Page 93 of Darkness and Deceit
Two silhouettes appear in the glow.
Lilith and… Augustus.
They’re leaning on each other as they step out of the cave’s mouth, limbs tangled in support. Augustus’ arm is slung around her waist, steadying her as her knees falter. Lilith’s free hand clutches her ribs, and even from here I can see her fingers are bloodied. Her hair is caked in dirt and gods only know what else, but she’s standing.
She’s alive.
Relief crashes through me so hard I nearly fall to my knees.
A voice cracks through the air beside me—Kai’s, raw and frantic. “Lilith!”
She lifts her head like she’s surfacing from a dream. The second she sees him, her whole body sags forward.
“Kai?” Her voice is so soft it nearly vanishes in the wind.
She takes one broken step toward him before her legs give out—but Kai is already there. He catches her mid-fall, arms wrapping around her like armor. Augustus lets go without a word.
Kai holds her like she might slip through his fingers if he lets go.
“I didn’t know you were awake,” Lilith whispers, pressing her face into his chest. “I thought?—”
“I felt you,” Kai chokes out, one hand burying in her hair. “Ifelteverything.”
A sound escapes her—a breath that breaks apart halfway through, not quite a sob, but not far from it. She pulls back just enough to cup his face, eyes wide and wet with disbelief. “You felt me?”
He nods, forehead falling to hers. “You’re mine. You’ve always been mine.”
“I almost didn’t make it out,” she breathes.
“But you did.” His voice shakes. “You came back to me.”
I don’t look away.
Ishould. But I don’t.
Because something in meneedsto see this—to see the way she melts into Kai’s arms like he’s the only thing tethering her to the world.
It cracks something open in my chest.
Because I feel it too.
Not like theirs—loud and claimed and burning bright. But quiet. Steady.
A bond.
Mine.
And I don’t think I’m alone.
Beside me, Vaughn stands rigid, jaw tight, fists clenched like he’s bracing for a blow. His eyes don’t leave her. Not for a second.
Seems I’m not the only one feeling echoes.
But that’s a problem for another day.
For now, Lilith is safe. She’s standing. She’s alive.
And we’re going to make damn sure she stays that way.
