Page 105 of Crave Me

Not even a change in breath.

It was like he was dead to the world.

And that enchantment continued to claw at me, prickling all my senses.

Deadly magic, I thought, shivering.What is this web?It reminded me of inky strands, crawling over my skin and leaving behind an unwanted residue.

I couldn’t see it, justfeltit. As well as my enchantment screaming at me to react. To do something. Tolisten.

It was humming madly in the air, battling the dark net of power creeping along my senses. I blinked, the world darkening. Then reappearing. Then darkening again.

What is this?I wondered, my limbs quivering uncontrollably.

Maybe…

Maybe I should…

I yawned, only to be zapped by the energy again, my eyes flying open again. “What is this?” I demanded, the stardust along my skin resembling ash instead of glitter. It was the same on Vesperus, his skin even cooler than before.

I forced myself off the bed, my legs shaking with the effort to stand.I feel like death,I marveled, shivering.And Vesperus appears to be… No. He’s breathing. But…

He was turning gray.

Just like I did from the bullet,I thought, a tremble working its way down my spine. “What’s causing this?” I slurred, my gaze finding the vibrating enchantment. It seemed to be at war with the darkness, and from what I could see… the darkness was winning.

Which meant I didn’t have a lot of time before it overwhelmed me again.

I grabbed my clothes from last night—the ones Vesperus had brought back with us from the pool—and put them on.Slowly.Far too slowly.

Everything felt sluggish, like my body no longer had the energy it required to move. But I pushed through the thick haze of darkness, forcing my limbs to heed my demands, while my enchantment gradually dwindled in the distance.

What is this power that can so easily crush my creation?

Swallowing, I straightened my spine and reminded my legs how to function again.

The medallion magic swirled in a motion that seemed to say,Hurry up!

“I’m trying,” I told it, my words measured and low. Because it took energy to speak. It took energy to walk, too.

I won’t be able to phase like this,I thought, leaving the room.I just need to find someone…anyone… who can help.

My pace resembled a crawl as I moved down the hallway, my heart a slow beat in my chest. All the while, my magic danced around with hyper exclamation marks. It was either demanding that I move faster or cheering me on. I wasn’t sure. But it was making me dizzy.

So tired.

So… so dark again.

Where’s the light? Why is it so cold?

I shivered, my eyelashes parting in response and making me frown.Did I just fall asleep on the stairs?

Warmth hummed around me again, my enchantment’s golden light edged with black. It was more sluggish than before, the sentient energy losing its flare.

Because of its battle with the darkness.

I tried to move faster, to pick up my pace, but the net felt so heavy.Like trying to dig my way out of a grave,I thought, my lungs barely functioning.

Black spots danced in my vision, the oxygen around me too thin.