Page 116 of Heir of Broken Souls

“You’re being oddly kind. What’s wrong with you? Are you feeling ill?”

“Shut up and fight me before I change my mind.”

My eyes narrow, my hesitancy showing.

But Harlow never hesitates.

Another ball of fire soars for my head.

My golden power rises to meet it, knocking it to the side like a pesky fly. Only, another comes for me again, and another, and another. It doesn’t matter how many I shoot away, Harlow wants a fight.

And so I’ll give her one.

Harlow’s eyes shine as I lift my hands encased in gold. The smirk stays firmly upon her lips as I send a volley of golden arrows for her. She moves majestically, spinning and twirling this way and that to dodge them.

She turns on the offense immediately. Shadows alight with fire rush for me, pushing me back to avoid their burn. Before I can disperse them with my own power, Harlow rushes from the shadowy depths with a sword clutched in her hand.

Unsheathing my own, I meet her strike for strike, our boots scuffling along the top of the deck. A dark delightful chuckle tumbles from Harlow’s lips as we dance circles around each other, until I make a move she doesn’t see coming.

I lunge to strike her right, but pivot at the last second and aim for her left. Harlow stumbles, exposed and open, having fallen for the fake.

Cackling with my own laughter, I conjure a golden ball of power and throw it straight at her face. It turns to slime when it hits.

She flicks it away with the back of her hand and charges again. “Oh, you are so paying for that!”

A scream of laughter escapes me as I move to flee.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Knox snaps as he strides across the deck.

His rough voice doesn’t stop me, though. Harlow raises her hand, dodging my golden dagger at the same time.

“Save it, pretty boy, I’ve got this.”

I can see in my periphery that Knox’s jaw drops open, but then a fireball rushes for my chest and I twirl away from the sight of him and Harlow’s magic. A moment later, he mutters a curse under his breath but strides away. The bond between us sizzles with confusion, but I can’t concentrate on that now, not as the pain in my chest finally for the first time in months lessens.

I’m not sure how much time has passed but when Harlow raises her hands with a quirked brow, I’m drenched in sweat. We head for a box of our supplies stationed on the top deck and pull out our waterskins. I guzzle it down while she does the same.

She turns to me, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, that quizzical look once again on her face. “Did it help?”

“Pretending your face is his and beating the crap out of you?” I smile. “Yes.”

She snorts out a laugh. “Glad my body could be of service.”

I pause my laughter and say sincerely, “Thank you.”

My body already feels immensely lighter. I haven’t gotten rid of the all-consuming buzzing of nerves for what is on the horizon tomorrow but the rage has surprisingly waned. It’s still there, ready for me to access it tomorrow, but at least I’ll be able to sleep tonight.

“Don’t sweat it. Knox did the same for me.”

My head cocks to the side. “He did?”

She dips her chin, taking a seat on the floor. “After he moved me into his family home. No matter how nice my life had become I couldn’t…let go of my anger.”

I hold my breath, stunned that Harlow is opening up. A faraway look enters her eyes, one that I recognize from looking in the mirror.

“It never mattered how much I tried to move on. It haunted me in ways I can’t describe, but I don’t think I have to explain the feeling to you.” She sighs deeply, as if talking about this is releasing something she’s held on to for years. “No matter how many times I would shake my head to clear the memories, they’d always return. No matter how busy I kept myself, they would creep into my mind without notice. It was horrible, and the worst of it was the anger, the injustice of it all. I couldn’t do anything about it. I had no one to take it out on, and therefore, it had nowhere to go.”

My throat tightens as the words resonate deeply within me.