“We’re fine,” Marcus insisted. “Kallie and I don’t blame each other for anything that happened. We forgave each other instantly once it was all over. In fact, there was nothing to forgive.”
“You guys got over it that fast?” I questioned.
“I can’t blame Kallie for taking Ava’s side, not after what happened with the Dollmaker,” Marcus insisted. “I’d want everything to end, too, if I’d just survived a traumatic experience with a serial killer. And she gets why I had to take your side, because deep down, she didn’t really want things to end, either. She just wanted to stop herself and others from being in pain. A temporary lapse in judgment isn’t enough to split us up.”
“Even if it leads to something like this?” My tone was so… barren. My entire world had been turned upside down as a result of my own actions, and I still had my magic and Oberi. I couldn’t imagine how Ava was feeling right now.
“You and Ava both made mistakes,” Marcus said. “None of this is right, but we’ll make it better.”
Tears fell down my face as I grabbed at my hair and pulled. “I don’t know how I’m going to repair this. Ava has to hate me.”
“Hey, you guys will work it out,” Marcus encouraged. “You broke my bond with Kallie, and that worked out. We’re together now. You and Ava don’t have a bond anymore, but you’re still married. This is the toughest thing you’ll ever have to go through, but breaking a bond doesn’t mean destroying a relationship. You two can still pull out of this, and become stronger. Closer, even.”
“You think so?” I asked.
Marcus was giving me back a little bit of hope, and I was terrified to believe in it. But I had to, because accepting the alternative was worse than pure hell. It was a sentence that tightened like a noose around my neck and removed all air, but wasn’t enough to actually kill me, though I desperately wanted to suffocate, leaving me in a state of permanent suffering.
“Definitely,” Marcus said. He put an arm around me and pulled me closer. “Bro, I love you. Your friends love you, even though everybody’s pissed, and Ava still loves you… even if you’ve broken her heart.”
“I broke more than her heart. I shattered her.”
“She’s got stuff to be accountable for, too,” he encouraged. “Even if you started it, this isn’t all on you. You guys love each other more than anybody I’ve ever seen. I know you can get through this.”
I wiped my face. “Okay. I guess I’ll wait for her to come back, and we can talk this out.”
“That’s the spirit.” Marcus clapped me on the back. “You get ready to patch things up with Ava, and I’ll go talk to Kallie. We can smooth all of this over.”
Marcus’ words were so level-headed that it gave me some courage. He was right. Marriage had good times and bad times, right? This was one of the bad— no, absolutely atrocious— times. I was certain there’d never be anything more terrible in our lives than what had happened today. Even if the Warden did his worst, it wouldn’t be more than what Ava and I had already done to each other. If we were at rock bottom, the only way to go was up, right? It wasn’t like things between us could get any worse.
I went into my bedroom. The moment I closed the door behind Oberi, he came toward me.
Charlie, does it hurt? Oberi asked softly, nudging my hurt hand. What can I do?
My infinite sadness instantly turned to rage. Even with the inferichite collar, I was angry at Oberi— and a part of me blamed him for what I’d done to Ava. He’d taken her side, instead of helping me to protect her by calming her down, and it had forced me to make a horrible decision. If I couldn’t forgive myself, I didn’t want to forgive him, either.
“Why are you trying to comfort me?” I seethed hatefully as I pushed him away. “Leave me!”
Because I still care! Oberi yelled. Because I still love you, even though you are testing every ounce of patience that love has right now!
“You didn’t give a shit when you and Ava were kicking the crap out of me a few hours ago!”
Well things have certainly changed, as you now notice, because now we are all stuck here, Oberi snapped. Ava’s desire to end all things has now resulted in turmoil, no thanks to you.
“I had to stop her somehow!”
Oh, yes, and we are all paying the price for it, Oberi growled.
“Quit blaming me! If you had taken my side, we would’ve been able to subdue Ava without me having to break our bond!”
I will never take your side, not after you planned to imprison Ava away.
“I made a mistake?—”
A mistake! Oberi’s guffaw was an absolute insult. You ruined us, Charlie! All of us! Ava certainly had her part to play in it, but it was you who started this whole mess, and I blame you alone for its consequences. None of this would’ve happened if you hadn’t let the power go to your head. Ava chose to destroy the world, but you pushed her to do it. You know as well as I do that you are her anchor, and you steer her in the direction she goes, wherever that may be.
“How could I have predicted she’d go off the deep end?” I yelled back. “I knew she’d be upset about the restrictions I put upon her?—”
Restrictions?! Charlie, you put her in a cage! If you cannot see the devastation such an action gave her, then you are even blinder than you appear.
