Ch. 39

“Entangled”

Heat rises to my cheeks before I can control it. Oh, please, I scoff, feigning an indifference I don’t feel, trying to ignore the thrill that spiral up my spine. Actually, it is still my turn. I shuffle my feet, and the shadow moves with me. I am not ready to admit he is interesting. Alluring even. That would mean something I can’t afford for either of us.

I am about to brush the thought away when I hear it — his laughter, warm and clear, and I feel his shadow coil gently around my waist, pulling me a step closer. The movement startles me, my pulse quickening as his presence closes in around me.

Shit, I think realizing too late that he is feeling everything, and I am just trying to ignore. Hands off, shadow boy, I bite. And please. I inject as much of a scoff into my voice as I can muster, my cheeks still hot under his teasing awareness. Actually, it’s still my turn, I add, shifting the conversation, refusing to let him think he has won. And, anyway, I was just about to ask — I eye his shadow where it wraps around me with infuriating ease, — is there a way to turn you off? Or, I don’t know, kick you out? This skull is already awfully crowded. Even the normal noise when I would peek inside my own head has seemed to disappear in this white void.

He laughs again, the sound wrapping around me with his shadow like a warm current. Ah, so she’s trying to evict us, is she? His voice is playful, and though he feigns hurt, I can practically hear the smirk in his tone. Sorry, little bat, but it doesn’t work that way. Not when you called to me first, invited me in. You can’t shut me out now.

I bristle at that, folding my arms defiantly, even as I feel his presence lingering close, like a warm hum along my spine. Invited? I try to scoff, even though he’s not entirely wrong.

Mm-hmm. His voice holds a teasing lilt, his shadow dancing around me. And for what it’s worth, he continues, his tone heavy with heat. I doubt I’ll even be turned off if you are around.

I roll my eyes, mostly to hide the hint of excitement that will betray me fully even as it thrums beneath the irritation. Annoying. That is what this is. And yet, there is no denying this stupid undercurrent happening, buzzing, drawing me in — no matter how much I try to pretend otherwise.

His voice slips through the void like honeyed silk, dripping with a sticky smug amusement. It’ll be hard to get me out of your head even when you’re awake and your powers fully surge through your veins, so I hope you enjoy the sound of my voice.

A growl rumbles low in my throat, echoed by the dark roll of clouds in the distance. Gross.

His shadow only tightens its hold, winding me as to trying to make me stumble, to open me up like a dark vine. Its edges brushing my skin with a warmth I would never admit feels…

Oh, believe me, I say through clenched teeth, but a devious grin tries to give me away. I will find a way.

He chuckles, clearly savoring my frustration. I do like watching that mind of yours at work, but I do enjoy watching you squirm more. I could fill this mind with all sorts of things… The suggestion in his tone curls around me, as his shadow teases along my side.

I narrow my eye, even though I can’t see his stupid smirking face. I will find a way, even if I have to rip you out piece by piece… with my teeth. I mutter, knowing full well that I am falling into a dangerous game.

The grin is evident in his tone. Vicious, little bat. There is a pause, his voice dipping as his shadow drops down to my feet. I do recall you stating your mother was the only one who could grant my powers back. Did you lie to me?

I scoff, folding my arms but allowing his shadow to settle around my feet. No, not technically. Selective truths. Theoretically, I share a power like hers… but of a different kind. So, this, I gesture down myself, my voice bounding and never returning through the void, is all new. Besides, you only got some of your powers back. You used to have more than just one shadow, didn’t you? I point at the singular dark shadow at my feet, weaving around me like a silken ribbon in the whiteness. And given the gash I left you, even if it was well deserved, before coming here… this white, empty, too-quiet void… I let my hands motion around me for emphasis, my voice biting. I am not exactly at my best. I would say you have a better shot with Mother. We still need information from you, anyway. The corner of my mouth quirks up, I am, as you’ve clearly have seen, am one big splendid mess right now. I wouldn’t trust my powers in their current state. I might just turn you into a potato or something. Not saying that would be a bad thing. I tilt my head, pretending to consider it. Actually… a potato sound just about right.

His laughter echoes around me, deep and rich, making me wonder if he would let me follow through just for the entertainment. A potato, hm? Tempting, he says, his shadow again moving up me, and resting on my waist before it tightens its hold, as if testing how he can tease me. But I have a feeling you would miss after awhile. Or at least the sound of my voice.

I roll my eyes. Try me, I say, even as his presence hums along my sense, far too comfortable for my liking.

Has this ever happened before? Zanir voice slide like a blade hidden in silk.

A faint scent of mint fills the air as his shadow twirls around me, slipping over my shoulders, curling like a scarf in the chill. It distracts, tugging just enough at my focus that words slip past my normally guarded walls.

As in… me just shifting? My brows furrows. Or shifting to my beast form without trying to? Or freezing everything around me in a blizzard? Or my emotions turning my powers into a wild storm every time they flare? The words tumble out. Or how lately, anything that so much brushes my skin leaves marks? I pause, catching myself before revealing the darker places my mind goes. You’re going to have to be more specific.

His shadows tighten slightly, a dark band at my shoulder. All of it.

I am quiet for a moment, the weight of his question pressing down on me. I feel the sharp sting of memories, pulling up those old thoughts I have tried so hard to bury. That is a loaded question. My voice breaks slightly. To this degree? Not since I was younger. I shift on my feet uncomfortably, the feeling of the wall Mother forced around me rising in my chest. I have managed to hold back the beast — these powers — for years. But back then… I couldn’t control it. I was like I was drowning in it, and it grew out of control.

I swallow hard, the memory of those wizards flooding my mind. They came to the castle — wizards, witches all to contain me. I can see their presence now, the ward they created to imprison me in my own skin, my own small world, to lock me away. The way they used magic to keep me from breaking free, the heavy weight of their spells settling over me like chains.

The shadow twirls around me, a soft and calming distraction, even as it brushes my cheek. I can feel Zanir’s awareness, like he is physically here, pressing in on me.

Mother had wizards and witches come to the castle to… control me. To teach me new powers, powers I could tame. The words taste like ash in my mouth. I learned to lock the beast away, to build walls, and a door in my mind. But they… they never really held. I always have been too much for them.

Zanir’s voice changes, in the slightest way, but it is enough to make my stomach turn. You were trapped.

His words hit too close to my heart. I flinch, even though he can’t see me… or maybe he can? I force my thoughts away from the suffocating memories. I can let myself be vulnerable. It always seems to end tragically.

Why are you even here, Zanir? Iamys or even Halfy company not rich enough for you? I ask, my voice edged, trying to push the memory away.

The shadow crawls down my arm, wrapping around my wrist. Like I said, we are connected now. Something changed when we touched. Whether you want to admit it or not. I can feel you. Feel your fear. Feel your power.and His voice grows darker, more intense. When it calls, I follow it, like a thread drawing me in, And once I have it, the door just opens.

I feel that growing warmth in my cheek and chest, a little embarrassed that he can just sense everything now, even when I try to hide it. But I refuse to let it show.

You don’t have to follow the thread, you know. I try to sound indifferent, but my words falter, betraying me.

Curiosity is a fatal flaw of mine. His voice drops an octave, teasing yet earnest. And you, little bat, are one of the most fascinating creatures I have ever come across.

There is that word, again. Don’t make me hurt you, shadow boy. I feel his shadow curls around my wrist, pulling me in. A subtle reminder of his presence, and a far-too-intimate gesture for my liking. But I don’t pull away. It is almost like… I can’t or don’t want to… My breath catches, but I quickly compose myself. Stop acting like I am some sort of puzzle for you to solve.

Oh, but you are, his tone is light, almost too warm. You’ve got a mind full of questions, little bat. And I am just getting started.

I don’t know if that is worse for me or for you. I say, my voice a low rasp now. According to Kiza, I am a ticking time bomb. And the fuse is running out. So, I would keep your distance.

I do like explosive. A soft laugh drifts from him. My mother banned all explosive spells after I caught a tree on fire. She had to tend to my burned hands for weeks. You’d think that would’ve stopped me, but no… It just made me more creative.

I roll my eyes, though I can’t help but picture the mischievous grin on his face as he speaks. A part of me wonders just how much trouble he has caused over the years, how many things he has set on fire or blown to pieces out of sheer curiosity or boredom.

You really think your love for explosions can sway me? I scoff, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

You’d be surprised, little bat, he teases, his shadow tugs at my wrist begging me closer to what I am not sure. The trick is knowing just when and where to strike. If you keep hanging out with me, you’ll learn how to make things go boom without anyone even noticing.

I don’t really need help making things go boom. I scowl, but there is a strange thrill running through me at the thought of him causing chaos, playing with danger just for the sake of it. Something about his causal delivery makes it sound… appealing…almost.

The shadow coils tighter and I feel another pull forward. It is not forceful, but enough to remind me that no matter how much I want to push him away, he is always right there, a step ahead, poised and so in control of himself.

When I told the barmaid we were stuck together, I wasn’t kidding, he adds, almost like an afterthought, his voice laced with a hint of something darker beneath the playful surface.

I try to ignore the tension creeping into my body, focusing instead on the fleeting remnants of his story. And what, you think I can’t rid of you because I am so explosive?

Not a chance, little bat. You’re stuck with me whether you like it or not. The word drips with amusement, but there’s undeniable finality in his tone. The roles have switched, you know. Now, I am the one with all the power, and you’re the one stuck right here, with me, forever.

My heart stutters for just a beat, and a rush of warmth floods my face. His words echo, mirroring something long forgotten. An unexpected pull that takes me back to another time, another place — one buried so deep that even I don’t remember it.

But now, I remember the first time he said that. The first time he made me feel something in the pit of my stomach, something wild and dangerous.

—

The night had been alive with the sounds of the forest, the crunch of leaves beneath our feet, the snap of twigs. We were running. Running for our lives, but we were laughing. Through the darkened woods, my heart pounded in my chest. Then the Serpopard appeared — its massive body cutting through the trees, its eye glinting with hunger. My body shifting between forms, tearing at the air. My blood was thick, the kind that stains your soul. My fangs bared, claws out, my beast surged. The fight was brutal. I was covered in blood, my chest heaving as the creature fell to the ground, defeated. But I wasn’t done yet. There was something more, something else that had to be faced.

As I scanned the darkness, the forest moved around me, I turned to find him, the boy I had been running with. Zanir. He was leaning against a tree, his cerulean eyes burning with a strange intensity, shadows twisting and dancing around his feet as if they pulsed with life. His gaze moved over me, like he was studying every inch of me. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he spoke, his voice smooth, a dark melody.

“Absolutely fascinating,” he said, wrapped in that same mystery that always seemed to follow him

“Are those common here?” I wiped the blood from my brows, too tired, too pissed to be impressed, and muttered under my breath, “Thanks for the help, shadow boy.”

“No, you may have just killed someone’s pet.”

But before I could step away, his shadows moved faster than I could react. They wrapped around my wrist, pulling me toward him, until I was standing so close to him that breath mingled with mine. His eyes, those damn cerulean eyes, were locked onto mine with that intensity that made my pulse race in a way I couldn’t explain. I should have fought, should have pushed him away, but something in me… didn’t.

“What would you do if I kept you right here?” he asked, his voice a low, teasing whisper, almost too close to my ear. “Forever.”

I scoff, still panting from the fight, my chest heaving as the blood on my skin seemed to boil under the weight of his gaze. But I didn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing my unease.

My voice was laced with the same snark I always used to hide my discomfort. “I would have to kill you, too.” I shot back, but the words barely made it past my lips before he was right there, a breath away.

“I guess I will have to make my last moments count then…” he whispers towards me, and I can feel his words on my lips as he speaks.

Zanir didn’t smile. Didn’t move back. Instead, he pulled me closer. His shadows around us thickened, wrapping itself like a dark cocoon, blocking out the rest of the world. For a moment, everything disappeared. The forest, the fight, even the blood — it all faded into nothing. And then his lips were on mine.

Soft, urgent, almost as if he knew this would be the only chance he would get. My body froze for a second, but my heart raced. There was no turning back. I felt the heat of his kiss, the shadows that encased us, and something inside me snapped. I kissed him back, as if that was the only thing that mattered in the world. His hands slid to my back, pulling me closer, deeper, until I felt the pressure of him all around me. His shadows pressed against my skin, like it was a part of him, a part of us.

For a flash, it was just him. Just me. The rest of the world was gone. I could feel everything — every spark of power, every wild, overwhelming emotion that his presence caused. It was like I was floating, caught between the real world and something darker, something I couldn’t name.

—

The memory fades as quickly as it came, leaving a faint echo. The present rushes back in, and I feel the ground beneath me again. The weight of my body pressing into my feet.

I blink a few times, pushing the memory away. It is hard to breathe for a second. My chest tightens, and I almost wish I could go back to that moment, to that feeling, but I know better. I can’t. Not when the rest of me is still a chaotic mess.