My muscles tense, Mayah’s energy signature pulsing in the periphery of my senses.Fuck. She was supposed to be in the infirmary until well past morning.
Mayah barrels down the hallway, and two heartbeats later, the door crashes open. I can’t bring myself to look at her, so I keep staring at the satchel with my meager belongings.
“It’s true. You’re leaving.” Her voice is splintered with hurt.
I cast her a quick glance—beautiful face flushed, brows pulled tight, chest heaving—before turning back to the dresser.
“Yes.”
“Were you even going to say goodbye?”
“No, Mayah,” I sigh. Tairna must have told her. “I wasn’t.”
“How can you just go?” Her voice caves in on itself, arms wrapping around her middle. “You can’t just leave me here.”
I force myself to shrug. “You found your place. Your friends. You’ll be safe.”And happy.
“You’re a coward.” Her voice cracks, energy signature quivering. “You’re afraid.” I swallow hard, forcing myself to keep stuffing clothing into the satchel. “Iknowyou love me, Zev.”
My hands still. I swallow past the tightness in my throat.I do. I do love you, Mayah.“That doesn’t mean I can be with you.”
A beat of painful silence, steeped in heartbreak. Both hers and mine.
Then—“I wieldedbloodfor you!” she screams. Her energy signature thrums wildly, as though lunging for me in her rage. “How can you still think my heart belongs to anyone else?”
I don’t trust myself to answer. Just tie the satchel closed.
“We’re married.” A broken whisper.
“Right,” I sigh. It was selfish of me to hope I’d be able to leave with our vows intact—hold onto that only real piece of our marriage. “I’ll ask Tairna to annul it.”
Her breath escapes in harsh gasps, as though she can’t seem to inhale enough air. Guilt batters my heart, but this is for the best. She’ll move on. She’ll fall in love with someone else, someone who can love her completely. Trust her implicitly.
“Fine,” she snaps, her voice wavering. “Leave.” A deep, shuddering breath. “I-Ihateyou.”
Sharp, vicious pinpricks surge along my neck, ghosting down my spine.
My breath catches.
I don’t register crossing the room, grabbing her wrist.
“Say that again.”
She blinks, brows furrowed. “I hate you?”
No, not as a question.“Again.”
“I hate you.”
Phantom needles jab into my neck.
My heart stutters.
“I hate youso much”—steady prickles waterfall down my back—“I can’t stand—”
I kiss her.
My mouth crashes against hers so hard, her head knocks against the door. I weave my fingers through her hair, cradling the back of her head to protect it from the wood. My other arm wraps around her waist, pulling her flush against me as I kiss her.
