Page 56 of Chaos Carnival

I shifted to look up at him, fighting back the urge to hide my face to his chest. “What does that mean?”

He was quiet for a moment, gathering his thoughts, his otherworldly stillness both reassuring and unnerving. He brushed a strand of hair from my face with deliberate gentleness as he explained.

The knowledge settled into place like a missing puzzle piece, bringing with it a wave of primal fear.

His arms tightened around me, as if he could shield me from the fabric of the universe itself. He pressed a kiss to my forehead, the gesture gentle but possessive.

I swallowed hard. “Most minds break under that kind of pressure?”

“But you're not most people. You're mine. And we're going to figure this out. Our bond helps. Gives you an anchor.”

I remembered the way his voice had cut through the chaos, the way his touch had helped ground me even when everything elsewas spinning apart into nightmares. “That's why this helped? The...” I gestured vaguely at our naked state, trying to ignore how the tendrils seemed to coil closer when I moved.

“Endorphins,” he said, and I could hear a smile in his voice, though his hold remained possessive. “Lilith's recommendation, actually. Said it might help clear your head temporarily.”

“Well, that explains why you were so attentive,” I teased, though my voice shook a little, betraying the fear I was trying to hide.

“Oh yes, purely medicinal.” His low chuckle rumbled against my back, dark and warm. “I'm basically a healthcare provider at this point.”

“My hero,” I crooned, unable to suppress a shiver at his intensity.

His amusement faded, replaced by something deeper, more serious. “Lilith says normal might not be possible anymore.” His thumb traced my lower lip, the gesture both tender and claiming. “If you survive this, you'll be something new.”

“If I survive,” I repeated, the words tasting of ash. The strands shifted in my peripheral vision, as if responding to my words, their movement making my stomach clench. “How long until we know?”

“Maybe weeks.” His free hand tangled in my hair, but my sanity threatened to slip sideways again. “Time gets weird when you're processing multiple layers of reality, apparently.”

I closed my eyes, focusing on the steady beat of his heart again, trying to block out the whispers of the webs. “Shit,” I whispered, the word carrying all my terror.

“I know.” He pulled me closer, if that was even possible, his immortal strength both reassuring and overwhelming. “But you're the strongest person I know, Tess. And you have me.” His voice dropped lower, dangerous and seductive at once. “I can help you generate endorphins 24/7.”

That startled a laugh out of me, which of course was his intent. The tendrils seemed to dance at the sound, shimmering more brightly for a moment before settling again, their movement making goosebumps prickling along my arms.

“I can still see them,” I murmured, fighting to keep my voice steady. “All the time. But it's different. Like they're waiting.” Like predators studying their prey.

“Waiting for what?”

I shook my head, careful not to dislodge his protective grip. “I don't know. But I think...” I paused, trying to put the strange sensation into words while suppressing my rising panic. “There's no going back.”

Maverick was quiet for a long moment, his fingers resuming their patterns on my skin. Finally, he said, “Then we go forward. Together.”

I nodded against his chest, letting his heartbeat drown out the anxiety. It struck me then – the irony of finding safety in his arms when I'd fought so hard for independence. But the threads had shown a different truth. They’d stripped away my illusions of self-sufficiency, leaving me raw and exposed to forces I couldn't fight alone. His touch, once a reminder of how much I'd lost, had become my lifeline.

For now, at least, I could think clearly. Could be myself. Could pretend that accepting his protection didn't mean surrendering to everything I'd resisted since he claimed me. But the truth whispered beneath my skin: I needed him. Not just his magic or his bond, but his unwavering presence, his absolute certainty that I was his to protect.

The vast ocean that had poured itself into me waited, patient and hungry, to either drown me or transform me into something entirely new. And in the face of that cosmic indifference, his dominance felt less like a cage and more like an anchor, keepingme tethered to myself when everything else threatened to wash me away.

I just hoped I was strong enough to survive it, to find a way to be both his and my own as the lines danced at the edges of my sanity, promising power at the cost of everything I used to be. Including my stubborn independence.

Chapter 26: Prophecy Unbidden

Maverick

Iguidedthecarthrough Crimson City's streets, stealing glances at Tess. Flickers of spectral energy danced across her skin when the streetlights hit just right. My grip tightened on the wheel.

Stone and Lux had rented a place nearby, since none of us were willing to risk phasing back to the house while the hunters were so active. One wrong phase and they'd have our location. Besides, with Lilith around, it made sense to stay close. Still felt strange though, all of us crammed into the city like normal humans.

“You okay?” I reached over and squeezed her thigh.

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