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Chapter thirty-four

His Lost Love

Zayne

Pain coursed through me as I landed in the suite that had been ours. Quickly, I looked about, ensuring all evidence of my stay had been erased.

I can’t really leave her, can I?

My heart burned, the tether taut. I was only a few rooms away, and already, our connection was mostly reduced to emotion and intention.

She was steady. She was sure. She had made her choice, and even if I hated it, I would honor it.

Because she was right.

The black diamond had to go. And to escape, I had to leave now.

My last shadow-step had been easy with the help of the diamond, Gloom’s power flowing from the united crystal and into me, my connection to shadows and decay stronger than ever.

The deity may be absentminded, but she was mighty all the same. Hers was a power too easy to abuse.

I had to go.

Like a distant shout, barely audible over the distance, I heard Ayla. “They’re searching for you.”

“I’m about to leave.” I tried to breathe. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

For one final heartbeat, I allowed her to fill me, all of me. Cherry and spice. Her essence became part of mine.

Love would have to be enough.

Shouldering my bag, I braced to shadow-step again. Vanishing into the shadows, I joined the darkness. There was no time to think, to feel, to acknowledge the fury that burned behind my eyes.

Ayla is mine.

And I was leaving her behind.

Should I have fought harder? I could have asked, What did Valterra ever do for you? Reminded her that the humans didn’t deserve her. But even now, I couldn’t send the words across the tether. I admired her for the same reasons she now wrecked my heart.

We would be reunited.

We had to be.

And when the time came, I needed to be ready. No matter what precautions the Starlit King took against me, I would claim my princess.

To keep her safe, I would embrace my powers.

All of them.

Securing the black diamond with both hands, I walked from one shadow to the next, shadow-walking in a way I thought impossible. Quickly, with leaps and bounds, I followed the darkness to the docks of Mer, weaving the shadows into a cloak of invisibility.

There.

Rhett and Iona strode near the Umbral Star, hand in hand, Rimu at their side. Rushing forward, I fell into stride. “We need to leave, now.”

Rhett startled, and Iona gripped his arm.

“Where’s Ayla?” he growled.

“She’s staying,” I gritted.

From the strain of Rhett’s throat, it seemed to cost all his self-control not to turn and face me. “What happened?”

“It was her choice,” I scathed. “And if her risk is going to be worth it, we need to leave. Now.”

Playing casual, he turned toward the palace. Following his gaze, I saw a distant figure on a corner balcony.

Ayla. Her red hair caught in the wind.

She pretended not to see us. Inside, I felt a renewed urgency to our bond.

Rhett drew his lips tight and nodded. “Fine. I’ll play along.” Playing the part of and escaping romantic, he turned to Iona and swept her off her feet, her skirt swishing around them. Laughing, he held her to his chest and ran with her. Rimu jumped after them, excited by this new game.

Moving ahead of them, I shadow-stepped to the roof of the cabin and grabbed the post of the crow’s nest. “Vanessa,” I called out. “It’s time to go!”

The water sprite looked over the crow’s nest, already alert. “You’ve got it.” Water shifted beneath us, the boat rising in the port as she prepared for our escape.

I jumped to Rhett’s side and subtly helped him untie the ropes. “You have the signed note with you, right?” I asked him. “The gates won’t be an issue?”

“Yes, and worst case, I can sweet talk my way through anything.”

“Good.” I heaved the last of the rope into the boat and jumped to the roof of the cabin. Rhett and Iona settled on the dock, and she poured a celebratory glass of champagne, still playing the part of escaping lovers.

Ayla still stood on the balcony, watching in the distance. The bond between us was painfully thin, and I focused my mind upon it, determined to keep her with me as long as possible.

“I love you. You can do this. I’m still here.” I repeated, unsure if she could hear me. “I love you.”

We were halfway to the gates when the bells tolled.

The shouts began at the gatehouse, but soon more rose from the docks where guards loaded onto dinghies and raced to reinforce the wall.

They shouted to Rhett. “Return to your berth!”

But their whispers were brought to me by darkness. “The Shadow Prince, he’s here.” “The Starlit King wants him.” “I heard he’s a necromancer.” “I hope he’s captured soon.”

“Under no condition is anyone to leave,” they commanded Rhett.

That wouldn’t do.

I clutched the black diamond, and made up my mind. Looking up at Ayla, I braced for the consequences, straining for the echo of our tether.

The guards shouted at us a third time. I had to act.

Unmasking my shadows, I jumped down to the deck. I stood before Rhett, a sneer on my face as I claimed my role.

Whoever saw me, let them.

I would become their villain.

“I have a plan,” I hissed to Rhett. “I’ll beat you in a fight so I can steal ‘your’ boat.”

In response, he stood taller, rolling out his shoulders. “You’re stealing my boat?” he taunted, raising his voice so our audience could hear.

I grinned. “I believe it’s my boat.”

In truth, it was Vanessa’s.

Rhett attacked.

He lunged, his hand wound in a fist. I vanished into the shadows, and he missed. I appeared from the darkness, landing a softened blow, and when he next attacked, I allowed the strike to land, punching me squarely in the jaw.

He didn’t hold back.

My jaw cracked.

And the pain felt good.

The taste of copper trickled into my mouth, stemming from my split lip. Surprised, I stood straighter, wiping my face with the back of my hand and glared at him.

“Did Ayla have to stay behind?” Rhett hissed angrily.

“She’s the Starlit Heir,” I reminded Rhett. “And like it or not, she’s got a noble heart.”

Rhett’s fists tightened, and I urged him to hit me again. Teyr, I wanted to feel something, anything other than... this.

“I hate it too,” I whispered when he didn’t strike.

Grunting, he fell back a step, playacting at fatigue before launching his next attack. He glanced at the gatehouse, now brimming with guards, and concern tightened his brow. Iona clutched her hands to her face as she looked from Rhett to me.

“Trust me,” I grunted.

Finally, Rhett nodded in silent agreement. When he ran forward, I wasted no time, giving the illusion I had punched the wind out of him as he fell to the floor, pretending to pass out.

Glaring past Iona and Rimu, I reclaimed my post atop the cabin and shouted orders to Vanessa. “Don’t stop!”

Pausing for breath, I glanced at the palace. By now, Ayla was joined by others, including the Starlit King at her back. Onlookers crowded the balconies, but even from this far away, my eye was drawn only to my mate.

“I won’t let him trap you,” I promised her.

If she replied, I couldn’t hear it.

We were upon the gate.

But there was no more time.

I reached out for the shadows, drawing upon the black diamond to command multitudes. Dismantled and fragmented as she was, Gloom remained frighteningly powerful.

I wrapped the darkness tight, weaving it around the Umbral Star . Fueling the depths with my fury, I brought them into order, gathering them under my control, seizing the entire boat in my shadows—

With a woosh, an arrow sank on the mast, sinking in not far from my head. The guards at the gatehouse shot again, and I rushed to cloak myself in the shadows.

“Zayne!” Vanessa screeched.

We were about to ram into the gate—

I grabbed the black diamond, and seizing all the power I could, I shadow-stepped the Umbral Star past the gates. I led us through the shadows.

Moments later, we rocked in the wide, open sea.

Turning about, I forced myself to stand on wobbling knees to face the stunned guards, just now turning around and realizing what had happened.

With the gates closed, there were no boats to pursue us, and while they rushed into action, we would be long gone by the time they could give chase.

“Where to?” Iona asked.

Looking to the clifftop palace, I searched for Ayla, but we were so far away I could no longer discern which figure was hers. My stomach tightened with nerves as a wave rose, the crest blocking the city from view.

The tether lengthened and thinned, becoming a mere heartbeat.

But it didn’t break.

It would never break.

Ayla had saved my soul, twice.

We were bound; she was my mate.

And I’d do anything to keep her safe.

Determined, I gave Vanessa my order. “Take us to Dusk. I have an army to prepare.”