I smiled. “Until you see me again, you have a piece of my heart to hold on to.”
He closed his fist around the fabric, but his face fell. “Serafina, I mean it. Do not come for me.”
I pressed against the perimeter and opened my mouth to argue, but he silenced me with a smile. “Mother is here. She’s young, so it’s more like having a younger sister, but she finally knows me. And…” He swallowed and glanced away for only a moment. “…and I don’t have to face my father either. So, I’m fine here. Don’t risk anything for me.”
My hands curled into fists against the barrier. “You cannot stop me.”
Riyan smiled despite himself. “I know.” He pushed against the barrier again and his smile turned wicked. “You’re still my little ball of fire.”
I leaned closer to the barrier, my lips flush and full. The separation between worlds had not yielded to brute force, but maybe if I pushed, I could be close enough for a kiss…
The bedchamber door crashed open, jolting me upright. The chasm started to fade around me.
“Serafina! Where are you?”
Derrick’s voice sounded far away, but in reality he was mere steps from the bathing chamber.
I couldnotlet him find me using sorcery.
I snuffed out my magic and Riyan disappeared. The pool stopped glowing. The crystal cooled against my neck and the tears quieted against my skin.
Derrick raced through his chambers and gripped the frame of the open panel. “What are you doing?”
I took one look at his wide eyes before I crashed through the surface of the water.
The water was cold and dark, but I held my breath and ripped the choker from my neck. I released the crystal from my hand. Just as it started to sink, a big splash disturbed the water. My lungs burned as my limbs flailed in the water, trying to find the surface.
Bubbles surged past me and then a chill washed over my skin. My hands pressed against tile as I coughed.
Derrick crushed me to his chest and water dripped from his cheek onto my temple. The cold gems across his ribs pressed into my skin. He had jumped into the pool fully clothed to pull me out.
We were both shivering, but he would not let go of me.
“You nearly drowned!” he cried into my wet hair. “I cannot lose you. I cannot, I c-cannot…”
I held my breath as all the warmth in my chest disappeared. Guilt seeped down my spine as Derrick shook around me.
The moment I left Hyton Palace to save Riyan, I was going to destroy Derrick.
Derrick might have pulled me out of the pool and saved me, but my thudding heartbeat against his did not give him any reprieve.
He was completely shutting down.
I pressed my hand against his trembling chest, but he did not respond to my magic. My shivering fingers unlocked the clasps of his cape and jewels as I kept repeating that I was right in front of him. I grabbed his cheeks, pressed my forehead to his, and whispered reassurances and apologies.
Half an hour passed before his hammering heartbeat finally slowed.
Derrick and I sat on one of the couches in his chambers, curled up underneath blankets as a tray of warm tea sat in front of us. He stared at the carpet and dryly explained that the Barons disbanded shortly after Evereon walked out. They were all furious that Derrick had lost control of the meeting.
I held my cup as my stomach twisted. I had needed to go to the imitation healing spring and find the truth of my power, but Derrick still needed me. I should not have just abandoned him.
“And the Barons were not the only ones making demands of me,” he grumbled. “Annalisa wants dinner tonight. Just the four of us.”
Maybe Annalisa could even be there to hold him up once I left to save Riyan. Then it would not hurt him…as much.
I took a sip from the cup and tried not to spit it out. Rosaline was apparently still in charge of the tea. “Some time with your sister is just what you need.”
Derrick sneered and took the cup from me. “Doubt that.”
