Page 131 of A Bond so Fierce and Fragile

Raine didn’t respond, his eyes open again but completely unseeing—the beautiful green and gold paling with every moment she tried to look into them.

It fucking terrified her.

“Raine!” she cried. “Raine! You’re not dying now! Do you hear me! You can’t leave me! You’re not alone! You’re not alone!”

It was as if she didn’t even exist.

She slapped him.

He didn’t react.

She slapped him again—harder this time.

He didn’t react.

“Raine! You bastard! Wake the fuck up!”

He didn’t react.

Frelina’s mind spun. What should she do? Her father had never been this bad. Elessia hadn’t been this bad, had she?

Merrick had always been there to distract her, keeping her away from the harsh descent into madness that threatened the Fae if they hurt too much, if they lost too many, if the pain managed to consume them.

A whisper of a memory of Merrick carrying Elessia into the ship’s cabin floated through her mind.

He always distracted her…

Her thoughts flew to the game she and Raine had been playing.

But it was agame, and she’d seen how he jerked back whenever she came too close. He didn’t want her, not in the way Elessia wanted Merrick.

You’re going to die alone.

Her eyes flicked to the ceiling, meeting those fucking sad ones of her stupid reflection.

You fear that you’ll never get that first kiss.

Her eyes dropped to Raine’s full lips, the shadow of red stubble around them.

He would kill her. And then probably kill himself.

Frelina moved her arms to wrap around his neck.

No kiss, but she’d try to distract him like she’d done before. Maybe that would be enough.

“Raine,” she called softly, trying to morph her voice into the low, seductive one she used when they played with each other. “Raine.”

His eyes still seemed to focus and unfocus.

“Raine,” she said again as she wrangled herself into his lap.

His arms automatically went around her back to steady her when she lost her balance, and a glimmer of hope awoke in her chest, warming it as she pressed it against Raine’s broad one, tightening her grip around his neck and placing her legs on either side of him.

“You’re not alone,” she whispered when his eyes brushed hers before staring into nothing again.

“I am here. Look at me.” Frelina shifted her hands to cup his cheeks.

He did, his hazel eyes wandering over her face before landing on her own.