Song of Blood and Reign

Chapter 30

***Fair warning for the NSFW content in this chapter!***

Chapter 30

Jai jumped up a moment after Lyv disappeared, barely hearing Gideon call out after him as he rushed through the door. But Lyv hadn't just stepped into the hallway. She stepped into the shadows, fading from the inner workings of the ship, trying to get away from all of them as soon as she could.

He followed their bond, though, until he was up on deck. The stars were bright up above and the moon was peeking out from behind the clouds. Fog still surrounded them for cover, wind whipping by as they began their journey to Eld just as Kalla told them earlier. They would be there by the following night at the speed they were going, no doubt helped by those under the surface.

There were only two or three of Kalla's people on deck. Everyone else was below, having their fill of dinner and drinking, a celebration for Lyv's return that Kalla had given them. They'd all been away from their families on Blackloch for weeks now, too, so the knowledge that they would be heading home once they docked in Eld for a few days was even more reason to celebrate.

But Lyv...she was standing at the bow, her hair pulled over one shoulder and glowing in the moonlight. She had her eyes closed, breathing in the sea air with every calming breath she tried to take. Jai tried to see what was going through her head, but she'd blocked his view, refusing to let him burden himself with what was eating at her.

So, instead, he came up behind her and wrapped her in his arms, leaning against her as he kissed the top of her head. He just wanted to be there for her, be her strength when he knew she felt weak, be the listening ear when she needed someone to tell everything to. He would always be that for her.

"I'm sorry," Lyv finally whispered after several minutes passed, trailing her fingers along his forearm before lacing them through his. "I was just...overwhelmed again."

"Same thing as before?"

She didn't answer at first, but finally nodded. "Even though it can't get out from the hold we have on it...it's still there, waiting and watching and laughing anytime it senses weakness. I'm not weak. I'm not."

"You're not," he agreed.

Lyv held out her hand in front of them. It shook slightly before she made herself calm down. Jai watched as the shadows curled around her forearm and her wrist before she clenched her fist. Even though fear clawed up his throat, he could see and feel that she had a strong hold on this dark magic. He was still helping her hold the other, though.

Jai could hear the tears in her voice then.

"But when this happens, when the dark magic I can control begins to do whatever it wants, it makes me want to think I'm weak and that I need it. That's the reason, though. It wants me to think I'm weak so I'll give in to the dark. I can't give in, though, Jai. I won't end up like Corliss. I can't be like her, hurting or killing everyone she loved before. And I know you said you wouldn't let me go, but what happens if it does? What if we can't stop it? Just look at what happened five months ago when we promised each other we wouldn't let Corliss get me. She did. And now...now, I'm scared, Jai."

His arms tightened around her even more as he kissed the side of her head before turning her around to face him. Lyv pressed her hands to her face, hiding her silent tears from him. But he pulled her hands away to take them in his again and leaned forward to kiss her tears away.

"I know you are, especially after everything that's happened, everything she's made you do," Jai whispered to her, brushing her hair back from her face as he looked at her. She had her eyes closed as she rested against him. "I am, too. But we're together again and I'll help you with whatever you need. We'll learn the darkness together – the one coming from the stone – and keep Corliss's locked up where it can't get to you. We'll figure it out, Lyvi, with the help of everyone around us. I can promise you that. But for tonight, you need rest. We both do. It can wait until tomorrow when we make it to Eld and maybe a few days after that, to be honest."