Page 246 of The Ascended
I nodded, unable to shake the feeling that we stood on the edge of something vast and hungry. The other contestants had scattered throughout the chamber. Only seven remained.
My eyes found Thatcher the second he materialized across the room. I moved. No hesitation. We needed to talk. And it had to be now. I crossed the chamber in quick strides. He met me halfway.
The second we were close enough, I whispered down the bond.
We need to talk. Now.
His mental voice came back immediately, tinged with concern.What's wrong?
Everything.I glanced around, then steered us toward a corner where the fractured mirrors created visual chaos. To anyone watching,we'd look like siblings sharing a moment of comfort before the trial.There's so much I haven't told you.
Thais—
Just listen.I let everything pour through our connection in a rush of images and emotions. Kavik in the forest, his hands around my throat. The resistance against Olinthar. Xül's involvement.
I felt Thatcher's mind reel from the onslaught of information. His hand found mine, squeezing tight as he processed what I'd shown him.
Kavik tried to kill you. And you didn't tell me?His mental voice was deadly quiet.
He's dead now. And we didn’t exactly have much time to talk the last time I saw you.I met his eyes.But there's something else—a different threat. The resistance. They think you’re growing closer to Olinthar.
I’ve spent a lot of time in Sundralis, Thais. More than I would have liked to. And Olinthar suggested that I choose his domain after the forging.
Morthus has spies in Sundralis. They’re convinced you’re falling for whatever Olinthar is selling. That you’ll join him and become some kind of sick weapon.
Well, we both know that’s not happening.
Did you kill a Shadowkin?
Thatcher paused, looking down. My heart sank.I didn’t have a choice. Olinthar was torturing him, and I couldn’t just stand there and watch anymore.Thatcher’s eyes went soft.But working with him? Helping him in any way? Thais. That’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard.
Yes, and that’s exactly what I told them.
What else did you tell them?
I crossed my arms.I told them what I had to, Thatcher. I told them everything.
Why would you risk that?
Because you were supposed to die today. During this trial.I took his hand, squeezing.
Thatcher’s eyes went wide.All because they think I’m some deranged follower of Olinthar?
Essentially.
His fingers tightened around mine.
They want you to take a blood oath to swear loyalty to their cause. And after you ascend...I showed him the rest—the need to pledge to Sundralis, to kneel before Olinthar, to prolong his position even further as a spy in the heart of the enemy's power.
The silence in our minds stretched long. Around us, the mist grew thicker. I could feel other contestants growing restless. Time was running out.
We both assumed this pact would end in our deaths,he said finally, the realization sharp with understanding.But now you're telling me there might be another way?
I felt my throat tighten, the weight of everything he'd sacrificed for me suddenly crushing. Gods, Thatcher had lost it all when my powers erupted—his chance at a normal life vanished overnight. His future, his dreams, gone. And for what? To be chained to me. To transform himself into whatever I needed. Weapon. Shield. Confidant. All without a single complaint.
If anyone deserved to walk away from this nightmare, it was him. Thatcher had never asked for any of this. He deserved the chance to build something real. A life where he wasn't just surviving, where he could actually breathe without waiting for the next catastrophe. A life that was his own.
Yes,I pressed.A chance where we both live. Where we can have an after.
