Page 70 of Seared Fates

“I just wanna be happy, and despite everything, I want Vidar to be happy too, and if we weren’t soulmates, he’d be free. We’d both be free.”

Emma’s hand stills, then continues. “You’ve been through so much, haven’t you?”

Any remaining strength vanishes, and I only keep standing upright due to Emma’s hold on me.

“And you’re such a sweet boy, you always think about everyone else. Anyone would be lucky to have you, Kai. You deserve to have the perfect romance.”

My eyelids drop, lulled by her words. How nice would that be?

“I can help you with that, Kai…”

In the back of my head, I know I shouldn’t trust Emma. But how much more of this heartbreak can I suffer through?

“H-...how?”

Lightly, she pulls back, smiling sympathetically and stroking a braid behind my ear. “I can cut the connection, so you and Vidar aren’t soulmates anymore. You’ll both be free.”

“Free?” I whisper, my heart lifting and shattering at the same time.

Emma’s smile is warm. “Yes, sweet boy, but I need the spellbook to do it.”

I’d be foolish to give it to her. Foolish to hand over something so dangerous.

Yet…

“Vidar would be happier?” My words shake, my vision swimming. “I’d…be happier?”

She nods, her eyes bright and forehead drawn in.

My gaze drops to my feet.

I’d been so happy when I first met Vidar. Finally, I found the person I’ve always been drawn to, I didn’t need to be jealous of Golden and Apollo anymore; I’d found my soulmate.

‘I refuse to have a mate who looks like you.’

‘Maybe I should do what you did. Wait for Kai to be reborn and come back in a more pleasing form.’

‘I feed almost exclusively on women, Kai, because I like to have sex while I feed.’

Vidar’s been telling me this whole time what he wants, and it’s time to listen. Slowly, I turn towards my freezer and edge towards it. Opening the door and staring at the wrinkled spellbook that I never should’ve had in the first place.

As always, when I pick it up, the leather is warm, and when I turn back and amble to Emma, I feel like I’ve aged a hundred years. She cups my cheeks when I’m in front of her, and there’s a promise sparkling in her eyes that she can take every burden from me.

“You deserve to be loved, Kai.” Emma’s quiet, gentle words slip into my chest, and try to bandage what's broken. “Once your soul is split from Vidar’s, you’ll find someone who’ll truly love you.”

My tears splatter against the book’s cover. “Really?” I whisper weakly.

She brings my forehead down and brushes a kiss against it. “Really.”

“I’ve been so tired,” I hiccup.

She pulls back and patiently pats away my tears. “Once this is all done, you can finally rest.”

My fingers tremble as I clutch the spellbook. In my gut, I know I shouldn’t hand it over. Yet it’s my heart that pushes me forward.

“I…”

I look into Emma’s dark gaze. “I can fix this, Kai. Let me help.”