Panic surged through me, and my eyes snapped open. Jeremy must have sensed it because he immediately pulled back, releasing my legs from around him and setting me back onto the floor. His expression shifted from confusion to shock as he noticed the dark mist swirling around us.
No, no, no—not now!Please, not now, not in front of him! I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping it would stop, but the sensation only deepened, and I knew I was disappearing.
When I finally opened them again, Jeremy was still holding me, his grip firm, but his face was a mix of shock and anger. Shit.Shit! He disappeared with me! How was I going to explain this?!
Jeremy moved so fast that I barely had time to react. “Who are you?” he growled, the sensual edge gone from his voice, replaced with cold fury—a blade now pressed against my throat. “How is it that you can shadow?” he demanded, pressing the blade closer, his grip on me tightening to the point of bruising. His wild eyes bore into mine, and I could sense the panic rising inside me.
Shadow? Did Jeremy know what I had just done?
“You know what that was?” I managed to ask, my voice shaking.
“Don’t play games with me, witch,” he snarled, the word dripping with venom.
Witch?
“I have no idea what happened, how I’m doing this, or even where we are,” I rambled nervously, my throat tighteningagainst the blade. “It just keeps happening.” My voice trembled, pleading, as the pressure of the blade dug deeper into my skin.
Jeremy’s gaze stayed locked on me for a moment, suspicion clear in his eyes. Then his focus shifted past me, scanning the area around us. His expression changed—he went rigid, his entire body freezing. Slowly, the dagger at my throat lowered, and he staggered backward, his eyes wide with shock at whatever it was he saw.
Cheeks red from embarrassment, I followed his gaze and scanned the room.
We were in a ballroom, but it wasn’t the one we had just left. This one was unsettlingly empty, the walls and floors composed of gleaming black obsidian that seemed to stretch endlessly around us. Above, a massive crystal chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling, casting a warm glow over the space. A large dais with two jagged thrones caught my eye at the far end. They were pale white and appeared to be made from bones—the jagged pieces jutting outward in a twisted, threatening manner. I swallowed hard, the sight of it unsettling, and a chill crept up my spine.
Jeremy's face lost its color as he frantically darted his eyes around the room.
“Do you know where we are?” I whispered, my voice echoing into the room.
“He should.” A familiar voice echoed behind us, and Jeremy’s eyes widened, flashing with emotion I couldn’t place. The male’s tone was not friendly, and I could sense the air around us charging with power. I turned, my breath catching as my eyes landed on the tall, powerful male I had encountered the last time I had disappeared. With blazing eyes, he stalked toward us.
He was just as beautiful as before but much darker and more menacing. He wore all black, the fabric clinging to his broad shoulders and sculpted chest. The buttons of his shirt were open,revealing the hard planes of his torso and the taut muscles rippling beneath. The tattoos on his right chest twisted and writhed, as if alive.
He looked like a vengeful god, deadly and untouchable. My stomach tightened, a low, heated stir spreading through me at the sight of him. His emerald gold-flecked eyes were cold and unwavering as they locked onto Jeremy.
The beautiful male drew two long blades from his back and charged toward us. My eyes widened in horror as a gust of unnatural wind knocked me aside, sending me skidding across the smooth floor to the nearest wall.
As I scrambled to regain my footing, I watched the dark male advance with fierce determination. He swung his blades at Jeremy, who dodged the blows with unnatural ease. The other male was relentless, and his attacks kept coming faster and fiercer with each passing moment. They were moving too fast for me to see properly, and my heart pounded in my chest as I watched them dance across the room.
With a snarl of frustration, Jeremy thrust his palms forward. A powerful gust of wind sent the dark male staggering backward. “Xavier, stop!” Jeremy commanded, his voice cutting through the chaos.
“Give them back!” Xavier growled, his voice thick with fury. His anger crackled through the air as he charged forward again, blades slashing with deadly precision. Jeremy met each blow with a barrier of wind, deflecting the attacks but clearly struggling to keep up.
I watched, stunned at what unfolded in front of me. Jeremy had magic…and he knew this man, and he knew what I had been doing. Shadowing, he called it. My anger swelled in my chest, but Xavier quickly deflated it by landing a blow to Jeremy's shoulder, forcing him to stagger backward in pain. Blood now running down his arm.
“Stop!” I yelled, trying to move toward Jeremy, but an invisible barrier held me back. Jeremy briefly met my eye, and Xavier used his distraction to his advantage, landing another blow to his side. A cry of pain escaped Jeremy's lips as he landed on his back.
“Jeremy!” I screamed, my voice filled with desperation. Xavier's dark laugh echoed through the room as he pressed his sword against the base of Jeremy's throat.
“Jeremy?” Xavier's voice was cold, mocking. “You think I wouldn't retaliate after what you’ve done, brother?” Xavier's eyes blazed as he spat his venom-laced words at Jeremy.
Brother? My eyes widened at the words, a rush of confusion washing over me as countless questions began to swirl in my mind.
“Why?” Xavier growled, crouching over Jeremy and pressing the full length of the blade against his throat with both hands.
“It's the only place it could be,” Jeremy hissed, his voice strained, but he made no effort to defend himself.
“What could be?” Xavier spat, and then seemed to go deathly still. “The book?” he barked. “You risked our realm…their realm, over a hunch about that damn book?!” Xavier took a deep breath, and surprise flashed across his features. A broken growl broke through his lips as his gaze shot toward me, his eyes darkening as they landed on my face. He shook his head and quickly returned his gaze to Jeremy with a renewed intensity.
“I should kill you for this, Jaxon.”
