“I tried to stop her. But I failed.” His words were deadened, empty.
“What. Did. She. Do?”
Chrome hesitated. “She made you infertile, so we can’t reproduce any more Celestials.” At least he didn’t try to pretend to feel bad about it. I’d rather have his cold and apathetic delivery than him faking it to sound like the old version of him.
The world around me slowed as I processed his words. “So I’ll never have children of my own?” I rasped out, still staring at the stone ceiling that was marked with time and age. It wasn’t like I’d given any thought to having children one day. It was the last thing on my mind, given everything I’d been through, but it was my choice. And I’d been robbed of it.
“No.”
I swallowed. The taste of iron lingered on my tongue, most likely from ripping my throat to pieces.
“You just stood there and watched…” The betrayal that broke in my voice made my face heat in shame.
“I didn’t want her to do it. I’m sorry. I tried to stop her, but she—” he rushed out, almost sounding like the real version of him.
“Fuck you. I’ll die here, starved, deprived of magic, alone, cold, and in pain before I ever join you in your sick little plan. Get the fuck away from me.”
“Gray. Rainbow…” Chrome pleaded, reaching out to caress my face, but I jerked away from him as hard as I could in my weakened state. “I’m sorry.” Remorse was in his voice, but I didn’t trust it, even though it pulled on my heart. I couldn’t even look in his eyes to see if the quicksilver resided there. If it did, it would make being angry at him that much harder.
“No, you’re not. You’re only sorry that your plan to rule the world has gone up in flames. Fuck off, Chrome. You’ve done enough.”
Chrome didn’t speak as he rose to his feet. “You have every right to be upset. But know that I fought for you,” he said, before walking from the cell.
I rolled over onto my side, noticing for the first time that I was attached to a different set of chains, which allowed me this freedom of movement, and clutched my stomach with my arms. I had no energy left to weep. I didn’t want to cry.
“Gray,” Slate’s voice came from the other side of the cell. “I’m so fucking sorry. I failed…”
“No, you didn’t. There was nothing you could’ve done to stop that from happening,” I replied vacantly. My eyes were heavy, but I couldn’t sleep.
“It is my only job, Gray. When I took the Soul Oath of Fealty, I swore that I would protect you with my life. I’m soul-bound by that oath to the fucking Archangels, Gray. And because you and Chrome are Twin Souls, I’m bound to protect him, too. And look what’s happened. This is my fault, and I’m so godsdamned sorry. I don’t know how we’ll get out of here, but we will.” Slate sighed, genuine regret in his voice.
“It is what it is, Slate. I never wanted any of this shit. I just wanted to be free from my dad. But here I am. Back under the same roof as him and in chains.” The fight had been stolen from me. I would willingly rot on that floor.
“For fuck’s sake, Gray. I know what’s happened has been absolutely horrific. Trust me, if I could kill them all right now, I would,” Slate snapped. “But we have to get out of here first. We have to survive.Youhave to survive. Then, when you’re safe, you can grieve and heal. Please, don’t you dare fucking give up on me again.”
My bottom lip shook, and I bit down on it to try to stop it. “I’m sorry I’m so weak, Slate. I wish I could be stronger.”
“Gray, you are the strongest person I know. But right now, all I ask is that you put on that mask one more time, yeah? The one that hides away from the world so we can get out of here.” When I didn’tsay anything, he shifted tactics. “What about your mother’s letter? I think it’s a good time for you to read it.”
I sniffed. “Didn’t you see when he emptied out my pocket? It’s gone,” I mumbled. “I lost it. Again.”
Light rustling echoed from his side of the cell. “Actually, you didn’t.”
Gasping, I snapped my head up, unbelieving of what I was seeing. In his hand, a white envelope gleamed in the darkness.
Slate grinned, that boyish smile he used to give when he felt shy. “I had a feeling back at the Wind Kingdom,” he admitted. “Once I saw you were okay from the Infernal’s mental attack, I noticed it hanging from your pocket, so I grabbed it in case Chrome captured us. I gambled on the fact that he wouldn’t suspect me of holding it. If he risked giving it back to you in a rare moment of lucidity, then it’s important, Gray. The real Chrome wants you to read it.” He slid it across the floor until it bounced off my knee.
Vaguely, I remembered Slate patting me down when I came to my senses after the mental attack. I had thought he’d just been checking for wounds, but he’d been two steps ahead. Sitting up, the room spun, but I didn’t care. I choked on a sob. “You—” Speechless, I picked it up again and met his warm gaze. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“Always, baby girl.”
I looked back at my Elemental name written in my mother’s script. Maybe there was something in that letter from her that would give me some sort of insight into where to go from here. I didn’t hold out hope that what Slate said was true, that there was something useful in there that the real Chrome wanted me to know, but what else did I have to lose at this point?
I hugged it to my chest once more, imagining my mother having done the same before she let it go to be delivered to Orion. My heart caught at the memory of him. Chrome had killed him in cold blood. That had been my first sign that he would never be returning from the monster he’dbecome.
At last, I pulled open the flap, sliding the thick piece of paper free with unstable hands. My mother had folded the paper in half, so I unfurled it, my tears streaming freely as I laid my eyes on her delicate handwriting.
My beautiful daughter, Aeran,
