“As am I,”he answers immediately.
His body shudders beneath my grasp, and I know his control is slipping as he fights against the demon in him. The shudders turn into convulsions, and the creature screams in protest when it realizes what we’re doing.
“Do you understand that you can only make this declaration once? That if you’re wrong, you’ll forever be separated from your true mate?”
A warmth spreads throughout my chest, and suddenly, it isn’t just Graylen and me at this moment. There’s a warm presence pressing in around us, tilting a curious head as it awaits my response.
But my answer is easy. There’s never been anyone I’ve let in as deeply as Graylen.
“I understand, and I’m still certain,”I vow.
The warmth surrounding us turns hotter, cocooning us in the sun itself.
“As am I,”Graylen repeats easily. He adds,“We need something to complete the ceremony, to test if our blood will unite as one or reject the bond.”
I keep my shadows wrapped tightly around Graylen and pull back from him. His eyes are still black, his face twisted into a snarl.
“It’ll never work,” he growls.
“Focus,”Graylen presses into my mind.
With a deep breath, I form a dagger of shadow and light in my hand, my Essence flaring as I hover the tip at the center of my free palm.
“Now, Lunaria,”Graylen urges in my thoughts.“Cut down the center of your palm and then mine. Let the blood fall to the ground.”
With a sharp inhale, I slice through my flesh, opening the skin across the length of my palm. After quick maneuvering of Graylen’s arm, I do the same to him, my fingers trembling as blood wells from the wound.
Holding Graylen’s dark, demon-riddled gaze, I press ourpalms together. His body flails as he yanks against my tight hold. But I can feel him in my mind, warm and soft with his comforting presence.
For a moment, nothing happens. Our blood drips onto the stone beneath our feet, running parallel alongside each other.
The drops continue to roll, not forging into one as they should but tracking in perfect lines side by side.
Were we wrong?
“They should be connecting, shouldn’t they?” I choke out.
Nothing happens.
My heart beats painfully against my chest as Graylen begins laughing, a raspy and half-mad croak. The demon inside of Graylen thrashes his body with a wild frenzy to get away from me, but my magic holds firm.
It didn’t work. We aren’t destined?—
Graylen’s entire body stills.
Bright, brilliant light spills from our joined hands. My eyes snap down to our feet, to where the lines of blood weave together in a singular pool of crimson.
Eighty
Dendritic Agate
My wallof shadows still surrounds us, holding us in a safe bubble even as I can feel magic pelting against the barrier. Someone—ormultiplesomeones—is trying to break through.
But then Graylen’s body stills, and my attention zeroes in on him once again.
With our palms still connected, I watch in wonder as the darkness evaporates from his eyes. Brilliant emerald irises sparkle back at me, filled with love and awe.
“You’re back?” I whisper hesitantly.
