Page 110 of Shattered Jewel

She doesn’t buy it, but doesn’t push either. Instead, she pats the spot next to her on the couch. “Come here.”

I sit next to her, cautiously avoiding the half-eaten bag of gummies teetering precariously on her stomach. She reaches over and wraps an arm around my shoulder, pulling me into a side hug.

“You don’t have to be strong all the time, Elara,” she says quietly. “It’s okay to be scared.”

A lump forms in my throat and I blink back tears. My voice is barely a sound when I finally admit, “I am scared.”

My family looks so happy up there on the mantle, innocent even. It feels like centuries ago, a completely different life.

“We’ll figure this out, El,” Sasha says, her voice solid and confident.

The strength of her words is soothing, but it only goes so far in suppressing my fears, the worrisome thoughts forever nipping at the edges of my mind.

A tear seeps from the corner of my eye, trailing down my cheek before I brush it away hastily and slip out of her embrace.

“I need to shower and change. I’ll come back down when I’m done.”

She doesn’t argue, simply nods and goes back to her bag of gummies with a serene expression that only pot could produce.

With one last smile, I make my way towards the grand staircase leading up, but pause at the base, looking back at her.

“Hey,” I say softly, “Don’t think about going anywhere tonight.”

Sasha snorts a laugh but relents easily enough when she sees the serious look on my face.

“I’ll just load up Netflix then,” she declares before dangling another worm near her mouth. “Go find your comfiest lounge wear.”

Retreating to the comfort of my room, I find myself unable to push away the gnawing sense of unease that’s been haunting me ever since my conversation in Wilder’s car. The memory of him saying those words—because I’d do anything for you—sounds too much like what I’d do for him, for all of them, and that ignites a dangerous hope within my heart.

The truth is, the devastating allure of Wilder and Cav, Axe and Kaspian, their intoxicating mix of aggression and desire, is a dangerous cocktail which I’ve willingly sipped from. The heady effect it has on me is a terrifying kind of exhilaration that leaves me vulnerable, and that’s exactly why I haven’t told them of Maverick’s last message.

That the Sovereigns want the blood of Sarah Anderton, too.

Me.

“They want to use me as a sacrifice,” I say to myself, watching the words disperse into nothingness as if they were made of smoke.

What would Wilder say? Cav? Kaspian? Axe?

Would they be shocked? Angry? Would they fight for me, or would the revelation change everything between us? They want nothing more than to be rid of the Sovereigns, but I’m not certain if their pursuit of the Heart and the downfall of the Sovereigns is truly about liberation … or just another manifestation of their hunger for power and control.

Fear, shaped like sharp thorns on vines, wraps around my heart at the thought.

Naked, under the hot spray of the shower, I yield to the memory of our stolen moments as visceral torment threats to swallow me whole.

Possessive touches, sinful whispers, strategic moves, all of them burning with a fire only for me. The heat between us is palpable, undeniable.

Yet, their motivations remain shrouded in mystery as thick as the steam engulfing me.

I remain under the hot water far longer than necessary, hoping its scalding embrace might wash away my doubts and fears, cleanse me of my uncomfortable thoughts.

I finish my shower in silence, the warmth of the water doing nothing to chase away the frost coating my bones. After drying off, I pull on a pair of black leggings, an over-sized shirt and a blue hoodie where I stash the ruby locket in its front pocket.

Comfortable, but defensible. You never know when you might need to run for your life, after all.

Downstairs, I find Sasha sprawled across the couch again, her cheek resting against one of the red velvet cushions as she snores lightly. A bag of chips has replaced her previous snack.

I tiptoe around her sleeping figure to grab a blanket from an adjacent chair before draping it over her. She shifts slightly in her sleep but doesn’t wake, a soft mumble escaping her lips. I watch her for a moment, overcome by a rush of affection for my best friend.

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