Chapter 183
I stumble into my chamber, my chest heaving as though I’ve run miles, my legs are weak and trembling.
My head spins, and the walls seem to close in around me. The faint glow of the bioluminescent lamps flickers, their soft light twisting into jagged shadows that feel sharper than they should. My hands clutch at the edges of the nearest table, but even that solid surface feels unsteady under my palms.
“What happened?” Cora’s voice cuts through my haze, sharp and filled with concern. She’s by my side in an instant, her strong hands gripping my shoulders to steady me.
I open my mouth to speak, but the words refuse to come. My breath is shallow, too fast. Panic squeezes my chest, clawing at me from the inside out.
“Phoebe, focus,” Cora commands, her tone brooking no argument. “What. Happened?”
“Kota,” I manage to gasp. “The garden… he…”
“Breathe,” Cora urges, her voice softening slightly. “In and out, with me. You’re safe now.”
Rhea’s presence looms behind her, and I feel the queen’s cool hand brush against my forehead as if testing for a fever. “He showed you the power of the Garden,” she says, her voice distant but edged with a quiet anger. “The threat that looms over the heads of all in Ao.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, forcing my breathing to slow enough to form coherent words. “He had this necklace,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “It… it started turning me to stone. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t breathe…” My voice breaks, and I clutch at my throat as if the ghost of the necklace still lingers there.
“Why?” Cora asks. When I can only muster a guilty expression, Cora curses under her breath, her grip on my shoulders tightening. “We warned you, Phoebe. We told you not to goad him.”
“I know!” I snap, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. “I know you warned me. I thought… I thought I could handle it. I didn’t think he’d…” My voice trails off as tears sting my eyes.
Rhea’s hand moves to my cheek, gently wiping away a tear that escapes. “You’re alive,” she says softly. “That is what matters now. But you must listen. These men… my sons, my husband… they will stop at nothing to get what they want. You cannot afford to underestimate them again.”
Her words are like ice in my veins, but I nod, unable to argue.
“I need to see Wake,” I say suddenly, the desperation in my voice surprising even me. “I need to tell him… he needs to know what’s happening.”
“No,” Cora says sharply, stepping in front of me. “You can’t etherwalk to him. The Darklite will poison you both. You saw what it did to him last time.”
“But I have to,” I insist. My heart feels like it’s being torn in two, the bond between Wake and me pulling tighter, fraying at the edges. “I can’t just sit here. I have to do something.”
“What you need to do is calm yourself,” Rhea says firmly. “Panicking will help no one, least of all your mate. He needs you strong, not reckless.”
But it’s no use. The bond between Wake and me pulls harder, more insistent, and before I realize what’s happening, the world around me fades. The ether envelops me like a tide, pulling me under, and I’m powerless to resist it.
The ether is different this time. The usually shimmering void is dull, almost murky, and moving through it feels like wading through rough water. It resists me at every turn, the oppressive presence of Darklite seeping into even this sacred space. But I push forward, following the faint thread of my connection to Wake. It’s distant and faint, but it’s there, and I cling to it with everything I have.
When I finally find him, my heart lurches. He’s in the same dungeon-like chamber, the dark walls threaded with glowing veins of Darklite. He and Khale are surrounded by a group of Enkian men, all shackled and battered. Despite their circumstances, Wake appears to be leading them in some kind of training exercise. His voice is firm, commanding, as he demonstrates a maneuver with his trident.
He spots me almost immediately. His eyes lock onto mine, and he calls for a break before rushing toward me. My heart leaps at the sight of him, but I back away as he approaches, shaking my head.
Wake’s brow furrows, but he stops, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. “Phoebe, what’s going on? What’s happened?”
“Don’t,” I whisper, my voice trembling. “You can’t touch me. It’ll hurt you.”
“What do I care for pain?” he says gruffly. Before I can stop him, he closes the distance between us and pulls me into his arms. The tension in his body is immediate, and I see the dark veins spreading up his arms, but he doesn’t let go.
“Wake, stop,” I plead, my voice breaking. “You’re hurting yourself.”
“Let me worry about that,” he says, his voice steady. He holds me tighter, his presence grounding me, calming the storm inside me. Slowly, my breathing steadies, the panic receding enough for me to step away.
“Thank you,” I whisper, my voice hoarse. “But you can’t do that again.”
Wake’s jaw tightens. “What is keeping me from holding my mate as she deserves to be held?”
I hesitate, then tell him everything. About the Darklite, about the ether poisoning, about Raif’s plans for the Clans. Wake listens in stony silence, his expression growing darker with every word.
“He wants to use Khale,” I finish. “To marry him into royal bloodlines and consolidate his power.”
Wake’s voice is low and deadly. “And you and Cora are his leverage.”
I nod, my throat tight. “Kota… he…” My voice falters, but I force myself to continue. “He tried to use me. He threatened you.”
Wake’s bond flares with a wave of rage so intense it takes my breath away. But when he speaks, his voice is calm, deliberate. “I will never be angry with you, Phoebe. Not you. We are both captives here, and it would be disgraceful of me to hold anything done to you against you.”
His words break something inside me, and I tell him everything. About the necklace, the stone, Kota’s threats. Wake listens, his expression unreadable, until finally, he nods grimly.
“He wants to handle this officially,” he says. “To leave no doubt to his claim.”
“What does that mean?” I ask, my voice trembling.
Wake’s eyes burn with determination. “It means we let him think he’s won. Let me and Khale handle Raif. You focus on staying safe.”
Tears sting my eyes. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
Wake steps closer, his voice soft but firm. “I am not the one who will hurt for this.”
Before I can protest, he kisses me deeply, the bond between us surging with a mix of pain and love so overwhelming it leaves me breathless. The scent of petrichor and brine fills the ether around us, anchoring me to him. When he pulls away, his voice is a low growl.
“Touch yourself,” he says, his tone both commanding and tender. “Show me how strong you are.”
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