Page 85 of Ascendant King

His magic slithered off me, leaving me empty except for a tightness around my neck, threads of magic that I could feel at my throat.

“You’re beautiful.” Cade laughed, a harsh sound. “My whole life, I’ve been afraid of wolves, so why do I always feel sosafewith you?”

His acceptance overwhelmed me. I pushed my way through, shivering and twitching as my shift overtook me. Then I was on the ground, my legs splayed awkwardly, and Cade leaned forward, pressing our lips together. His kiss broke something inside of me.

“That doesn’t have to be us,” Cade said, the words murmured against my skin. “I don’t want that anymore. I have carried around this room, theirdeaths, for my entire life. I just want to bedone.”

Tears leaked from his eyes, trailing down his chin, and he wiped his nose with his wrist. Then, he was crying hysterically, and I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him against my naked chest.

“Miles—” he choked, the tears rising up again.

We had almost killed each other in the room where our parents had built a legacy that neither one of us thought we would ever be free of.

“What if it’s just us?” I asked, my voice low. “It could just be us two. We don’t have to reenact what happened to our parents. We could be free of it.”

Cade blinked, opening his mouth before closing it and frowning. “But that’s who we are. Our past built who we are.”

“And we get to choose our future.” I raised my hand, stroking my fingers through his hair. It was tacky with blood, my blood. I could still feel the thrum of his magic at my throat, knitting the skin together. “You killed me because of our past. So it’s done. Now what?”

“No.Ididn’t kill you. The house—themagic—that killed you.” He blinked at me. “It wouldn’t let me cut House Bartlett off from the poison, the tainted ley lines.”

“So we finish that first. Then we figure out what to do next.” I blinked, trying to separate myself from the feel of his hands on me, from the part of me that relaxed with his magic around my neck, holding me tightly, giving me just as much safety as he said I provided him.

Cade cleared his throat, his eyes focusing on me. “Yes.”

He inhaled a deep breath, gasping the air. “Yes. The house might try again. You must have been infected back when you touched the poison in Los Santos at the dealer’s house. If it’s that powerful, it’s going to try again. Maybe you should wait outside.”

“I don’t want to leave you alone. I’m here to keep you safe, right?” I quirked an eyebrow, and Cade sighed. “Do you want me to leave?”

Cade raised his hand, stroking his thumb across my cheekbone. “No.”

He swallowed, letting his thumb drop to the corner of my lips. I shivered, feeling his magic tighten around my neck, not quite cutting off the air, but close, close.

“Help me up,” Cade murmured.

I stood, reaching for him, and when we were standing, he closed his eyes. I recognized the way his eyes moved back and forth, his lips forming words as he gestured with both hands.

“I can see the magic,” he said. “But I can’t find the vows, the ties that bind it to House Bartlett.”

“Can’t you just sever it? Like people who tear themselves away from the house? Like Larissa?” I watched as his brows twitched, his mouth moving again.

“This is the second bedroom the two of you have been in, and I don’t see you bending him over.” Declan spoke from a corner,and I kept my eyes on Cade, startled when Cade’s eyes snapped open, and he turned his head toward Declan.

“What?” I demanded, looking between Declan and Cade.

“I see him.” Cade raised a trembling hand, pointing at Declan. “Whatareyou?”

“I’m the only one who seems to see you for what you are.” Declan raised a cigarette to his lips, pinching it between two fingers. “You’re a scared little boy. You want to break the toys your daddy built.”

“No.” Cade shook his head. “I need to do this to save the house.”

His words echoed, and the sound of his voice was enormous, reverberating, until I wanted to raise my hands to cover my ears.

But I couldn’t look away. Declan was dangerous. Declan wasalwaysdangerous.

“Sure. Keep telling yourself that, but you and I both know the truth. You’re a coward who can’t deal with the power that’s being offered. You could have access to all of this, and instead, what?” Declan shook his head, and the branches that grew from his chest shook, the leaves trembling. His eyes were enormous. A tree grew through his stomach now, coming out of his back, branches surrounding him like the corona of a sun.

“Ignore him. Whatever he is, he can’t hurt us.” I grabbed Cade’s face, pulling him so he was staring at me. “Cut the magic off. Sever the connection between House Bartlett and the ley lines.”