Page 11 of The Ascended
The intensity was building, ripping through my chest. My fingernails dug into Marel's shoulders. Above us, more beads of light began to join the first, their essence growing brighter with each passingmoment.
"Look at me," Marel whispered, sensing my distraction. "Stay with me, Thais."
I tried to focus on his face, on the way his blonde hair fell across his forehead, on the desire written clearly in his eyes. But the power inside me was growing stronger and I could feel it beginning to leak out despite my efforts. It was going to consume me.
As the pleasure crested, washing over me in waves that left me gasping and shaking beneath him, I lost all control. The stars above us flared to brilliant life.
Horror flooded me even as my body continued to pulse with aftershocks. The constellations were rearranging themselves, forming spirals and flowing curves that matched the rhythm we'd just shared.
I tried desperately to pull the energy back, to force the stars back into their normal patterns, but it was like trying to stop a river with my bare hands. The more I fought it, the brighter they became, until the entire sky throbbed. Gods, anyone in the village could see this.
Fuck.
I froze.
"Thais?" Marel stilled above me, voice breathless. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"
"Nothing," I lied, my voice shaking. "Nothing's wrong."
Marel searched my face, clearly unconvinced by my reassurance. His hand came up to cup my cheek, thumb brushing away tears I hadn't realized were falling.
"I'm sorry," I whispered.
"Don't be," he said firmly. "Stay with me."
"I can’t." I turned my face away.
But I could feel his eyes locked on my face, searching, guessing. Guilt churned through me, and I reached out, pulling him close, suppressing the sob that wanted to form in my throat. Because I wasn’t holding him out of desire, only to stop him from seeing what was happening above us. Gradually, the glow began to fade from theheavens, and when I finally dared to glance upward, the stars were slowly returning to normal.
If he noticed them, he didn’t say it.
"I should go," I murmured.
"I wish I knew what to say. I want to help, Thais. To be here for you in whatever way you need, but I’m flailing," he said, his arms tightening around me. "You know you can tell me anything."
Gods, I couldn't do this at Marel's expense anymore. I couldn't be selfish.
“Thank you for tonight.” I said as I finally pushed away and dressed to leave.
And I walked off, not waiting for his questions or sweet sentiments that would only make the guilt in my chest burn brighter. I let the tears fall, safe and alone and full of regret.
Chapter 3
The Last Light
"You're going to drop that,"Thatcher said, watching me wrestle with the wine bottle Sulien had shoved into my arms at the last second.
"I'm not going to—" The bottle slipped, and I caught it against my chest. "Shut up."
He laughed, the bastard. "Want me to carry it?"
"I've got it." I shifted the basket to my other hip, trying to find a grip that didn't make me feel like a pack mule. Around us, other people were making their way down the path toward the caves.
"Jorik's already three sheets to the wind," Thatcher observed, nodding ahead where the fisherman was swaying slightly as he walked.
"Smart man."
The past two weeks had passed in a blur. I'd gone out with Jorik's crew every day the weather allowed, throwing myself into the work and staying as far away from dry land as possible. When the boats couldn't go out, I was shucking oysters and mending nets in our own shed rather than venturing into the village proper. Better to be exhausted than risk being seen.
