Seraphina stands, walking over to the wall, her fingers tracing over the markings. I rise to my feet, compelled to follow her. As I approach, my eyes widen in horror at the sight of rows upon rows of deep scratches etched into the wall’s surface. But that’s not all; my attention catches the presence of ominous burn marks and the haunting remnants of chains.
“What the fuck?” I blurt.
“For the first few years, I wasn’t very co-operative,” she whispers.
A seething combination of anger and disgust simmers in the pit of my stomach. “What are the markings?”
“That’s how many new moons went by. Even though I couldn’t see them, I could always sense a new moon rising.”
I do a quick count. “You’ve been here a hundred years? How old are you?” She didn’t look much older than twenty, if I were to guess.
Shrugging, she turns and makes her way back over to the fire. “I was only a young child when I was brought here. I don’t remember a time from before. The witches used to brag when they assumed I was sleeping.”
“About what?”
“Cursing my protectors, making it so they could never reach me. They didn’t think I was listening, but I was.” She sits and pulls her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them as she stares deeply into the crackling flames.
“Fuck. No wonder you wanted to kill that last one” I mutter, staring at the claw marks and chains. Then it clicks—they were the witches that cursed the three brothers.
“They would not have taken losing me very well, and the other would have followed us. I’m glad she showed up. I couldn’t take that chance that she’d track me down. She is . . .wasa monster.”
We settle into a comfortable silence after that. Seraphina eventually lies down, her eyes drifting shut as she faces the crackling fire. I focus on her heartbeat and breathing, listening intently. Once I’m certain she’s asleep, I stand up and quietly walk over to where Ash is peacefully sleeping on the bed. I rest on the floor, leaning my head against the wall. Despite my efforts to stay awake, my eyelids strain under the pressure of fatigue.
Chapter thirty-six
Kai
“The heart wants what it wants, and I want you.”
Ahand gently stirs me awake, its touch soothing as I lean into it, my eyes still closed.
“Kai . . .” Ash’s voice floats through my sleep-fogged mind. “Kai, wake up.”
Opening my eyes, I tilt my head back and stare into a pair of warm, captivating onyx eyes.
“You’re awake,” I murmur, smiling sleepily at her.
“Yes. Sorry for passing out. I used too much magic yesterday.”
“That’s okay, baby. We all needed the rest.”
I glance around the cavern and notice Seraphina is gone. “Where—”
“Gone to get some fresh air,” Ash interjects.
“Oh.”
Ash stands from the bed and stretches. “I thought we could get cleaned up while she’s gone.”
My eyes travel over her body, then to the rock pool, and the idea of washing all this dirt and dust off me sounds like heaven.
“I could do with a clean,” I reply, jumping to my feet.
Ash strips off what little she has on and immediately my pulse races at the sight of her naked curves, accentuated by the flickering glow of the fire. I swiftly undo my jeans, feeling relief as I kick off my heavy boots and pull my shirt over my head.
I slip into the water after Ash, the cool liquid embracing me as I move closer to her. The dim light catches the strands of her long black hair, making them shimmer as they float around her like a dark halo. She tips her head back, submerging herself just enough to wet her hair, the water cascading over her shoulders as she leans back in the pool.
Without a word, I reach out, my fingers gently massaging her scalp, working through the tangled mess of dried blood and dirt that clings to her hair. Each touch is careful, soothing, as I focus on loosening the stubborn remnants of the battle we’ve just endured. The sensation of her hair slipping through my fingers becomes smoother with each pass, and I can feel the tension in her body begin to melt away under my touch.
