“You’re not my mate.” The words carve through me. “You never were. Just convenient. Justthere. But I don’t need convenient anymore.”
The platform shifts, rising higher, pulling away. Legend’s figure grows smaller, more distant, and I’m still in the water, still drowning in this impossible space.
“Don’t.” The word breaks on my lips, raw and desperate. “Don’t leave me.”
He turns his back.
Just…turns away. Like I’m nothing. Like I never mattered.
The walls start closing in.
Slow at first, then faster. Stone grinding against stone, the chamber shrinking, water rising as the space compresses. My pulse hammers in my ears, too fast, too erratic, each beat stuttering like it might stop altogether.
I can’t breathe.
Can’tmove.
My limbs turn heavy, leaden, and the water drags at me, pulling me under. I kick weakly, but my body won’t respond right. Won’tfight.
Because what’s the point?
He left. He walked away. He doesn’t want—
My vision tunnels, darkness creeping in at the edges. My heart skips. Falters.
Flatlines.
I take a deep breath, flying off the floor with a rush of pain I never knew existed. I fucking hate this place. I hate everything about it.
“Well, I guess you don’t hate me as much as you thought, huh?”
Legend sprawls on his back like he owns this gods-forsaken void, grinning up at me with that infuriating smirk that makes me want to carve it off his face.
“Stay the fuck out of my head.” The words rip from my throat, raw and vicious. My chest heaves, lungs still burning from the phantom drowning, heart hammering against my ribs like it’s trying to escape. “You manipulated me.”
His eyes roll—actually fuckingroll—and he props himself up on his elbows. “I can’t do that. That’s more Sinner’s specialty and it’s more an illusion than a manipulation.”
“Bullshit.”
“Not bullshit.” He tilts his head, studying me with an intensity that makes my skin prickle. “It was real, Hellpet. Your first task was to see if you hold the same power as me. Calm.” His gaze darkens, something almost like disappointment flickering across his features. “Which you clearly don’t.”
The words land like a slap.
Heat floods my face—rage, humiliation, something uglier I don’t want to name. My fists clench so hard my nails bite crescents into my palms.
“Fuck you.”
I spin on my heel, boots scraping against stone—or whatever the hell this dark void is made of—and stalk away. Doesn’t matter where. Justaway. Away from him, from his stupid grin, from the way my chest still aches like something vital got ripped out and stomped on.
His hand catches mine before I make it three steps.
The touch jolts through me, electric and unwanted. He tugs, and despite every instinct screaming to yank free, my body obeys. I stumble back, landing hard beside him on the cold ground.
“Don’t.” My voice comes out sharper than intended, brittle atthe edges.
Legend doesn’t let go. His fingers lace through mine, thumb brushing over my knuckles in a gesture so unexpectedly gentle it makes my throat tighten.
“I’m sorry.”
