Page 91 of The Spark that Ignites
It was this night she promised herself she would claim his life. Slowly. With pleasure.
Because he had taken from her. Stolen. So, he would face the same fate.
But this was worse than death. She would live with this forever.
There was no escaping her own body. This husk of a shell she remained in.
Blood dripped from her nose onto the familiar hardwood floor. She would have to hide her black eye, bruised shoulders and thighs from Maela again. But this time was different. He hadn’t just struck her. She could handle a few battered ribs, swollen cheek, even the cracked collarbone, but this—
This couldn’t be healed. Could not be undone.
Emmery tightened her arms around the black hole inside her gut, that horrifically hollow, vacant thing that swelled, feeding off her sorrow.
Maybe if she held hard enough, she wouldn’t fray apart.
Often, she would find herself curled up here for the ground's strange comfort or maybe she just couldn’t bear to glimpse the bloodstained sheets. But at least the floor wouldn’t give out like her heart threatened to.
If she even had a heart anymore. It numbed, no longer beating the same innocent rhythm.
Her limbs shifted and a cool obsidian mist cradled her body.
Shade had found her. Come to save her. But this time, too late.
She tucked her face into his neck, wishing she could feel his skin. Wishing he could truly hold her. Protect her. Give some semblance of comfort.
But he had come for her as he always had, even though each time she doubted he would. After all, who wanted to deal with this sort of mess?
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. The words fractured in her mind to meaningless noise. Mindful of her bruises that felt too real to be dreamed, his arms slid under her knees, cradled her back, and lifted her into the air. “I’m so,sosorry. Words can’t describe how sorry I am.”
The Divide engulfed them—that deep, endless black abyss. She was safe.
A sob wracked her body, rattling her bones. Her core. Her foundation crumbled. She couldn’t contain it any longer and the tears burst like a raging river through a dam.
Emmery wept into Shade’s neck as they melted into the Divide.
She never let herself cry. Not like this. It was weak. And yet, she couldn’t stop.
“Please don’t cry. You’re alright. I’ve got you now,” he assured, his cool breath coasting over her hair as he smoothed it back.
Not even Shade could glue her back together. She was ... broken. Shattered beyond repair, like a mess of porcelain dust and missing pieces. And she had been for too long.
“Tell me how to fix this,” he pleaded. “Anything. Tell me and I’ll do it.”
She blinked up at him, locking with his unfathomably green eyes. The ones that soothed her even on the darkest nights, now simmering with pain. “Just ... Please, don’t leave.”
“I won’t. I’m right here.” Shade shrank to the ground and Emmery’s legs circled his waist, her arms binding his neck. Wishing she could meld into him. But he remained hidden under that cold mist.
“It hurts,” she whispered into his neck, voice a withered thing, eyes damp with tears.
He nodded his head. “I know. It’s okay.”
“And—it doesn’t get better. He’s still ... I can’t—” Her breath caught on a sob.
The mist moved over her back in soothing circles. “I know.”
Her voice broke as she whispered, “I missed you.”
“I missed you too.” He inhaled, his chest trembling. “One day I’ll hold you for real, Em. And no one will hurt you ever again.” Shade’s voice strained as he added, “I promise.”
