Page 32 of Sophie’s Ruin (Crimson and Shadows #2)

HENRY

She disappeared, wreathed in smoke and shadows. When my fingers closed around thin air after I’d lunged for her, I roared in frustration and smashed my fist into the vanity, splintering the mahogany wood.

Breathe, I ordered myself as I dragged a hand through my hair.

My eyes burned, so I squeezed them shut.

We had been separated for only a few nights, but it had felt like an eternity.

Not only because of the torture I had endured, but because I had been away from her.

Tonight, we had reunited, but now she was gone again.

I opened my eyes, staring into the space before me, my chest painfully tight.

I had told her I loved her…she hadn’t said it back.

I knew her feelings for me ran deep. I could see it in her eyes.

I could see it on her face, but I still wanted to hear her say it.

The three little words. It was selfish of me to want her to say them.

Gods, it was selfish of me to even want her to love me because I didn’t deserve it.

Would she still love me if she knew about my past? About the monstrous things I’d done?

A ragged breath escaped as I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

I needed to focus if I wanted to help Sophie.

And she needed my help even if she didn’t realize it.

Her magic…it was not like the magic of the other White Witches.

I knew little about their powers, but I could tell that hers was different.

It hadn’t been white lighting running down her arms when she’d called upon her magic in Stern’s lair—it had been dark shadows slithering like snakes.

A shudder rolled through me at the thought.

Whatever her magic was, I had no doubt it was the reason Sophie was not acting like herself.

Her thirst for justice had always been strong, but it wasn’t justice she was after now, it was vengeance.

She was out for blood, and that wasn’t the Sophie I knew and loved.

That Sophie would have stayed with me. That Sophie would have told me she loved me.

I clenched my jaw and headed for the door—I would bring that Sophie back.

The fresh smell of rain hung heavy in the air when I stepped outside, and I inhaled deeply, grateful that my ribs had healed enough to allow the movement. Being out here and being free felt surreal. I couldn’t believe Sophie had rescued me. I couldn’t believe she had thought I was worthy of saving.

Don’t go there, I told myself as I rolled my shoulders. She had saved me, and now I would save her, even if I had to save her from herself.

Stepping back with my right foot, I set off to a sprint, running toward the Black Forest. When I entered the dark woods, the forest creatures swarmed, but I kept moving, unbothered by their presence.

I was the Alpha in these woods. I knew it, and they knew it, too.

The wet soil squelched under my booted feet as I ran, and my shirt quickly got drenched from the water stored in the tree canopy when I disturbed it rushing by.

Celeste’s rustic cottage appeared sooner than I had expected.

The witch was outside, and so were Isabelle, Waylon, and…

Wren. My upper lip curled in a snarl as I headed straight for the fucker.

Sophie had almost died twice because of him.

I thought she’d killed him. I didn’t know how he had survived, but he wouldn’t stay alive for long because I would tear him to shreds.

A vicious growl escaped at the thought as I kept running toward him.

He stood with his back to me, and I was almost on him when he whirled around, his pale-blue eyes wide in panic and shock.

Suddenly, Isabelle’s face replaced his in my line of vision, and I skidded to a halt before her.

“Move,” I snarled at her.

In the back of my mind, I knew this wasn’t the reunion we both deserved, but I didn’t care at the moment. I only cared about getting to Wren.

“No,” Isabelle declared, squaring off against me.

When I growled at her, she growled back.

Why was she protecting him? She was acting as if she were protecting something that was…

hers. My nostrils flared as I detected their intermingled scents.

Disbelief surged through me as I stared at her with wide eyes.

Her eyes were pleading as she stared back, but her jaw was set in determination.

She would fight me if it came to it, but she hoped it wouldn’t, her look conveyed.

Gods. Of all people, why did it have to be Wren?

It truly didn’t matter, I realized, as my fury deflated.

I couldn’t rip out Wren’s heart like I wanted to, because then I would be ripping out Isabelle’s heart, too, and I would never forgive myself if I hurt her.

Erasing the snarl from my face, I sheathed my claws.

Isabelle did the same, relief washing over her features.

“Henry,” she breathed, closing the distance between us.

She wrapped her arms around me, squeezing tight, and I embraced her back, resting my chin on top of her head. We stayed like that for a few minutes until Isabelle pulled away.

“You’re alive,” she stated the obvious. “And well,” she added, her gaze quickly scanning me from head to toe.

“I am,” I assured her. “Sophie rescued me.”

That got Celeste’s attention.

“Where is Sophie?” the witch asked, stepping closer to me.

“She’s…gone.” I swallowed to relieve the tightness in my throat.

“What do you mean ‘gone’?” Waylon chimed in, his gaze stretching behind me as if he were expecting to see Sophie standing there.

“She rescued me from the clan leaders’ captivity, but some of them got away. She went after them. She wants revenge.” The last three words were difficult to get out because they were not my Sophie.

“She truly rescued you all by herself?” Isabelle’s delicate brows climbed her forehead.

“She did, but I think something’s wrong.”

“Something is wrong,” Celeste said grimly.

“It’s her magic, isn’t it?” I asked, looking at the witch, and she nodded. “What happened while I was gone?” I demanded, looking between Celeste, Isabelle, and Waylon. I didn’t dare look at Wren lest my fury return in full force.

“What happened was…she went a little insane with worry when the clans took you. She became obsessed with getting you back,” Isabelle explained, but I knew there had to be more to it.

“She wanted me to come with her to hunt down the remaining clan leaders, and when I refused, she said someone else would help her. Do you know who she was talking about?”

Isabelle shook her head, but Celeste’s eyes narrowed.

“I thought I caught her talking to someone in the woods the other night, but I didn’t see who it was,” the witch said.

“Someone from the village?” Isabelle gave Waylon a questioning look.

“Not Amelie. She’s been spending all her free time with me,” he replied. His face took on a strange expression as he shifted from foot to foot.

“Wait, what village?” I asked Isabelle, as her words finally sank in.

Her gaze found mine again, and she smiled, her face lighting up with warmth and excitement.

“The White Witches settlement. Henry, there are so many of them. It’s truly amazing. I can’t wait for you to see it.”

I stared at her in disbelief. I’d thought most of the White Witches had been eradicated or turned Dark during the Red War.

Their tragic fate had always weighed heavily on me because I wished there had been something I could have done to prevent it.

Learning that there were a lot more of them than I had realized alleviated the weight just a fraction.

“There is an entire village?” I looked at Celeste and she nodded, pride and joy shining on her aged face. “I can’t wait to see it,” I told her. “But first, I need to find Sophie.”

Understanding settled into her features as they became hard with determination.

“I will listen to the world and see if it whispers about her whereabouts. I’m afraid she is not only a danger to others but also to herself. Her magic is—”

“Dark,” I interjected. “I’ve seen it firsthand.”

How did you let that happen? I wanted to shake the witch.

The question was on the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t voice it.

I needed Celeste’s help to find Sophie, so I couldn’t confront her like I wanted to.

Her lips pressed into a thin line as if she knew what I was thinking, but she didn’t say anything else before she turned around and walked inside the house.

I took a step to follow after her, but Isabelle’s hand landed on my arm.

“It’s good to have you back,” she said, her voice shaking with emotion.

When I looked at her, her eyes were glimmering with tears.

I couldn’t bring myself to say anything in return.

I wanted to tell her it was good to be back, but I couldn’t force the words out because my feeling of elation was tamped down by one of dread.

I couldn’t help but feel like my freedom had come at a price, and Sophie was currently paying it.

What that price was, I wasn’t sure, but a cold, heavy feeling of foreboding crept into my chest and settled there.

“You said some of the clan leaders escaped,” Waylon said, drawing my attention to him.

“Yes, Emeric, Lena, and Yvonne are still on the loose.”

“What about Camilla, Moreau, and Beatrice Stern?” Isabelle asked.

“Dead. Sophie killed them.” My heart squeezed when I uttered the words. The three clan leaders had deserved to die, but I wished I had been strong enough to kill them, so Sophie wouldn’t have had to do it. I didn’t want blood on her hands—it didn’t matter whose blood it was.

“I’m going back to New Haven then,” Waylon proclaimed, his voice ringing out in the clearing. “I need to see if any of the border guards are still alive and spread the word that the Dark Witches were defeated.”

“We will go with you,” Isabelle said, glancing at Wren, who nodded in agreement. My brows knitted—I truly didn’t like seeing her with him. “Unless you need help?” She looked back at me.

“No, go. Celeste will help me,” I assured her, even though there was this feeling in my gut telling me that helping Sophie was something I had to do on my own. “Be careful.”

“You, too,” Isabelle said, still gripping my arm as if she was afraid of letting go.

A moment later, she did let go of me, and I headed toward the house, passing Waylon on the way there.

“Bring her back,” he said, as I walked by.

“I will,” I told him, hoping I wasn’t making a promise I wouldn’t be able to keep.