IA'S

th my feet. Dirt repla

uts my name

not

my throat. All I feel is the violent p

twists p

skin. Dried blood sticks to my collarbone, but every

of rain-soaked

ses and starts forcing

r. Impo

enough to hurt, but it i

ddenly the next brea

me changes. It is no long

ened. As if my body already be

p wave tears

d into the darker stretch of f

aches where Dar

erything my parents did for this

ves slap against my face. The tre

ges too. Coo

il all I hear is my rough breat

al si

insects flying. And n

stop

nds violentl

. I feel it be

. Watching

rges so fa

in

somewhere de

e follows. L

ls like

le

everything about

flashes

sounds clos

shadows, wondering if s

side me crashes

gainst my chest as i

of me is still waiting for Darian

w why someone buried the secr

ugh the treeline and

cks the breath

rd against a solid chest

I look up. And for

hair falls across his forehead. Shado

lock onto mine like he has been wait

narrows

ll there, but suddenly it is no

inst his shirt where I

the rejection, my body stop

ion makes my

th turns

s before I

s disappears too na

wants to lean closer as I

te t

nd. I should not be craving an

y refuses

e at ea

us slams violently

body seize

lls from

the same moment. H

both our clothes before e

r of u

rtbeat, we only stare

says f

or

ettles me more

I whisp

like the contact was a mistake. Lik

changes. Sma

I no

ward him again. Uncon

e like he does not want di

to his, as though it reco

away, heat tears

nd grab

liar pain of

the cracked cre

ld catches my eye

ath ca

down almost immedi

ound his wrist like

changes. Not fe

desperate to stop the sensati

Like something is trying

erythin

essure

le pull to surge bac

ree

that?" I

s gaze drops to my neck. To

hing c

ly around my arm before h

ishes, leaving the forest

he bre

de

gnit

twists painfu

ady.

shakes. "Why are you lo

s not

is eyes stay fixed on my mark as though he is not o

the thoug

. Maybe because anothe

ately another rea

o

ion was no

d closer

more careful

nk past the bond and

ing about this m

, uncertainty flas

e quickly.

jumps i

s back. Further this time. Controlle

ve broken whatever was

doe

that I alre

this?"

e crack

? Why does my body

before I can

e memory. Like

nderstand

looks at my

irst time, I

recognition burie

er he is trying de

t be here," h

trolled.

ugh almost

re? I don't even k

nd with Darian still ache f

stant now. Over

ll me,"

gain despite the wa

emembering when

ts him harder th

sudden tension

gain, I already know

't exist," he

o me. Mostl

rs inside m

e turn

explanation.

into the

ai

ks as I stumb

can't

ows. Never

he darkness swall

op m

closes arou

tying us together rema

alive bene

tself is the realization

omething the mo

he reme

im more than it