Page 64 of A Touch of Darkness

Shit.

My hands start to shake, and I feel my anxiety gripping my throat. I truly have no idea how to get myself—us—out of this. I’ve tried waking him up, they either gave him a sedative or he’s just in that bad of shape. There’s not a chance he’s going to walk out of here. I wrack my brain for answers I just simply do not have…

There’s only one option. I have to figure out how to at least have enough strength to drag him out of this hell hole. Once we get outside, I can get him to a safe place, rest, and then utilize the forest for cover.

I take a deep breath and my magic swells, my entire body shaking with adrenaline as every ounce of magic I used seems to come back into my body. Strength, from somewhere unknown, wraps itself around me as I pull every ounce of magic from my center and hope it holds out.

I get Lucian to a sitting position, dead weight and all, and I put my arms underneath his armpits and begin dragging him out of the chamber. The protective ward stops our enemies and places a protective shield around us, but there’s something else, too. Runes seem to glow beyond the massive amount of rubble littering the floor, as if it’s a map showing me the way, giving me a shred of comfort as I make my way toward a set of stairs.

I heave, trying to control my breath as I continue dragging Lucian’s unconscious body along with me, moving much slower than I’d like. But moving is better than being stuck in that chamber.

I continue following the glowing runes and feel another surge of energy pulse through my body just as I think I can’t get us out of here. It gives me another rush of strength I didn’t think possible.

It’s the magic I didn’t believe I held in my own palms.

And it’s saving us.

But for how long?

The world is soft when I wake. Dreamlike. For a moment, I’m lost in the quiet and it’s quite the same as any other day. It’s the kind of silence only time itself can bring. It’s not the first time I’ve felt it—this stillness. But this time, it feels different. As though something is watching, waiting, pulling at the edges of my consciousness.

I feel the warmth beside me before I see her. I crack my eyes open, shards of light filtering into the room, breaking through the curtains.Sylvie.She’s here, perched in a chair that’s pulled right up next to my bed, her body wrapped in the kind of exhaustion only a person like her could understand—someone who has faced trial after trial. Her face is serene, eyes closed, but there’s rigidity in her features that betrays her weariness. Her hair falls in soft waves, framing her face like some fragile crown, and I notice our hands are clasped together. Her palm resting in mine.

I watch her for a long moment, my thoughts a muddled haze, unwilling to break the silence. I could stay like this for the rest of my life, our fingers intertwined, safe, and I’d be happy.

Her breath is steady. Her pulse is too. But beneath that calm, there is a beat of something stronger, something ancient. It hums within her, unseen yet undeniable. The magic. Her bloodline. But even deeper—something more. The strength of the power surging beneath her skin, something I never fully realized until this very moment.

She is more powerful than even I gave her credit for.

There’s a faint, almost imperceptible glow beneath her skin—a soft shimmer that matches the warmth of my own body, still recovering.

I clench my eyes shut and allow my subconscious memories to replay, one of my vampiric abilities—I never have to wonder about what happens, even while sleeping, even while unconscious.

What I remember is the silver chains being thrown over me, cutting through my flesh. I remember the witch’s ugly sneer. From those moments on I have to rely on said abilities.

I see the chamber.

Sylvie and her power, the way her face twisted when she saw my nearly lifeless body.

And then, I see how bold and beautiful she became in the face of total uncertainty.

How she got us both out of that desolate chamber using only her intuition—finally trusting herself.

How she dragged my body through that chamber, up a flight of stairs, and through the dense Blackthorne forest before taking a break. And then, how she picked me back up and forged on until getting to my estate. She was so close to giving up, giving in, but every time she needed a push, her magic came through just in time.

A faint, familiar scent in the air pulls my attention, and I open my eyes, interrupting the flashback. Blood. I look down and see the blood bag hooked to my arm, its contents flowing steadily into me, reviving what I had lost. Memories of Sylvie pouring her blood into my throat come rearing back, and I’m certain that’s what saved me. Our blood, hers and mine, it’s more magical than anything I’ve ever encountered, and I have no doubt that is why I’m still here.

Her blood is a lifeforce.

The door creaks open, and Dorian steps inside, his gaze immediately snapping to Sylvie, then to me. His eyes narrow slightly, a knowing flicker passing through them. He doesn’t speak at first. Just watches, calculating.

“She was here all night,” he finally says, his voice soft but tinged with concern. “I sensed something was wrong. Came to check on you. Found her trying to get you inside by herself... her magic was deeply waning.” He leans against the doorframe, arms crossed. “She was exhausted. Utterly spent.”

I blink, processing his words. Sylvie. Trying to bring me back. On her own. The way her powers helped her carry me.

He continues, his voice lowering, eyes never leaving Sylvie. “She told me everything, Lucian. That they need both her blood and Lara’s. She’s already tapped into something... something old, something powerful. Something dangerous.” His gaze shifts to me, studying my face. “She feels connected to you. You haven’t told her of the past. What are you waiting for, Lucian?”

I turn my gaze back to Sylvie, my chest tightening. I’ve felt it, too. The way her presence lingers, how it wraps around me in ways I can’t explain. But hearing Dorian speak it aloud sends a ripple through me, a tightening in my chest that’s part fear, part awe.

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