A soulmate was what she believed him to be, but when she touched his key, it did not turn into a permanent ring around her finger like she wished. They were not meant to be. But how could anyone else come to love her as he had? How could she come to love anyone as she loved him?
Dominic could easily use that information to his advantage. Attempt to be the one to finally make her feel something after Cal’s death. Charm her into his false sense of security by making her feel what others could not. Falling in love with Dominic Nite, Adara imagined, was like falling into darkness—deep, unavoidable for most, and utterly hopeless to find a way out. His heart was a black, depthless hole in which others fell and never escaped, impenetrable by light. She saw it in his eyes. There was nothing in that deep void. At least, nothing near the surface where she would be safe enough to enter. No,ifthere was any sense of emotion inside the heartless monster before her, shewould have to be in too deep to find out. And she was not keen on plunging into the darkest depths of Dominic’s cruel soul.
Alas, he was a master manipulator. She could not be irked that he was trying to beguile her into giving up her key when she was the one who offered it up with a game of love. Being angry at Dominic for stealing keys was like being angry at a snake for having scales; it was just his nature.
To never love or be truly loved.
It was all an illusion he created in their minds. They loved a version of him that wasn’t real, a version that he pretended to be.
Adara didn’t understand how he could do it. End so many lives all because of a feeling he never knew. It must be so lonely for him to be falsely loved by so many. Then watch those who grew to love him die at his own hands.
How can you do it?She almost blurted, but refrained because she knew she’d never get an answer.How can you toy with one of the deepest emotions we can feel and use it to destroy people without a second thought?
Perhaps the answer was because Dominic never knew love. Maybe he was incapable of that very emotion, so he ruined others with it.
How very sad it must be. To go your entire life without feeling love. Though Callan’s death destroyed her, Adara would have loved him all over again if she could go back, even knowing the unchangeable outcome. Had she known she’d lose her family and friends, still, she would not have spent any less time with them. She would rather feel love and the inevitable pain it brought with it than never feel it at all.
But Dominic would never understand that. Instead, he’d keep pushing it away, afraid of what it could do to him. That, Adara knew, would be a tough obstacle to overcome. Having never been open to love, she wasn’t sure howshecould be the one to make Dominic Nite finally feel so deeply. She huffed inannoyance, hating how challenging this war was, but ultimately knowing she had no other choice.
“What was that for, love?” Dominic asked, noting her change in breathing.
Gods,she hated when he called her that. It was such a derogatory nickname to use for someone who was incapable of love. Nothing more than a mockery.
He lifted a hand, fingers entwining with a lock of her hair. “What’s going on in that pretty head of yours?”
She pulled away. “Oh, nothing,” Adara sighed innocently. “Just wishing that I was literallyanywhereelse rather than being stuck on a ship withyou.” Although she knew she needed to interact with him to win his key, she still despised being near him.
Damon had drilled it into her mind that he could not be trusted.He’ll do whatever it takes to make you fall for him.Neverfall for any of his tricks.The words echoed in her mind, a constant reminder that even if Adara hadn’t known Dominic for long, Damon had—and it had not ended well.
“Trust me, I’m not too fond of making this trip with you either. But we need to work together. It’s the only chance we have at creating the Realm Fracturer.”
Adara rolled her eyes. Like she didn’t know that already. She never would have mentioned knowing about the shadow steel or dragon scale if she didn’t need his help to find the other relics.
“Okay, I have another question,” Dominic said, glancing between her and the oil lamp illuminating the space between them. “Where did you learn to fight?”
Adara practically sighed in relief. Finally, something simple she could answer. “My parents taught me. I sparred with my brother almost every day. How’d you learn?”
“I taught myself,” he stated plainly. “Failure and fear were my teachers,” he continued, tone suddenly grave. His harsh gaze fixed on her. “I’d have died long ago if I didn’t learn.”
The silence following covered them like a blanket and did nothing to fight off the cold of night. A chill ran down her spine, though she made it a little more pronounced than necessary, along with a yawn. It was an easy way out of being in his presence.
But before she could even speak to let him know she was going to retire for the night, Dominic must have noticed her feigned weariness and said, “Why don’t you go ahead and get some sleep. We have a lot to figure out for when we arrive in Enfider. Wouldn’t want fatigue to cause you to slip up.”
He pushed himself up from the floor, taking the lantern with him.
“Wait,” she said.
He paused at the threshold, his figure shadowing the door frame. It had been so long since anyone cared enough to ask about her. His company hadn’t been as stifling and disconcerting as she expected.
She shook her head to herself, quickly dismissing those delusional thoughts. She couldn’t remember the last time someone cared enough to ask about her—and that day still had not come. Dominic didn’t care for her one bit. It was all a ploy to make her think he did. And despite knowing better, she’d wanted to fall for it.
“Leave the lantern,” she said, suddenly suffocated by the shadows that lingered in the corners of the storage room.
He arched a brow, glancing around the room, as if he’d find some monster hiding in the dark.
“Please,” she added when he made no move to do as she asked.
“Is the all-powerful Flamecarrier scared of the dark?” Dominic teased with a mocking smirk, leaning against the door frame.
