Page 50 of Ignite
My chest tightens at hearing her voice again—even if it’s only in my mind. I never thought I’d get the chance to experience the smooth cadence of her voice, feel the way her words sound within my thoughts.
I shake my head, not daring to look away from her eyes.
“Why can’t I see you?”The desperation in her voice twists into pain.“It’s like you’re on fire—only your eyes are what let me know it’s you.”
So she can’t see me.
Our connection is stronger than it was the last time, but not enough for us to touch or fully see. If Lu is able to bring an Aegis here, her magic must be growing. I’ve never heard of a Nox being able to do this from so far away, but I don’t have time to question it—don’t have time to wonder how this is happening or how long we’ll have.
Time is not on our side, and I intend to make the most of it.
“I don’t know, but I can’t see you either, little princess. You’re bound in shadows.”
She floats toward me, stopping just before the barrier that pushed both of us away. Her eyes are filled with so manyemotions that I don’t know which to focus on, a torrent of agony mingled with joy and dread and confusion.
I force my brain to shift into all the training I’ve done, force it to shove aside the way my heart is cracking at not being able to feel her skin against my hands. She’sright there, but somehow still a sea apart.
We need to figure out what the next move is—how to stop Moros and save the souls from the Shadow Lands.
Still, I can’t stop myself from asking,“Are you safe? Did you reach the Lord of Shadows?”
Shit. Not just the Lord of Shadows, but her father. Herrealfather. My veins turn to ice at the reminder of where my body is trapped. She’s been dealing with this all alone—I wouldn’t be surprised if she hasn’t stopped to truly think about it, let alone talk to someone.
The shadows around her scatter in all directions as she shakes her head.“I’m safe… I think.”Her words are hesitant, but I stay quiet, letting her work through what she wants to say.“Let’s just say that he wasn’t willing to hear what we had to say. And you? Are you…”
The words stay trapped within her mind, and a flash of fire crackles in her gaze. I feel my own magic stir in response, still chained down by Vidaris’s bindings, but stirring nonetheless—which is more than I’ve felt it do since I’ve been here.
I don’t say the words… Don’t admit what I’ve experienced here. But this is Lunaria. I don’t have to say them; she can likely feel the weight of my pain just by looking in my eyes. She was always able to see things others weren’t, even things I tried to keep hidden.
“Graylen.”Lu’s voice cracks. Even in my mind, I can hear the agony and rage in her desperate plea.“I’m going to find you. I promise.”
As if my chest couldn’t get any tighter, my heart clenches, threatening to collapse against my ribs. I can’t let her take her focus off of Moros and all of the souls lost to theVale.
I didn’t save her to be a hero. I saved her to buy her some time. Time that shouldn’t be wasted on me.
“Lu…”I press softly into her mind, and she immediately shakes her head, backing away from me. Her shadows flicker, and for a brief moment, I can see directly through her. She comes back to me, her shadows in place once more.
“Please don’t leave yet,”I quickly say.
I can’t see her face still, but I can picture her clenching her jaw, her nostrils flaring delicately, staring up at me with a fire in her eyes that makes my blood thrum with need. Need to touch her—need to feel her skin against mine.
“You don’t get to leave and then tell me to not find you.”Each of her words is filled with determination.“You may have saved me from Vidaris, but nothing compares to the pain of losing you. Of knowing where you are and what you could be going through.”
I swallow against her pain as it whispers softly through the string that tethers us together. It mirrors my own, our emotions mingling together so deeply that I don’t know where my agony ends and hers begins.
But I would do it again—would sacrifice myself over and over, gladly accept the fate of being at Vidaris’s mercy—if it means she’s safe. She can hate me for it, can push me away as much as she wants, but she’s stillsafe.
If she were the one experiencing these things in the Vale…
I would let the entire world burn just so I could be by her side.
“Don’t look for me. I’m going to be okay,”I vow, praying to Eurydice that I’m not lying to her.“Don’t tell me anything you wouldn’t want Vidaris to know; I don’t know what she’s able to see in my head or how long I’m able to keep this hidden from her.”
Lu nods slowly—but I know her; I know she’s not accepting my plea to stay away. I can see the familiar fire in her eyes, the determination that promises death to those keeping us apart.
She would kill for me, and I would watch her do it with a smile on my face.
The shadows encasing her flicker again, and this time she hovers closer to me, just out of reach. I can feel my vision fading, can feel myself being pulled back to my body. With everything inside of me, I fight it as long as I can.
