“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t afraid.”
“I’m terrified,” He responds.
“Silas?” I ask. “Afraid?”
“Not for myself, but because I’m worried about what might happen to one of you. I’ll do everything I can to protect you all, no matter the cost to me. But still, in the back of my mind, I know I can’t do this perfectly.” He lets out a shaky exhale. “When the ship arrives, it’s going to be ugly. I need you to promise me that if things go wrong, you will run. You have to be safe, Briar. You are this realm’s future, even if I don’t make it out with you.”
I allow myself to think about what it would be like to run. What it would be like to explore the realms without Silas—without my tether. Completely lost in this life and all the others. A chill runs through me, and I scoot closer to him.
“I’m never leaving you, Silas. We are doing this together. Until the very end.”
“Until the very end,”Silas says, in my mind.
I pause, letting the realization of our power together flow into me like his deep voice. He smiles, as if knowing we could do this, and for the first time, Silas had information before I did.
“You knew we could do that?”
“Yes,” he says, proudly.
“And you haven’t tried before now?”
He laughs, “I didn’t want to terrify you.”
I lean forward, slapping his shoulder. “You kept something from me.”
“How does it feel, my love?” he says, only in my mind.
“Terrible,” I respond. “And exciting.”
“Of course, your twisted mind would enjoy that.”
I laugh, letting the ease of this moment travel through me. I’m happy. With Silas, I am happy. My eyes close as the chuckle fades, and I glance at him.
He stares at me, and a flash of fear shows in his eyes, stopping me in my tracks.
“Us. Together.” He cups my face, “Until the very end.”
“Promise?” I respond.
“Promise.”
He knows I’d never run, and I think that’s what scares him the most. Silas knows that I would fight alongside him until our last breath, and with everything that we are, we both pray that it isn’t soon.
“We need to head back soon.” I brush a fallen piece of hair from his face.
“Nope.” He moves to lie on the soft grass. “We deserve a night alone.”
“Thank Gods,” I say in my mind.
“I think I’m going to enjoy being able to cast thoughts into your mind. Think of the conversations we can have about the others without them knowing? Or all the filthy things I can say to you.”
I join him, stretching my legs in the opposite direction. I prop on my elbows and cup his face as our gaze meets. The blades of grass bend under my weight, feeling soft against my skin.
“You wish to speak about the others in a poor light?” I laugh.
“You have no idea how many times I’ve wanted to say horrible things under my breath the past few days about those wonderful fools.” His arms stretch wide over his head, his hands moving down my sides, and I laugh again.
“I can’t wait to hear that more.”
