All who suffered. Those who died.
They’re trying to reach me, to break through. But I know they’ll stop this.
And I need it. I need revenge.
“You were there that night. At The Inferno.” I step closer, his face contorts as my coils squeeze the bloody stump wherehis arm used to be. “You’re the warlock who blocked the portals. Who kept us trapped inside.”
I squeeze. Tighter and tighter—he nods, that’s all he can manage.
“We need him alive.”
No, no, no—no!
I shake my head, shove my barricade higher, thicker, darker.
But Kane just steps through it.
He’s behind me, his darkness isn’t touching mine, not yet, but it’s close.
“You promised me anything,”I whisper, staring at the man who dangles.“Time and time again, you swore you’d give me anything I wanted.”
Kane reaches for me, I feel it seconds before his fingers brush my spine—
I turn, and my darkness turns with me. It rises around me in rippling waves, slivers forming inky vines that dance across my skin.
“I want this. I wanthim. Don’t take this from me.”
Kane doesn’t retreat, his dark gaze studies me then flickers to the walls of shadows coiling around us.
“You’re still in control,”he says softly, meeting my eyes, sounding almost surprised. Almost… impressed.
I…
I am.
My darkness is here, surrounding me, but it isn’t controlling me.
We’re… together. Balanced in this moment, we’re the same.
“I want you to leave,”I demand, voice layered with shadows. Darkness and self as one. Then quieter.“Please, Kane.”
His gaze softens at that.“A compromise.”
I frown at his words, about to cut him off, dismiss him, ready to tear the traitor apart—
He steps closer, his darkness curling around me in a soft, soothing caress. Goddesses, why does that always feel so good?
“Let us have him for one night. One. Then he’s yours.”
In response, my slivers tighten around the hanging, soon-to-be-dead man.
“How can you stand it?”I whisper, disgusted.“How can you let him breathe for one second more when he’s betrayed you for decades?”I shake my head, staring into Kane’s dark, unblinking gaze.“He killed innocent people. He could have killed me.”
The shadows pulse with rage, with memory.
Kane never looks away.“And remembering that—”He steps closer“—remembering how close we were to losing you…”Even closer.“Is why I ask for one night.”
His darkness moulds beneath mine, folding into it like it always belonged there.
