Slate leaned down, whispering in her ear before she nodded. Then he moved toward me, walking the remaining distance between us until our chests were only inches apart. “Unless you plan to help fight them off, leave.”
“I’m not leaving without her.” I looked past him at Gray, who remained several feet away.
Every other second, a weapon or Kinetic attack came toward us, but Slate and I batted them away, our mutual challenge not to be interrupted.
“You know I won’t let you take her,” my cousin warned from deep in his chest, his eyes glowing blue instead of their usual hazel.
“Andyouknow that she’smine,” I said, my voice holding every single threatening promise.
Slate narrowed his eyes. “Not when you’re like this, Chrome. This is not how you’re supposed to rule Arcadia.”
“Does it matter how we get there?” I scoffed. “That’s our destiny.”
“Well, history says that didn’t work out too well, didn’t it? Look where it got everyone!” Slate seethed. “Look around, Chrome!” He held arms out wide, gesturing to the battle that grew bloodier around us. “This is the result!”
“We’ll do better this time.” I shrugged.
Slate shook his head in disbelief. “And what about Celanea? Or Forest? You work for them now.”
I lashed out a shadow, gripping Slate around the throat, squeezing it. “You knownothing,” I hissed. “I don’t work for anyone.”
Slate leveled me with a scowl, never wavering.
“You’ve claimed you’d die protecting Gray,” I muttered, studying him as my shadows clutched his neck. His olive complexion morphed into shades of red, but he made no struggle against me. “I think it’s time I test that claim.”
“Good”—Slate struggled to speak—“luck.” Suddenly, his body lit up with a silver aura, his hand unfurling from the fist at his side to clutch my shoulder. Light that burrowed past my bones and marrow singed me, making my shadows around his throat recoil.
“Fuck off with that shit, Slate!” I hissed, backing away from him. Laughing, I rubbed my shoulder. The burn felt like it left a permanent mark. “Looks like someone’s been practicing.”
Slate leveled me with a hard stare, his light still illuminating the space around us.
“You’ll still never be me, brother,” I taunted. Leaning into his ear, I said, “You can protect her, you can love her, you can be her hero all you want, but it’s not you she wants. Never forget that.”
Slate rolled his eyes. “Unlike you, I don’t put my wants first. The old Chrome understood that.”
“Never stopped you from wanting something that wasn’t yours, did it?”
Slate’s fist smashed into my eye socket, the bone splitting from the blow. I cackled.
“Whoever you are,” Slate murmured to me, batting away a stray attack. “You aren’t my brother. The real Chrome would never let Gray near you. Why do you think he left her before you took over? Now leave her alone before I fucking kill you.”
“You can’t kill me,” I chuckled. “Your oath wouldn’t allow it.”
“I’m sure there’s a clause in there that if one of you turns Infernal, then it’s null and void.”
I didn’t know if that was true, but I glanced around Slate, clashing with Gray’s fierce gaze again, my longing for her soaring to newer heights. This time, my yearning felt real, like I needed toprotect her. Help her. Fight by her side. Strange. This was painful on a soul level.
My shoulder burned again, like the light that singed me from Slate’s palm spread throughout my entire body, warming a cold and desolate part of me that brought my emotions back to the surface.
I knew Slate wouldn’t let me get close to Gray, and I didn’t blame him. But if I could just touch her, maybe I could find my way back to myself. Instead, I remained frozen in the midst of the battle, holding her heart from afar.
I’d protect it. I’d protect her at all costs, even if it was from me.
I love you,I mouthed to her. Between our close proximity and Slate’s abilities, I felt the taunting shadows of my former self rising to the surface. “I’ll always find you,” I said lowly, knowing she’d hear me.
Slate raised his hands again, ready to shove me back with his otherworldly magic.
Gray clenched her jaw, her upper lip raising into a sneer before she charged closer to me, completely disregarding the battle around us. She balled her fist, ready to strike, but Slate snatched her back around her waist, lifting her off the ground.
