In the blink of an eye, I shifted back to my human form, with Thorne’s hand still cupping my cheek. I sucked in a shaky breath at the sudden change, and his other arm came up to the side of my neck to steady me. We were both on our knees in the grass and dirt, my hands clinging to his elbows as if he was the only thing keeping me from collapsing.
His gaze flicked down my body and then shot back up to meet my eyes, his lips parting on an exhale. Slowly, without tearing his eyes from mine, he began unbuttoning his shirt, deftfingers moving over the fabric. When he shrugged it off his massive shoulders, my eyes widened.
“What are you?—”
“Here,” he said, handing me the blood-stained shirt.
I glanced down and gasped. I’d torn through my cotton dress, leaving it in tatters draped over my shoulders and around my hips. From a young age, Shifters must figure out how to control the shift, along with our clothing. We’re taught how to anchor it to our magic so it can also shift at our will. It’s one of the first things we learn—otherwise you wind up naked in the middle of the marketplace. But this shift…it wasn’t controlled. It wasn’t planned. My body and my magic were at odds, creating an imbalance that shredded through me.
I bit down on my bottom lip and took the shirt, hastily shoving my arms into the holes and struggling to do the buttons. I made it halfway before my fingers shook too fiercely, the aftermath of my shock making it hard to focus.
Strong hands replaced mine. “May I?” he asked, eyes still on mine.
I swallowed and gave a small nod.
Warmth emanated from him, seeping into my skin. The occasional graze of his fingertip against the top of my chest sent little fissures of lightning up my neck. His fingers made quick work of the rest of the buttons, lingering for a moment on my collarbone before he pulled away. The end of the blue shirt swayed against my knees. I looked back up at him, my eyes raking over the hard planes of his stomach to the dark hair curling around the claw marks in his skin, now on full display across his solid, bare chest.
My stomach tightened. “Thorne, I—I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you,” I croaked.
“I know. I don’t blame you. You were just scared,” he repeated. “Areyoualright?”
Shame from earlier crept back in. I wished he didn’t keep seeing me like this. These moments of weakness. How my confidence was a cover for the fear that lived in every inch ofme.
I cleared my throat and got to my feet, sweeping past him as I brushed out my hair. “I’m fine. We should get back to the others.”
He didn’t move. “You saved me.”
“You’d do the same for me. Or anyone else who needed help.”
“When I saw the curse touch you…” He shook his head and got to his feet. “How did you know it wouldn’t hurt you?”
I shrugged. “I didn’t, for sure. It was this…feeling. I could feel its magic calling to me. And I figured it was the fastest way to get you out of its path.”
“Thank you.” His eyes held mine. “I owe you my life. As do the rest of them.” At that, I scoffed, and he frowned. “Why did you run, Clarissa?”
My brow furrowed. “Didn’t you see the way those people reacted? They didn’t think Isavedanything. They were angry and afraid. I was only making it worse by staying. I—I had to get out of there.”
She’s a monster. A beast. Her kind are dangerous.
Tears stung the backs of my eyes. I reached instinctively for my fox half—ironic that the thing that comforted me most in my distress was what caused my volatile nature to begin with. But it was a part of me. Itwasme. Just…the half of me people hated. That they feared.
I let out a shuddering gasp as my hand flew to my chest.
My magic—it was fading again. Barely a sliver of it was left. I stretched out my other arm and rested it against a tree trunk, squeezing my eyes shut to fight back the dismay crashing around me. It was just like when we crossed the Veridian Empire borders—suffocating, empty, hollow. As if I was being sucked dry and left to rot.
And then…it was gone. Again.
A hand wrapped around my upper arm. “What’s wrong?” Thorne asked.
I jerked away from him. Tears welled in my eyes, and I angrily brushed them away. “I need to be alone for—for five minutes. Please. Go find the others. I—I’ll—” Myvoice cracked, and I swallowed hard, turning away from him again. It all swirled behind my eyelids like a raging tempest. The curse, my magic, hurting him, the sneers of the people, those memories…
Leaves crinkled under his steps as he moved closer. “Empress, I?—”
“Why is it alwaysyou?” I gritted out, whirling on him. “Why can’t you leave mealone?”
He winced slightly. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t need anyone to see me like this, Thorne. Just—please, get out. I’ll befine.” My hand trembled as I pointed toward the main road, willing myself to stay in control. To not snap and crumble until I was alone again.
