Page 52 of A Crown of Fates

The bond. My Starlight.

I keep my eyes closed, shutting out the illusions that nearly overtook me. I focus on the tether, on the glow that is Estee. Slowly, the burden of these visions start to dissolve.

With renewed determination, I stand, still keeping my gaze away from the shadows. As I move forward, the trapped souls press in harder now, angry that I’ve defied them. The air grows heavier, the whispers louder, but I keep walking. With every blind step, Estee’s essence grows stronger, pulling me forward like a lifeline.

There’s a groan of pain, one that pierces the center of my heart.Estee.

Without thinking of the consequences, I open my eyes, only to be caught in another trick. This one far from painful. Tempting in ways I’m finding hard to ignore.

I’m standing in a field, the sun warm on my skin, a relief after the shadow realm. Estee is there, her laughter ringing out as she runs through the tall grass, her hand resting on her rounded belly.

A child bounds into the picture, his laughter joining hers.

They both turn toward me, beckoning me forward, to be with them in this euphoria. It’s a perfect dream, one I never thought I could have. This life, this opportunity calls to me, wrapping around me with soft tendrils of hope.

“Is this what you want?” a voice whispers. “It can be yours. All you must do is let go of the outside world. Release your soul, and you’ll have everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”

Release my soul…it sounds so easy.

“Tell me you want this, and it’s all yours,” the whisper promises.

I hesitate. This can’t be real. No matter how much I yearn for this future, it’s not right, not like this.

“You don’t want me, Papa?” The young boy, whose eyes are a mirror of my own, looks back at me, breaking my heart.

Still, I don’t give in, but…Am I supposed to?

“Yes, Papa. Come with us.”

The idea of what could be settles over me, and I’m ready to give in, to release my soul and go to them, but the moment my thoughts begin to change, the child smiles at me, showcasing sharp, predatory teeth.

This isn’t happening.

His laughter swiftly turns into a shriek as he leaps toward Estee, ripping into her throat, painting the field crimson.

“No,” I snarl, shutting my eyes once more, allowing the real bond with Estee to grow brighter, cutting through the illusion again. The warmth of her essence is undeniable, pulling me back to reality. I push forward, the darkness recoiling as I focus on her, on our truth.

I have no idea what I’m walking through as the air grows heavier and thicker around me, but I don’t dare look. Not until the connection I share with Estee becomes blinding and the scent of pomegranates and orange blossoms replaces the stench of ash.

“Estee,” I whisper, my voice cracking.

The bond between us pulses wildly, a desperate, aching rhythm. My heart clenches. She’s here, slumped on a stone platform, her body pale and weak. Blood pools around her, yet before I can lose myself once more, I see the faint rise and fall of her chest.

She’s alive.

I rush to her side, my hands shaking as I cradle her face. Her eyes flutter open, her gaze unfocused but soft.

“Theo,” she whispers, her voice barely audible.

“I’m here,” I say, my heart breaking at seeing her like this. “I’ve got you. I’m taking you home.”

“I knew you’d come.” Her lips curve into the faintest smile before her eyes close again and she goes limp in my arms. Not wasting another second, I reach into my pocket, pulling out the vial Elyn gave me. I drink it in one gulp, the liquid burning down my throat as the magic binds me to the portal.

The air shifts, our lifeline beginning to form behind me, but then the room grows colder, the shadows around me thickening. A presence looms, dark and oppressive.

“You can’t have her,” Orix growls, his form materializing from the shadows. His black eyes burn with malice as he steps closer.

I glance behind me; the opening back to Selaris hasn’t completely formed. Now that I have Estee, so dependent on me in her weakened state, it’s not hard to ignore my need for vengeance, but as Orix comes closer, I get the sense that’s not a choice I get to make any longer.

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