ariana. To wear thin my patience.”
My jaw clenched. “You pushed me first.”
He shook his head as though he did not agree. “You stand on the edge of a decision. Do not make the wrong one.”
“I have already decided. The only one here with a decision is you. To surrender or force our hand.”
“Fire away.” A smile curled his lips as he opened his hands, as if inviting us to try. He spoke again when neither of us moved. “Tell me, when all that I have done was to strengthen you, to help you survive this cruel world, why is it that you try to turn on me?” His thoughts remained misguided.
“It is not the world that is cruel, but you. The darkness, the pain, the torment that surrounds me is your making.Youhave tried to destroy me, to break me, not this world.”
He took a single step, his lips pressing into a thin line. Darkness oozed from the surrounding atmosphere, stemming from him. “I have opened your eyes to some of the lies spoon-fed to you so others could more easily control you. If the things you learned were cruel, that is only because I have only ever been honest with you. I have shown you this world for what it is. Do not hate me for only bringing you the truth.”
If only that was the only thing he brought. “You forced me to take the life of an innocent man. Where is the kindness in that?” That one act tainted my soul. Never would I be the same.
The tension between us pulsated with every steady beat of his heart. It drummed through the air, brushing up against me. Keeping me surrounded by his ominous presence. “That was a lesson you needed to learn.”
I snorted. “You sound like Edda.A lesson I needed to learn.” I shook my head in disbelief, for he appeared so delusional that he may have actually believed what he was saying. “You did lie, for I thought I saw glimmers of kindness and hope in you over my time here, but that was all a facade. Wasn’t it? A trick to have me lower my guard so that when you cut it would be that much deeper.”
His brows furrowed. “It was not. I have nothing but love for you, Ariana. You are the most important thing in the world to me.”
Kole’s jaw clenched, though he remained silent, with his eyes trained on the threat before us.
Even if Clause believed he loved me, I doubted it would be enough, but I still tried to reason with the unreasonable. “Then stand down. End this suffering. Show me you can at least attempt a compromise.”
He broke our stare, glancing to the floor as though inthought. My heart nearly stopped, hoping he was considering my words.
“Clause, please.”The soft desperation in my voice troubled me. After everything, why did I continue to carry hope for him?
Gray eyes pinned mine, and within them there was turmoil.
