We turn down a corridor, and another tremor ripples through my hands. With it, Leon’s scent floods my nose, and when I blink, the hall is gone.
Leon’s eyes are wide and furious as he grabs me. His grip is iron-tight as he pulls me against him, forcing me–
“Vivian, wait!” Morgana’s voice snaps me back to the present. She’s striding towards us at a fast clip.
Sin stiffens, and I frown, wondering what’s bothering him.
“Could we talk for a moment? Alone?” Her tone wavers, and she flicks a nervous glance at Sin.
His hand tightens over mine, almost imperceptibly. “No,” he all but growls.
I jerk back at the venom in his voice. “Sin, what–”
But I stop when Morgana shakes her head. Resignation and sadness flash across her features.
“It’s fine. He’s still angry with me for helping you sacrifice yourself,” she explains.
My jaw drops, and I turn back to Sin, ready to explain how it was my choice.
“Itrustedher to keep you safe. She broke that trust,” he explains, his tone cutting. But I recognize the emotion underneath it. It isn’t rage – it’s betrayal.
I frown, shaking my head a little. “But you guys are bonded.”
Morgana’s expression hardens, and she points to the nearest door. “Don’t worry about it. Look, this is important, so if you aren’t going to give Vivian privacy, then can you both come? This can’t wait any longer.”
At the urgency in her tone, I back down. I’ll try to talk to Sin about his grudge later.
As we follow her into the room, a fresh wave of anxiety sweeps through me.
What could possibly be wrong now?
Sin closes the door, and Morgana’s gaze narrows on me. “You’re injured.” There’s a strain to her voice, like she’s trying to sound calmer than she really is.
“What?” I ask, bewildered.
“You’re what?” Sin whirls me around to face him, holding me at arm’s length as he scans me from head to toe. Panic bleeds into his words, “Kitten, why didn’t you say something? You’ve been healing people this entire–”
“I’m not injured,” I cut in, cupping his cheek in an attempt to soothe him.
He still looks unconvinced, and I turn to Morgana, ready to ask what she’s playing at. My frustration melts away, though, when I notice she seems just as concerned as Sin.
“It isn’t a physical injury. It’s deeper than that,” she starts, taking a step closer. “The day I became the leader of the Shadow Realm, I was imbued with the power to sense souls, both living and dead. Just like every leader before me, it’s my duty to care for the broken spirits. And Vivian, I’m so sorry, but your soul… It’s deeply injured.” She all but whispers the confession.
A numb cold spreads through my body, and Sin pulls me back against him, wrapping possessive arms around me. The scent of woodsmoke envelops me, helping to calm my racing heart.
“That isn’t funny.” His tone is dangerous. “If this is some kind of ploy to–”
“She’s telling the truth,” I all but choke out.
Sin goes completely rigid.
Swallowing, I keep my attention centered on Morgana. “You’re right.”
“How did this happen?” Her inky black eyes are wide with horror.
“Leon. When he used his Destroyer power to break my mate bond with Sin, there was, uhm, collateral damage.” The words scrape at my throat. While I could already feel something was wrong, hearing it from someone else makes it feel real.
My soul is broken.
