Page 81 of Shadowed Fate

Brigid swallows hard, raising her trembling hands. "I'm trying, I swear."

"Try harder."

I launch into another series of attacks, each one designed to push her to her limits. She's sloppy, unfocused. The shadows flare with each near miss, growing darker, more substantial.

"Pathetic," I repeat. "You're a liability. A danger to everyone around you."

The room plunges into darkness, shadows surging around us like a tornado. I can barely make out Brigid's silhouette.

Fuck.

The darkness presses in, thick and suffocating. I struggle to orient myself. Shadows writhe around me, grasping, clawing. This is not good.

"Brigid!" I bellow. "Get control of yourself!"

A length of shadow lashes out, slicing across my cheek. Fury ignites in my chest, along with a primal fear I haven't felt since I was a child.

"Enough!" I roar, summoning every ounce of authority I possess. "Rein it in, now!"

For a heartbeat, nothing changes. Then I hear it—a choked sob cutting through the chaos. The shadows falter, recoiling slightly.

"I can't," Brigid's voice is barely a whisper, thick with terror. "Lochan, I can't stop it."

I move on instinct, fighting through the writhing darkness until I find her. My hands close around her shoulders, anchoring her.

"Yes, you can," I growl, my face inches from hers. "Focus on me. Only me."

Her eyes lock onto mine, wide and desperate. I feel the shadows pulse around us, hungry, eager to consume. But I don't look away.

"That's it," I say. "You've got this. Pull it back in."

The darkness recedes, inch by excruciating inch. Brigid's body trembles beneath my hands, her breath coming in ragged gasps. I don't dare let go.

"Keep breathing," I murmur. "Nice and slow."

Her eyes never leave mine as the last tendrils of shadow reluctantly retreat. The sudden brightness of the training area is almost painful. I blink, taking in the damage. Scorch marks mar the ground, equipment lies scattered and broken. It’s bad.

Brigid stumbles back, breaking our connection. Her face is ashen, eyes wild with fear and shame.

"I'm sorry," she chokes out. "I didn't mean to—"

"Stop." My voice is harsher than I intend. I take a breath, trying to quell the storm of emotions raging inside me. "This... this is exactly why you can’t be trusted."

She flinches as if I've struck her. Good. Maybe fear will keep her in line where reason has failed.

"You can't control it," I continue, gesturing at the wreckage surrounding us. "Your magic is too volatile, too dangerous. How can we trust you when you can't even trust yourself?"

Brigid's shoulders slump, defeat etched in every line of her body. For a moment, I feel a flicker of... something. Pity? Regret? I push it down ruthlessly. There's no room for softness here.

"I'm trying," she whispers.

"Trying isn't good enough," I snap. "Not when lives are at stake."

I watch as Brigid turns and flees. I'm left alone with the aftermath of her mess.

Fuck the Council.

I run a hand through my hair and I have the urge to follow her, to... what? Comfort her? Break her? I don't know. It gnaws at me, an itch I can't scratch.

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