Page 126 of Once the Skies Fade

“Understand what?” I whispered, my voice losing all strength under the weight of his stare.

“Us.”

Chapter 54

Matthias

The word hung heavily in the air between us.

Us.

It was an absurd notion, and yet…

Calla’s words could have easily been my own. I couldn’t ignore this need to be close to her. I couldn’t run from this hold she had on me. And I hated myself for having feelings for her after everything she’d done.

Despite what Sera had claimed, I wasn’t overlooking the atrocities Calla had committed. I acknowledged them, accepted them, and that confused me to no end. I’d seen the power Shadow Keepers wielded, how mercilessly they took life. I’d witnessed the pain and loss Calla had left in her wake.

Stars, I should have been trying to stop her, not trying to save her or protect her or help her or whatever I was doing here.

I shouldn’t have cared about her—shouldn’t have cared what happened to her—but I did.

She was guilty of so much devastation and fear, but somehow, for some reason, I couldn’t abandon her.

“There is nous,” she whispered, pulling me gently out of my thoughts.

“That was almost convincing,” I said, offering a slight smirk.

She dropped her gaze to my chest. “There can be no us.”

“Until I win this tournament, you mean.”

Shaking her head slowly, she released a long sigh and settled her forehead against her hands where they still clung to my shirt. I shut my eyes, debating what to do next.

What would Connor do?

I laughed silently to myself. He’d probably run away and sulk.

Or he’d mention some disgustingly romantic notion like mates.

Mates.

Snapping my eyes open, I searched my memories for every conversation I’d had with Connor about the stars fating souls for each other. He had noted the unnerving need he had to keep Lieke safe, but then, that was just Connor in general—the savior of his people, doing everything for everyone else and nothing for himself.

What if that had been the bond, though? What if their bond had been pulling them to each other before they’d ever kissed?

“Mates.” The word fell from my lips on a rough breath, and Calla’s head jerked up. Releasing my shirt, she stepped back, her eyes wide and lips parted as she regarded me apprehensively.

“What did you just say?” Her question was barely more than a breath.

“What if we’re...” Fuck, I couldn’t say the word again. It was insanity. There was no way the stars would play such a cruel trick. What would happen if she had, in fact, killed Brennan and I had to kill her to avenge him? Would I be able to keep my word to Connor? Would I be able to do what I was sent here to do?

Calla shook her head, slowly at first, and then faster and faster, in time with her quickening heartbeat. Lifting her hand, her fingers trembled against her lips.

“No,” she breathed. “It couldn’t be.”

Her wild eyes darted erratically around the cell as if searching for some answer written in the air. She stilled, her mouth still hanging open in disbelief.

“It can’t. We can’t,” she murmured, her voice growing louder as her words spilled out. “There’s no way. I can’t be…I can’t…”

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