Page 78 of WitchBorn

They multiplied, waiting, gaze on Finn as the ice and darkness spread.

“Finn,” I called, heart racing. He swayed slightly, barely awake and I could hear his pulse slow as if on the verge of unconsciousness. “Finn, honey…”

A ghoulish smile crossed his lips. “That’s nice.”

“What’s nice? Can you get up, please?”

“You calling me honey.”

“Yeah? Okay, honey. Can you get up, please? Come here?”

“Barrier’s still up.” His gaze flicked down the path. The next statue open and somewhat illuminated. “Guess that’s the next quest point.” He fumbled to his feet, unsteady and obviously dizzy as he fell twice before limping forward.

I watched the glowing eyes with apprehension. They focused on Finn, but remained in the swell of shadows that had eaten through the first half of the sanctuary. “That’s it, honey. You can do it,” I said as he made his way to the newly opened statue.

He hesitated at the base of it, his face turned toward me, tears streaking his face. The darkness leeching over his skin turned them to trails of ice. “I don’t want to hurt anymore, Wesley,” he said, hands clenched to his chest.

I couldn’t stop the pain. And that was the worst part. Even if we somehow ran away from all this, these dark memories were part of what made him, and broke him. Facing them and finding his footing would either destroy him or save him. I prayed for the latter.

The swell of shadows reached the light of this new statue and couldn’t continue. I sucked in a hard breath. It was going to be a race, wasn’t it? Could Finn complete the memories without losing himself to madness before Winter’s curse ate through the core of his memories?

I forced myself to meet his eyes and smile while tears rolled down my cheeks. Fuck, I never cried anymore. “I believe in you.”

“You’ll get back to Summer if I can’t do it, right?”

“You can.”

“Wesley…”

“I believe in you,” I repeated. “You lived through this before. It’s all in the past. You have already conquered this mountain.”

“At what cost?”

And that was the hardest question to answer. What would be left of Finn, the sweet boy who had adored his mother, hoped for strength to heal his father, and spent his life looking for a family, only to have them always leave him, either through death, or the path of fate.

“Fuck,” I cursed. That was it, always fate fucking with people. “Remember the prize, honey.” I wasn’t much of one, but if itkept him moving, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it. “I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

He stared at me, his heart in his eyes. “Everyone leaves.”

“Not me,” I said. “Remember fate chose me for you.”

“But you can still walk away. You said so.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” I said and pointed at the barrier.

“Summer could get you out. He did before.”

I wasn’t sure I agreed as Seb had been really afraid of how Winter latched onto Liam and through Liam the wolves. His duty would be to protect his realm, and I was okay with that.

“I’m waiting right here.” I sat down near the barrier, facing him, relaxed, but ready should the shadows break free. Would Finn still want me if he knew what I could become?

“The princess to rescue?” Finn asked, humor in his tone.

“Sure. Think of me as a princess. I want a castle, and jewels, and a large designer clothing collection.”

He laughed and it sounded more like a cackle than anything human. The dark half of himself rising through. Strangely I found it oddly comforting. As if the pretty young man with a heart on his sleeve could never really love me, but maybe the dark monster inside him could.

“Anything you want,” he agreed and reached for the statue.