you take on dark magic in hopes you’ll figure out how to remove the spell yourself has been working so well. I won’t live the rest of my life as a prisoner, Finn. I’m ready to be free, and if the only way that can happen is in death, then that’s what it will be. King Zephyr doesn’t deserve to live any longer.” Her resolve was something to be admired, and if I’d met her before the king had broken my innocence, I could have seen us being friends.
She turned to me. “Do whatever you need to in order to end the king. Just make sure he can’t do to anyone else what he’s done to me ever again. I don’t care about the consequences.”
Finn moved toward his sister, bending down onto his knees and taking her hand. “Ivy, I can’t lose you, too. Please, think this through. Think of Maddox.”
The ache in his voice pulled at me at the same time I wondered who Maddox was. The curiosity didn’t outweigh the emotions and I wanted to stab someone. Why the hell was I allowing myself to care that he was hurting?
Because he makes you weak. You need to get—
I closed my eyes and pushed the voice away with a wave of my own power. I was getting really annoyed with it. I’d never had my subconscious be so loud, not even when I needed it most. This was how I really knew I was losing it and had to figure out a way to find myself again. Maybe revisiting my past wasn’t the way to move forward.
I shook my head and pushed away from the wall. I needed space. Lots of it. “I’ll be outside. Remember, I only promised to wait an hour and the clock started the moment we crossed the forcefield.”
Without waiting for a reply, I headed back outside and slammed the door behind me. When I was twenty paces out, I heard the door open and shut behind me. Neva was likely coming after me, but I didn’t want her to guilt me for my abrupt retreat, so I picked up my speed and spread my wings.
Then, I remembered I wasn’t actually welcome on any of the islands and there was nowhere for me to go. Son of a bitch. What was I thinking coming back before I was actually prepared to kill the king?
Something about Finn Barlow was screwing with me, and I needed to get the hell away from whatever was happening.
There was a warmth blossoming in my chest that made me physically sick from the overwhelmingness of it. At the same time, the dark shadow within my mind was getting louder.
While I didn’t agree with the voice in my head, it was safe from hurt and betrayal. It would keep me from being vulnerable. It was exactly what I needed to hold on to. Wasn’t it?
Kill them. Kill the king.
I shook my head. I couldn’t kill them, but I would end the king. Ivy had already said she didn’t care what happened to her. I’d be doing everyone a favor, but most importantly, myself. Yes, this was my path. No more feelings or distractions, just doing.
Decision made, I spread my wings and lifted my feet from the ground with one flap. I didn’t even bother to glance back at Neva. She’d be fine with them. I couldn’t afford to allow her the chance to change my mind. I’d come back for her later.
Just when I was maybe five feet in the air, rough hands grabbed my waist and jerked me back down. “I don’t think so,” Finn hissed as I smashed into his chest, knocking us both to the ground.
Damn him for being so tall. I landed on top of him, and my still-spread wings hardened and caged us in, barely missing his arms. My legs tangled in his, and our hips lined up almost perfectly, allowing me to file away just a few more details about him that I really didn’t need.
With my wings supporting me, I stared down at him with no emotion. “And here, I thought you couldn’t stand me.”
His eyes heated, the charcoal melting through the lighter silver until there was none left. Based on the hardened twitch between us, I felt confident I was right and continued, a plan forming as I spoke.
I raised my hand and cupped his chin between my fingers. “You get even hotter when you’re angry. Let’s see what happens when I do this.”