It lost her too. The sunshine to our darkness. The one person who welcomed Nightmare instead of fearing it.
We both loved her. And we both just lost her.
If we’relucky,she’ll forgive us, Nightmare.Right now I don’t think we’re all that lucky.
It feels like I just cut my arm off.
I’m exhausted by the time the unbinding is done. My knees are weak. My hands tremble. I need rest.
I open the door and freeze.
Chelsea.
She's lying on the cold stone floor right outside the threshold, curled on her side. Her robe has fallen open. One slipper is off.
She was here. The whole time. Listening. Feeling it happen.
I drop to my knees beside her, and my hands shake as I reach for her face.
Tear tracks streak her cheeks—still damp. Her breathing is shallow, ragged.
What have I done? I press my fingers to the side of her neck, checking her pulse. It's there—steady. But when I pull my hand back, I notice something that makes my stomach drop.
My fingertips should warm where I touched her. I should feel my magic stir in response to her. That's what always happened—our magics aligning, her golden warmth soaking into my skin.
But now? Nothing.
Where her magic used to hum in response to mine, there's silence. Where I used to feel her presence even rooms away, there's nothing.
The bond is gone.
Not faded.
Not weakened.
Gone.
She went through it alone.
So did we,Nightmare reminds me.
But not her. Please not her.
I slide my arms under her and lift. She's lighter than I remember—or maybe I just can't feel her magic anymore, that weight of power we shared.
She stirs, and for a split second hope flares in my chest. Then she curls into me. My throat tightens. Even unconscious, even after what I just did, her body still seeks mine.
But I don't feel her the way I should. No magic vibrating, humming, stirring.
Now there’s only the physical weight of her in my arms. Just flesh and bone.
I saved her life. But I lost my wife.
I've turned us into strangers.
I didn't just unbind her. I unboundus.
I saved her life by destroying what we built. And I don't know if that was the right choice.
