Page 77 of Seared Fates

“Luckily, I was there,” Sen says with all the humility as if he popped a crown on his head.

Vidar’s unwavering attention lands fully on Sen. There’s a beat of silence as the weight of a long life shared—and too much history—passes unsaid between offspring and Maker.

“It was,” Vidar finally says. “Thank you, Sen, for saving him.”

Another long pause from Sen, the vampire awkwardly clears his throat and nods, as if Vidar handed him a present—or a bomb—and he isn’t sure what to do with it.

“And why did you finally come home, brother?” Lucero asks, shoving Sen’s elbow away with a touch of bitterness.

Before Sen can answer, I notice Vidar’s skin is drained of all colour.

“You fed, right? At the club.” I slip my hand from Ramy’s and reach for Vidar’s face. My palm on his soft cheek, thumb cupping his hard jaw and I realise that for all the times Vidar has stubbornly reached for me, this is the first time I’ve touched him like this. “Why are you so pale?”

“It’s nothing.”

I cock an eyebrow. “I’ve got two little brothers and know when I’m being lied to. Tell me.”

Vidar sighs, putting our foreheads together.

“Just an annoying pain in my chest,” he answers. “Don’t let it concern you.”

I tug my hand from Golden’s to rub at the centre of my chest, right where Emma cast her sick spell.

Right where she ripped our soulmate connection.

“Oh God…Oh God.”

“Kai?” Vidar’s hand encapsulates mine. “It’s okay, breathe.”

I shake my head, my braids flying around my face. “I fucked up. Vidar, I fucked up so badly, and now you’re hurt, too.”

“It’ll be okay,” Ramy comforts. “We’ll get the book back.”

“Yeah!” Golden agrees. “Fuck Emma and her spooky magic—”

“You don’t understand! I made a deal with Emma, and that’s why I gave it to her…”

“A deal?” Vidar asks.

I look up and find grey eyes. People think grey is a dull colour, but in a tattoo, it adds highlights to the dark to bring a piece to life. That’s what Vidar does to me—he fills my lungs, and we might’ve fought—and like a tattoo, he’s something I’ll never have—but in this moment, all I want to do is breathe.

“I’m so sorry, Vidar, I was just…after we…” I hiccup.

His nose nudges mine, lips so close. “What deal did you make, little prince? I’ll fix this, just tell me.”

A tear rolls down my cheek, the chasm between us growing without Vidar even knowing why.

“I agreed to give Emma the spellbook if she made it so we weren’t soulmates anymore.”

The room goes deathly quiet. Vidar and Ramy’s bodies tensing beside me.

“I-is that bad?” Golden asks. “Maybe we can reconnect it—”

Vidar moves so suddenly that Ramy and Golden scurry off him. The big vampire cradles me in his arms as he jumps out of bed, then places me on the edge like a piece of fragile china.

Gentle but urgent, Vidar tilts up my chin so our eyes clash and searches for something with a desperate intensity.

“Vidar?” My voice shakes.