My heart feels too heavy to sit in my chest.
Creed strokes the strand between us, beckoning it to him, but I pull back. My soul begs me to let its restraint go, but I can’t. I grip onto it with all my might so I don’t make him or them feel like they have to comfort or soothe me right now.
No sooner do I tug my soul back than he lifts me off the couch and my face buries itself into his neck as he sits in my spot.
“Don’t you ever try to keep me from your soul again, Thayla Godrun. It’s as much mine as it is yours now, and if I want to coddle it to make you feel better, I damn well will.”
“You’re such an asshole.”
He presses his cheek against mine, lowering his voice. “Yeah, but I’m your asshole and you’re my endling. Mine.”
A shuddering breath rushes out of me as he lays a kiss to my cheek, then another set of hands grab ahold of me.
“I’m so sorry for pushing you. I never want to do that again.”
My fingers run patterns on the side of Amick’s neck. His erratic pulse vibrates through my fingernails, and my stream of tears soaks through his shirt.
“Always do it, Amick. Don’t keep letting me get away with running, even if it’s from myself.”
His harsh exhale fans a piece of my hair in my face and he slowly tucks it away.
“I will guide you forever. Just as you’ll keep guiding me.”
Instead of another set of hands grabbing me, Amick lifts me off his lap, turns me around, and sets me on Riven.
A tortured pair of mismatched eyes stares into my soul. One swirls blue, the other burgundy. Neither is more dominant than the other. My lids drift shut as he cups my cheeks.
“Don’t you dare.” A watery chuckle escapes me as he licks my damn tears.
“Not trying to make this about me or anything, but if you don’t stop all these tears, I’m either going to kill some people or pump so much power into you, you’re going to be seeing rainbows for a week. Please advise which way you’d like me to proceed.”
I open my eyes to meet his very serious gaze.
“Pump me full, my little psycho.”
A full smile takes over his face. “Little freak with a breeding kink.”
“Riv—”
I breathe the rest of his name as his power races through my blood.
Strangely enough, though, unlike the many times he’s done this now, I don’t feel delusional or giddy from his harmony.
I just…settle.
I move my legs from straddling him, to spreading out across his lap. His fingers find their way into my hair as he strokes the strands back, letting his power flow through me.
Subtle sighs come out of me every so often and the three others watch this unfold. Now that I see clearly and can focus on them, they each have a hint of murderous rage lingering in their eyes.
That shouldn’t make me as happy as it does.
“So.” I clear the thickness from my voice as they give me their undivided attention, and I turn my focus to Amick. “I guess you need to explain what I need to do about my powers and how I’m supposed to use them to release more from the Binding so you all can be as powerful as me.”
A beat of silence hangs in the air, then Kyzen’s snort breaks it.
That slip of a noise instantly rolls right into a full-blown laugh as he falls back into the couch.
Riven’s chest shakes, then his arms drape over my lap to hold me in place as his laughter bounces me around.
