He wanted to rush and grab her, but even with his formidable speed, he may not be quick enough. He had to get as close as possible or convince her to step back.
“Violet?”
The woman blinked but didn’t look at him, so he risked another step.
“Please, look at me. It’s me, Finn.”
One more blink followed by a tear. That single tear tore a bloody path inside him, like a blade slicing through flesh. He attempted to move closer, but Violet swayed dangerously forward.
“Don’t. Don’t come closer. Don’t touch me.”
“Why? Come to me, please.”
Another tear. “Did you deliver my message to Valeria and Sera?”
“Yes, I did.”
“Then, there is nothing more to be said.”
“This isn’t like you, Violet. You don’t want to kill yourself. You’re a fighter. Whatever happened, you can overcome it.”
“I’m cursed!” Her sudden scream echoed against the stone walls of the quarry. “I’m powerless. My magic is gone. There is nothing else left of me. I feel nothing except darkness and death, and there is nothing for me here.”
When she stepped an inch toward her demise, Finn knew he had to act.
“If you jump, I’m following you.”
Instead of heading in her direction, he planted his feet firmly on the edge. As he took his stance, Finn knew it was a gamble. He probably wouldn’t die if he jumped though it would hurt like hell, and his body would be mangled, that was certain. He could get lucky and have enough open wounds that would end his days, but that thought faded quickly. He cared for the witch, against all good sense and the rules of the High Council. He’d agreed to feed on her. There wasn’t any other option.
“You can’t.”
Were there the remnants of embers in her eyes? Could he hope again?
“I drank your blood. It’s my duty to follow you as you saved my life. Twice. You thanked me for remaining with you when you expected to die. I’m a man of my word. After you, witch.”
He could read the confusion on her beautiful face. “That’s nonsense.”
It was, but if he could plant a seed of doubt in her head, he could save her.
He pushed a few pieces of rubble with the tip of his toe. “After you.”
Another hesitation. “I won’t… I don’t want you to jump.”
Did she step back, or had he imagined things?
“Don’t jump. Whatever curse you think you’re under, whatever you’ve lost or suffered, let me help. Give your friends one last chance. If, after that, you still want to end your life, I won’t stop you or follow you.”
Tears filled her eyes, and when he tested the waters and stepped in her direction, she didn’t move. Even better, she took a step back, first one and then two.
However, when Finn reached for her, Violet avoided his touch.
Before he could react, running footsteps sounded, announcing Hunter’s arrival.
The worst had been averted, but Finn couldn’t relax. Violet may be alive, but she was far from well. And many questions remained unanswered. How had Violet escaped and, even worse, who had wanted to torture her like that? Danger lurked, and even if he shouldn’t stay, it was impossible for him to leave now. Not with a threat in the shadows. Not with the shell of this witch pulling at his heart. For now, he would stay.
Chapter 5
Coldness was her world now. A hole of emptiness and ice carved inside her, taking all the space in her chest. Consequently, her skin was clammy and frigid, even after a blistering shower warmth evaded her.
From the moment Finn had convinced her to step back and not jump, Violet found herself unable to utter a word and couldn’t bear anyone touching her.
She saw the pain and worry in her friends’ eyes but couldn’t help it. Hunter and Finn hadn’t spoken when they’d walked her back to the cemetery or when they’d called to ask Sera to conjure a portal back to Sanctuary.
Finn had told her to fight, but there was no fight left inside her. It was as if her soul had split, before and after her kidnapping. When she tried to remember what happened, her body shut down, and she shivered with the memory of the pain.
She should rest, but the thought of doing so sent chills down her spine, as did closing her eyes.
Someone was pacing the hall, stopped in front of her door, hesitating a moment before walking away.
Instinctively, she tried to reach out with her magic to detect who was there, but instead of the familiar warmth, nausea seized her stomach, darkness surrounded the edge of her vision.
With dots dancing in front of her eyes, Violet barely made it to the bathroom before she dry-heaved. Lucky for her she hadn’t been able to eat a bite since she’d arrived back at Sanctuary.
After a few splashes of cold water on her face, she returned to the room.
Sanctuary always felt homey to her, but it wasn’t her home, and it weighed on her. Her home was the house her parents had lived in before their death, a small cottage in the valley between the woods and farmland. She needed openness, to see more of the horizon.
A shiver coursed through her again when she opened the door and stepped into the hall. The action felt good. Her old brain told her she needed to move and act, to discover what happened to her, but something blocked her for now. It was obvious her body and mind had to recoup.
She went through the house, tempted to make a run for it and explain her escape to her friends later. She ignored the urge, not wanting to hurt them further. They had worried about her and still did.
It was no surprise to find them all gathered in the kitchen. They hadn’t noticed her, deep in half-whispered conversation. Her gaze flowed over them until it stopped on Finn
