I shove the shard of Nightfall into my vest, needing it off of my skin. It’s no longer hot, but icy cold. The moment I release it, a weight lifts off my shoulders, my lungs expanding with a full breath of air.
With my mind clearer, it hits me where I am—and who’s at my side.
Graylen fell just as I did, his arms trembling beneath him as shivers rake through his body. His hair is longer—black strands covering his face as his head hangs and his chest heaves.
He’s back. We did it.Idid it.
The emotions I’ve been holding back come flooding in, and I reach for his face, gently sliding my hand onto his cheek and turning his head to face me. Our noses are nearly touching, so close that our breaths mingle.
He shifts his weight to face me fully, his hands shakily lifting to rest on my thighs. The warmth of his fingers splayed across my legs sends jolts of lightning through my body, reminding me that he’shere. He’s safe. Though he has a longway to go before he’s whole again, I’ll do whatever it takes to help him get there.
A tear slips down his cheek, his face still smeared with blood and dirt. I watch helplessly as more tears begin to fall, streaming down his face. My other hand lifts to cradle his other cheek, thumbs gently swiping away each one that falls.
He leans forward, pressing his forehead against mine as we sit in the dirt, knee to knee.
“You found me,”he breathes into my mind.“My own personal shooting star streaking across my sky once more.”
Confusion sweeps through me at his words, but then I release a deep sigh of relief, my entire body relaxing. His voice is quieter in my mind than it used to be, but…it’s there. The sensation sends a shiver down my spine.
Even with my Woodland and Undine sides weakened, I can still hear him in my thoughts. At least that’s still strong.
I pull back, meeting his glazed-over, far-away gaze. He mutters something else, making less and less sense. The more I look at him, the more I see the hollow of his cheeks and the bags beneath his eyes…the more I start to realize maybe taking him to Crea isn’t an option.
The air crackles behind me, followed by deafening silence.
Shadows creep across the forest floor like mist billowing onto a frozen lake. The moment I feel his magic around me, I know it’shim. There’s a likeness between his Essence and mine, as if they recognize each other. Even with mine weak, I still feel it.
I bolt to my feet, tugging Graylen along with me. When he’s almost standing, I sling my arm around his waist, his weight immediately pressing into me. He doesn’t ask what’s going on, but he eyes me silently, his gaze bouncing from me to the forest around us.
On instinct, I call on my Essence—myWoodlandside.
It answers, roots shooting out of the ground, and my shoulders loosen. But almost as soon as they rise up, they slacken back to the ground.
I try my fire, reaching for the magic I depend on the most.
It forms like a ball in my hand, roaring to life with a satisfying glow. Only…that glow is dimmer than it should be. Not by much, but enough that I notice it.
Desperation spreads like ice through my veins. I didn’t offer my Aegis side; that should be untouched. But it’s weaker somehow. Not as bad off as my Woodland magic, but still lessened. I swallow and let it go out, not sure if I can rely on it right now.
The thought burns painfully, but Graylen needs me right now.
My free hand flies to the dagger at my thigh. I slide it out of its strap, holding it out in front of me.
Daimon’s presence clings to the air, his aura heavy and filled with rage. There’s a shift in front of me as the shadows pool together, merging into a singular form. Midnight eyes stare down at me, and if the look in his gaze didn’t scare any sane person away, the scar across his face would.
I failed the first time in getting him to help—failed my friends and my kingdom in freeing the trapped souls. Failed Graylen.
My throat works to swallow down the lump lodged there.
“Back so soon?” Daimon taunts. “You realize I’m the gatekeeper of the Vale—there’s not a soul moving in or out without me knowing about it.”
Something changes in Graylen, his body stiffening at the sound of Daimon’s voice. It snaps him out of whatever daze he was in, and he yanks me back, tucking me behind him. His body trembles to hold himself up, and his magic flickers in his palms instead of blazing into a roaring fire.
But still, Graylen’s chest rumbles with a snarl, his legs shaky as he takes a staggering step forward.
Daimon’s eyes flick between us, his mouth pulled into a deep frown. His gaze finally lands on Graylen, his head tilting to the side as he watches the man I love. Daimon’s brows flick up, and his jaw flexes as he stares at Graylen.
But as quickly as the odd emotion crosses Daimon’s face, it disappears. He straightens and steps toward us with a blank expression. His attention shifts to me, and I know that I have to find a way to convince him to let us go—that I won’t let Graylen be taken from me again.
