“We were so young,” he says finally, not looking my way. “Sixteen. I had just b—” He cuts off, swallows then continues. “—my magic had just started coming in. Hard and fast. I didn’t mean to. But I didn’t know how to stop it, and she was just… she was so beautiful, so young. One second we were laughing, and the next...” He shakes his head. “I didn’t even know what I’d done, we’d done, until it was already over.”
Another pause, this one longer. “My family cleaned it up. Told me not to talk about it, said the memory would fade.” His voice drops. “But it didn’t. It’s still there, that moment, like it’s stitched into me.” His chest rises as he takes a heavy breath in. “But we figured out what happened. That it was a freak convergence, rare, almost impossible. Then you came along.”
His hand scrapes through his hair again, restless, before he finally turns to look at me.
“I thought I felt something when we were close, but I didn’t trust it, so I let it go. But then, Ashvale. When you said you feltweak…That’s when I knew, because that's what she said. Right before.” He swallows hard again as he drops his head. “And fuck... I knew.”
“It’s okay,” I say quietly. “I know you didn’t mean to do it. Brian told me how it works.”
Talen’s head snaps back up. “Brian?”
“The guard, Ezzy’s friend, he... never mind.” I shake my head. “Look. I know. It’s not just you.It’s us. It’s something between us. And Iknowyou weren’t trying to take my magic. You weren't trying to kill me. Youstopped. You pulled back. That’s why you haven’t touched me, right?”
“God, I wanted to,” he breathes. “I wanted to so badly. And that’s when I knew I was fucked. Because all I wanted to do was reach out and touch you—and I couldn’t trust myself, trust you.” He looks at me, eyes bare. “Your magic was so unstable, I couldn't stop it from flowing into me.”
“Was she the last woman you’ve been with? Likethat, I mean.”
“Fuck, no. I was nervous after her, yeah. But I figured out pretty quick, it’s not something that happens with just anyone.” A beat. “I’ve been with other women since. My fair share. But that thing—the connection, the transfer—it never came back. And I didn’t think it would. I mean, what are the fucking chances?” His gold rimmed eyes lock on mine. “But if it was going to happen again... of course it’d be you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing, forget it.” He just shakes his head and keeps going, “Bloom, believe me, I wanted to tell you so badly, but the Citadel would never approve of this kind of magic between people. It’s not sanctioned, it’s not safe. And I knew once you got control of your Threads, it would stop. I thought I could ignore it till then. Keep my distance, avoid touching you.” A beat. “But after the Rec Hall, when I...feltyou and you saw, you saw my reaction. I knew you had figured something out. Then you started asking questions, and I—” He shakes his head. “I didn’t even know where to start. So I just shut you out.”
“But I can control it now. See?” I reach out and take his hand. “Nothing’s moving. I can feel them. All of them. My Threads.Where they are, where they aren’t. I can hold them, keep them in.” I meet his eyes. “You don’t have to avoid me anymore. You can touch me.”
Talen exhales, but he doesn’t let go. “It’s not just about that, it’s not just about whatever this connection is between us. I know you want answers—about Ashvale, about everything. And you deserve them.” His thumb brushes across the back of my hand. “But I can’t give you all of it. Not yet.”
My chest tightens. “Talen?—”
“I need you to trust me.” His voice softens as his free hand rises, fingertips brushing my cheek. “I know it’s not much. But if you stay low, stop pushing—if you play along—Ipromise,I promise you’ll get answers.” As the last word leaves his mouth, a single thread of light slips from his lips. It drifts toward me—bright, slow—and lands on my chest.
“You gave me a String,” I whisper, stunned.
“I did.”He smiles, quiet, careful, real.
Then he steps closer. “Lyra…” His thumb strokes across my bottom lip, slow. “Do you trust me?”
The question lands like a blade between my ribs. I freeze, gaze locked on his. His eyes are wide open now—unguarded, for once. Waiting.
Do I? Do I trust him?
Every betrayal begins with a hand held in trust. And the closer they stand, the easier it is to fall.
That’s what my mum wrote in her diary. God, I want to so badly.
“I trust that you’re protecting people,” I say, “I trust that, deep down, you’re good.” His lips twitch, almost a smile. “And I get it now, why you can’t tell me everything. I pushed for answers before and it got the baker killed.”
My throat tightens, I want to stop there. I want to say yes.
“But... if I believed you blindly, I’d be a fool.” His face doesn’t move, but I feel it. The shift, like I’ve just cut something open between us. “Especially after Beth, because I don’t know what you’re protecting, how, or what it’ll cost.” I take a breath. “And I’ve seen plenty of well-meaning men dig holes straight to hell.”
A beat passes. His hand lingers, just for a second longer, then he pulls it away.
“I understand,” he says softly, stepping back. The air between us cools instantly. “It’s probably for the best that you keep your distance from me anyway. I don’t regret it, but that kiss in Ashvale... itwasa mistake. Getting involved would be complicated, dangerous.” Another beat. “More so than it already is.”
No. That's not what I meant. I don’t want distance.
I wanthim.
