Page 130 of Claim Me

How symbolic that would be. Over a year ago, a goddess freed me from the ground and shattered my obedience spell. Is that what damaged my headstone? Or is this a more recent development?

I don’t have time to debate it.

I need to break Issy’s headstone and see if it frees her.

The only question is, how?

I circle our graves and try to think of a spell that might fracture the stone.But I didn’t cast a spell to break my own gravestone.

Although, Nyx might have when she destroyed the obedience curse.

I kneel on my gravesite.

Did Nyx do this? Or did I?

Because I doubt Nyx broke Amala’s stone. Amala was exiled well before Goddess Nyx’s arrival.

So Amala probably broke her own gravestone.And maybe that’s why the patriarchs really exiled her.

She rebelled.

And so did I…

I glance at the misty ribbons circling my hands and melting against my skin. This started when I decided I was done adhering to the patriarchs’ wishes. It’s like I broke free of their hold and started absorbing power to replenish my empty reserves.

I originally wanted to siphon it into Issy. But that’s not what happened. My soul has been inhaling magic and bolstering my inner power.

That’s why the repeated flickering spells were so easy. Why I was able to travel back here.

I couldn’t push the energy into Issy’s physical form, but maybe…

Maybe I can shove it into her grave.

Not necessarily into the ground—which appears to be made of solid rock—but into herstone.

It’s… it’s like the death stone I kept bowing over. Only it’s ice cold. Although, I suppose mine was like that initially as well, but then it started to warm beneath me.

When I started to fight back,I realize.Does that mean I need Issy to fight back? To break her own stone? Or do I have the power to free her?

There’s really only one way to find out.

I kneel in front of her name and rest my palms on the hard surface. Then I close my eyes and call every ounce of my rebellious need to the surface.

I think of my years of torment. Every sacrifice. Every false promise from the patriarchy. Their oppression. The way they used my twin as collateral. My mating to Klas. That damn obedience spell. The things mymatemade me do. The feeling of being cut off from Issy.

Her vegetative state in that freezer…

I dideverythingI was supposed to do to protect her. And it wasn’t enough. But I understand now that nothing would ever have been enough for the patriarchs. They want absolute control over every aspect of our lives.

And I refuse to give them that.

I refuse to give them another drop of myanything.

This power ismybirthright. Not theirs.Myplane. Not theirs.Mylife. Not theirs.

Energy hums around me, creating a chilly breeze that caresses my warm skin. It grounds me. Makes me feel whole. And reminds me that I’m not alone.

My mates are here,I marvel.Not physically. Not even spiritually. But within me. Holding me together. Protecting me from everything else.