Page 35 of Heir of Broken Souls (HOBF #3)

Chapter 35

Knox

M y wings unfurl, blasting out as my body propels me forward, ignoring the tumultuous winds trying to tear my wings to shreds. The rain assaulting the sensitive flesh is secondary to Delilah.

She was within my grasp but nothing would have been able to stop her, not when it comes to saving the ones she loves.

Delilah falls, practically flying through the air, dropping hundreds of feet below to the raging waters of the sea. Her hands are outstretched for Aurora, still falling in an unconscious heap.

In a blind panic, I throw out my hands and send gust after gust of wind, attempting to slow their descent but it’s no use, not against the dark power fueling the raging storm. Teleporting doesn’t work either. Every time I dart across space I’m blown right back. It’s as if Hazel watches from afar, my feasible attempt to save Delilah making her cackle with glee.

I think I’m screaming but I can’t hear anything past the erratic beating of my heart.

All I can see is her.

The love of my life falling toward an early death and I can do nothing but plead for her to unfurl those magnificent golden wings.

But she does not, and with every passing foot my heartbeat slows as if preparing to die right along with her.

I cannot lose her.

I cannot lose her.

I cannot lose her.

With each chanting word, the panic within me swells. Until it is pouring out of me with abandon as I bellow her name.

“Delilah!”

Her name tears from my chest right before her fingertips graze Aurora, their bodies only a few feet from hitting the rising ship.

And then she’s gone.

The pair vanish within the blink of an eye.

Crying out in shock, I pull back as quickly as I can as I had caught up to her.

I can’t pull up in time.

Forced to teleport, this time I’m grateful for the wind as I’m met halfway across the ship with a large gust, careening me right into Zephlyn and away from the turbulent sea. It’s as if I’ve hit a boulder. Rubbing the ache in my chest, I cling to Zephlyn’s mane with my other hand and hold on tight as we both search for our respective pair.

“Where did she go?” I cry. “Where is she?”

My movements are wild, frenzied as I search. My heartbeat is out of control, my pulse erratic, my breathing labored.

I’m losing my mind.

I’m not the only one it seems, though. My whole court is searching the waters.

A scream works its way up my throat, clawing for a release. There’s no sign of her.

My mate.

My mate.

My mate.

The bond sings the words, yanking on that tether between us.

Flinging open the door in my mind, I run for the bridge, tears pooling in my eyes as the panic in my heart grows to an unnatural high. Then my feet come to a halt.

The door to her mind is shrouded in gold.

Sparkling as bright as the sun, glimmering through the storm.

It’s magic. In its simplest form, it’s magic. As pure as they come.

As pure as her heart.

The panic doesn’t cease though, and while my physical self remains screaming her name, my soul is slow as I tentatively approach the gilded door.

There’s a sharp tug along our bond. Fast enough to snap me out of my stupor the golden door had me under.

I rush forward, ignoring how at my touch, power, light, and warmth sizzles through my palms. It hums through me, seemingly giddy to greet me.

Stepping through, I can’t help but fall to my knees.

Delilah and Aurora sit there, within her mind.

My shoulders quake from the sudden relief. I thought you were gone , I say around the sobs I cannot control.

I do not know how much longer I can endure this. How many times my mind can believe she’s been taken from me before it rips my heart in two.

Delilah is suddenly beside me, her small gentle hands carding through my hair as she tries to lift my head to hers.

But I refuse.

I refuse to show her how weak I am. That all it takes to break me is the loss of her .

My sobs rise in earnest now. The more I try to control them, the more I try to stop them, the harder they come.

“Oh, darling,” she whispers, a second before her arms wrap around me.

“Where are you?” I ask.

They may be in her mind for now, but that doesn’t answer the question where they are physically.

“Shh,” she hushes. “I’m safe, I’m safe,” she repeats over and over like a lullaby.

The two words bring such immense relief that I sag into her awaiting arms. Before she can see my red-rimmed eyes, I lift her onto my lap, cradling her in my arms, nestling my head in the crook of her neck.

Far away, I can hear the calls of my name, feel the storm raging around my body, feel the rain pelting my sensitive wings. The energy of my court growing frenzied.

But I need this.

My heart needs this.

I inhale deeply, allowing the aroma of vanilla and something achingly her to calm my senses.

“Knox, darling, I’m okay.”

“Then where are you?”

She knows what I mean. I wouldn’t still be hearing the distant cry of her name if my court wasn’t searching for her.

“I don’t think that’s going to help matters right now.”

Quickly pulling away from her neck, my heart leaps with joy when our eyes connect. Although her somber expression startles me.

“Please,” I beg. “Please, Delilah, just tell me where you are.”

At the plea in my voice, I can see she can’t deny me.

We can never deny each other. Our bond is too strong.

Her eyes gaze around the room until they land on Aurora. Something passes between the pair before the griffin dips her head and stands, taking up a protective stance.

The sight has me stiffening.

“Why are you?—”

Delilah’s hand slaps against my mouth, silencing me. My brows furrow, the relief I was feeling moments ago evaporating.

With her other hand, Delilah twirls her finger in a circle. Cocking my head, I try to decipher what she means.

We’ve always been able to communicate without words but right now, there’s so much flashing through her eyes it’s hard to cling to one.

But if we can’t talk in our minds?—

My eyes widen.

Without moving a muscle, I snap a silencing shield around the pair of us.

Delilah pulls her hand away from my lips with a deep sigh.

“Why isn’t it safe to speak within our minds?”

“I didn’t want to risk her reading our thoughts in case she’s stronger than we think.”

It takes me a moment for the words to fully process.

“You think Hazel is nearby?”

“I don’t think—I know.” She shakes her head. “When Aurora fell, I touched her just in time to teleport us but it was the strangest thing. The air—it was thick with the satisfaction of us falling.” She sucks in a sharp breath. “Knox, she’s close by and she’s watching.”

My body coils tight with tension as I rise, my power thrumming through my veins demanding justice that was never served.

“Let’s go, then. If she’s?—”

Delilah shakes her head.

“No?” My eyes narrow. “Where are you?”

“Above the clouds,” she whispers.

“You—”

My voice trails off, a thousand thoughts and scenarios flowing through my mind.

“All the while, she’s watching us panic over not finding you,” I say slowly.

She dips her head.

“I doubt she truly believes you’re gone, Angel. She would have seen you teleport.”

“She doesn’t believe I’m dead for a second, but she does believe that we don’t know where I am.” She shrugs. “What if she reports back to him that I’m?—”

“Missing?”

She splays out her hands. “It’s worth a shot.”

Rubbing a hand over my jaw, I glide the calloused fingers to the back of my nape as I grimace. “The last time we did this over a thousand men died.”

The image of Ordelia’s men—the rebel army—butchered among the hills where the spilled blood spelled out Delilah’s name makes my stomach roil.

“I don’t want them to think I’m dead, but if she believes you don’t know where I am, she might calm the storm long enough so you can find me.”

Shaking my head, I admit, “I say we go after her.”

“All in good time,” she whispers, a faraway look in her gaze.

“Angel,” I say softly. “Is there something else you wish to share?”

She swallows thickly before shaking her head.

“I don’t think she’ll buy that you’re missing,” I continue. “It won’t work this time, especially because she was present the last time we?—”

My heart sinks.

My chest constricts.

My breath leaves me in a sudden whoosh.

“That’s how he knew you weren’t dead,” I whisper, ever so softly. “Because Hazel was with us when we planned it.”

Running a frustrated hand through my hair, my jaw snaps shut so hard I’m surprised I don’t break something. A growl rises in my chest that takes everything within me to tame.

“She’ll pay for what she’s done, Knox. Mark my words.”

My gaze snaps down. “Is there something that you wish to tell me?” I ask again.

She’s silent for a moment, that beautiful mind of hers pondering. Over what, I’m not sure because it seems she wishes to keep her thoughts to herself this time.

That appears to be her newest escape. Concealing her thoughts, trapping her emotions.

Her head snaps up suddenly. “Can we tame the storm?”

“Of this magnitude? I’m not certain it won’t kill us in the process. The only Fae who use water magic are you and me—” My words die as I assess Delilah, my gaze roving over her body. My power slithers against her golden magic as a smirk dances along my lips.

Her eyes gleam. “What has that beautiful mind of yours thought of?”