pit of his regret. He’s flying on a stream of instinct as he traces me in the darkness. Styx responds to every command as if he’s an extension of this man.
They glide on the wind with practiced ease. The moment he sees my car, hope floods him. Maybe I can ease his pain? Maybe I can erase her from his memory?
He’s desperate now, so desperate for an escape from the pain. He commands Styx forward without thought. They rush up behind me, taking in my beater car and desolate surroundings. He smiles. No one will question when I go missing. His heart hammers in his chest as he moves to the side of me.
The moment he catches a glimpse of me, he loses it, and I see Styx for the first time. My mouth opens in a hideous scream, so he concentrates and regains his illusion.
Then he notices Cassie. I’m already freaking out so badly, he’s worried I’ll roll the car. Taking one last glimpse, he cloaks Styx and makes himself follow us from above.
He’s angrier than he’s been in forever, and he can’t believe what he just did. Not only did he risk my life, he exposed himself to a human.
He’d been away from court too long. He’d allowed himself to get immersed in human culture, and now he’d risked his entire race on a whim. On compulsion.
I recoiled away from him, breaking his connection with my mind. “I did not compel you!”
“What you saw is the truth,” he said, letting me step away from him.
I wandered over to the couch, hardly aware of what I was doing. Considering what he implied, I sank into the sofa and pulled my knees up to my chest.
He didn’t say anything, so I was left to my own mangled memories. He was delusional. I didn’t compel him. I didn’t even know he existed. I didn’t know anything about power when he saw me for the first time. I’d been innocent to the whole concept of the fae.
“You’re mistaken,” I said finally, glancing at him to gauge his reaction.
“It’s not the same for us, Rayla. We feed off your power. The pull of your power is what compelled my actions. It wasn’t a conscious choice of yours but the result was the same.”
What had Gibbit told me? We are judged by our results.
In that case, I was in trouble. I glanced at Zach, not able to maintain any level of connection with him. In his mind, I’d caused what happened between us, yet he wasn’t blaming me. He was trying to get me to see the depth of his feelings.
He’d fought against every instinct he’d had to give me time to adjust. “It doesn’t matter, Zach. I can’t love you like that anymore.”
He walked over to me and lowered to his knees. Our eyes were level.
I hardened my stare while his softened with compassion. “I’ve made many mistakes where you are concerned, love, but I promise you, I will do better. I will make you see that we are the best chance your world and mine have of overcoming the evil of my sister. I know I will have to earn your trust. I had hoped that a mind merge would automatically happen, and I can see why you are blocking it, but if you’d give me a chance, you would realize how—”
I held up my hands. “Just stop.” Tears pooled in my eyes. This shouldn’t be happening right now. What I should have been doing was setting up shop in the fire realm with Heath.
I stood up and stared down at him. Nothing but compassion stared back at me. I shook my head. “I can’t do this right now,” I said before I fled into the bedroom.
I slammed the door and locked it. My hands flew to my mouth to cover a threatening sob.
What were these people doing to me?
I wished I could give Zach my power. I’d gladly hand it over if it meant I could find Heath and spend the rest of my days with him.
No. That wasn’t true.
As much as I loved him, which was more than I ever thought possible, I couldn’t allow the fae to make decisions for my planet. No matter how much I hated to think about it, I was the only one capable of changing this crazy course we were on.
Zach called to me
They glide on the wind with practiced ease. The moment he sees my car, hope floods him. Maybe I can ease his pain? Maybe I can erase her from his memory?
He’s desperate now, so desperate for an escape from the pain. He commands Styx forward without thought. They rush up behind me, taking in my beater car and desolate surroundings. He smiles. No one will question when I go missing. His heart hammers in his chest as he moves to the side of me.
The moment he catches a glimpse of me, he loses it, and I see Styx for the first time. My mouth opens in a hideous scream, so he concentrates and regains his illusion.
Then he notices Cassie. I’m already freaking out so badly, he’s worried I’ll roll the car. Taking one last glimpse, he cloaks Styx and makes himself follow us from above.
He’s angrier than he’s been in forever, and he can’t believe what he just did. Not only did he risk my life, he exposed himself to a human.
He’d been away from court too long. He’d allowed himself to get immersed in human culture, and now he’d risked his entire race on a whim. On compulsion.
I recoiled away from him, breaking his connection with my mind. “I did not compel you!”
“What you saw is the truth,” he said, letting me step away from him.
I wandered over to the couch, hardly aware of what I was doing. Considering what he implied, I sank into the sofa and pulled my knees up to my chest.
He didn’t say anything, so I was left to my own mangled memories. He was delusional. I didn’t compel him. I didn’t even know he existed. I didn’t know anything about power when he saw me for the first time. I’d been innocent to the whole concept of the fae.
“You’re mistaken,” I said finally, glancing at him to gauge his reaction.
“It’s not the same for us, Rayla. We feed off your power. The pull of your power is what compelled my actions. It wasn’t a conscious choice of yours but the result was the same.”
What had Gibbit told me? We are judged by our results.
In that case, I was in trouble. I glanced at Zach, not able to maintain any level of connection with him. In his mind, I’d caused what happened between us, yet he wasn’t blaming me. He was trying to get me to see the depth of his feelings.
He’d fought against every instinct he’d had to give me time to adjust. “It doesn’t matter, Zach. I can’t love you like that anymore.”
He walked over to me and lowered to his knees. Our eyes were level.
I hardened my stare while his softened with compassion. “I’ve made many mistakes where you are concerned, love, but I promise you, I will do better. I will make you see that we are the best chance your world and mine have of overcoming the evil of my sister. I know I will have to earn your trust. I had hoped that a mind merge would automatically happen, and I can see why you are blocking it, but if you’d give me a chance, you would realize how—”
I held up my hands. “Just stop.” Tears pooled in my eyes. This shouldn’t be happening right now. What I should have been doing was setting up shop in the fire realm with Heath.
I stood up and stared down at him. Nothing but compassion stared back at me. I shook my head. “I can’t do this right now,” I said before I fled into the bedroom.
I slammed the door and locked it. My hands flew to my mouth to cover a threatening sob.
What were these people doing to me?
I wished I could give Zach my power. I’d gladly hand it over if it meant I could find Heath and spend the rest of my days with him.
No. That wasn’t true.
As much as I loved him, which was more than I ever thought possible, I couldn’t allow the fae to make decisions for my planet. No matter how much I hated to think about it, I was the only one capable of changing this crazy course we were on.
Zach called to me
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