We stood there, glaring at each other. My heart pounded in my chest, fury and hurt swirling in a storm of emotion. How could he be so calm, so detached about this?
James exhaled, his features softening. “Emma, I don’t want to lose you to this obsession. I’m scared you’ll get lost in it.”
I blinked, his words hitting me like a slap. “Obsession? I only started asking questions yesterday! How has this suddenly become an ‘obsession’?”
“When you’re already fighting me over it!” he shouted. “Is it more important than what we have?”
What?
How had this become an either-or situation?
“James, how can you even say that?” I shook my head, confusion mixing with anger. “I’m not choosing one over the other. I’m simply trying to understand myself. I was a lawyer up until a year ago, remember? I want to know who I am. But you’re not helping me! You’re making it seem like I’m alone in this, like you don’t care.”
His jaw tightened, but he didn’t reply. The silence—the same suffocating one from last night—settled over us again, heavy and oppressive, driving us further apart.
“If you think I don’t care, then you have no idea who I am or what you mean to me,” he said, his tone clipped. “And I think I’ve made that pretty clear.”
Damn it. Why did he always say things that triggered this massive guilt?
“I know who you are, and I know you don’t want me to be alone in this. I know you care,” I started, as I tried to keep my voice steady.
“Good,” he interrupted. “Because you are the most important thing to me in the world.”
I narrowed my eyes, the sting of his earlier outbursts still fresh. “Am I? Because I distinctly remember you biting my head off for pulling you out of a Council meeting.”
James recoiled; disbelief written across his face. “That’swhat’s still on your mind? What the fuck, Emma? Crown was on the brink ofwarwith Radicals and I was trying to prevent it! I’m sorry I snapped under the pressure—it was never my intention. But may I remind you, your temper has a life of its own, too!”
Well, he had me there.
James shook his head, frustration lining his features. “Let’s talk about something else.”
The huge lump in my throat made it impossible to change the subject. I couldn’t. Not like this. I needed to get out.
“I’m sorry, James,” I said, my hands shaking. “I need some space today. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
His posture stiffened, his rage-haze flaring up. “Really? You’re just going to walk away?”
“Yes, really!” I fired back, my own frustration spilling over. “Before either of us says something we can’t take back. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
And with that, before he could respond, I portaled out, landing in the quiet of my own dorm.
TEN
EMMA
“You ready?” the Healer asked, looking at me expectantly.
I wasn’t. Not really. I wanted James with me, wanted him by my side while I did this. But I didn’t have any choice in the matter. We still hadn’t resolved our issues, and I was too stubborn to be the first one to reach out.
So now, I was getting my Skindo tattoo on my own.
“You sure you want it over the scars?” the Healer asked, eyeing my arm.
I nodded.Hell yeah. “Yes, please. Cover them up as much as you can.”
The Healer touched my arm, releasing a soft pulse of energy, and I could feel the magic beginning to work. The familiar sensation of translation washed over me as the intricate tattoo started to wrap around my arm, its patterns delicate and beautiful. I could hardly wait to see the finished drawing.
“How do you do that?” I whispered, curiosity getting the best of me. Maybe the Healer could give me some new insights into how this kind of magic worked.
