Page 5 of As Darkness Fall
At that moment, the energy filling the chamber went out.
It wasn’t a slow decrease that faded away into nothing. It was instant. One moment, we were surrounded by deceptively beautiful billowing clouds of violet energy. The next, the chamber was so dark I couldn’t see. Given my current state, my wolf was nowhere to be found, resting deep inside me and stressed to the breaking point by the past few days.
With the relief given to us by the severing of our Soulbond to Johnathan, she’d retreated immediately to sleep. I couldn’t blame her. I wanted to do the same thing. But I had priorities, things that had to be done first.
“Sever what?” Vir asked, blinking in surprise. “You mean…”
“Yes,” I said. “Our Soulbond. The one you let form between us. I want it gone. Now.”
Vir was quiet. I couldn’t see, but I could feel him in the dark, studying me, watching me. Judging me.
What do you see, god-man? Do you like it? Do you find me wanting? I know I would.
“You’re certain?” he confirmed after a long silence had passed between us. “Positive that’s what you want?”
“Yes,” I snapped, wishing I could still feel the energy. I wanted to see his face. I wanted him to properly see mine, to view the determination and the confidence I felt. “I don’t want to be Soulbound toanyone.”
The idea that I was currently bound to a freaking god of all things was beyond my mental capacity at that point. I knew it—in a remote, detached sort of way—but to truly consider what that meant was going to have to wait. I needed a bath, food, and some freaking clothes! I was tired of my goodies being on display for any person who walked into the room.
“How is this even possible?” I tiredly asked when he didn’t respond.
“I don’t know.”
I sat up straight, staring at his eyes. They glowed ever so softly with that blue flame. I could pick them out, even in the darkness.
“You don’t know,” I repeated slowly.
“No.”
“But…you’re agod. Like, immortal deity-level stuff here.”
“I’m aware,” he said wryly.
“But you don’tknow?”
“No.” The answer was firm and immediate. “This has never happened before.”
I sighed. “That seems to be happening a lot with you lately. For a god, there sure is a lot you don’t know.”
Vir surprised me. I thought he would get irritated or upset with me. After all, he was some thousands of years old, with all the wealth, knowledge, and power that came with that. Yet, here was I, a plucky, unimpressive, extra non-special mortal, telling him in polite words that he was dumb.
Man, it felt good.
But that reaction never came. Throughout it all, he remained calm. I might have even picked up a hint of humor through our bond. Or maybe that was just what I could sense of him here and now in the dark chamber.
“This may surprise you, Dani, but just because I’m a god does not make me omniscient. Not even Amunlea, my creator and Empress, hadthatsort of power.”
I rolled my eyes and pointed at the ceiling, figuring he could see my reaction, even in the dark. Godly powers had to be good for something,right? “I supposehe’sthe only one with that gift?”
Vir didn’t respond.
“Fine, fine. You’re not perfect. Good to know. But it doesn’t change my decision on the matter. I want the bond severed. I want to befree. I’m tired of having my fate decided by someone, or something, else. It’s time I started making my own decisions without outside influence. This might sound ridiculous to you, given your advanced age, but I’m twenty-one now. I’m an adult, and I don’t want anything telling me what to do. Especially not another bond.”
Blue flame blossomed in Vir’s hand, illuminating the chamber, letting me see him properly. There was no heat to the flames, only light that washed over us and out across the darkened runes carved into the floor and walls. They didn’t respond to his power, lying dormant, as they had for centuries before today. Before I’d used them.
Nope. Not going down that path. No time for that. Focus on the issue at hand. Getting rid of the Soulbond.
Vir wasn’t looking at me. Well, not my eyes.
