Chapter 110 Chapter 110
“Ridiculous,” he said. “You won’t stand a chance.”
She was caught off guard when her own shadow suddenly rose from the ground, tendrils of darkness wrapping around her body to crush it. Letting out a strangled scream, she wanted to move away, but she couldn’t. His magic had latched onto her and held her tightly, leaving red marks on her skin. Desperately, she used her magic and let it pour from her body to chase the shadows away, but they easily snuffed the soft glow out.
“Damn it,” she hissed, her struggle amusing Zane, who grinned.
“See, I told you.”
“Shut up.” she spat. “I can’t let you win.”
As if to prove her wrong, his magic flared and erupted like a volcano, sprouting in all directions. The shadows let her go, but the relief didn’t last long. He used them to hit her, and her body was thrown to the ground. Valerie was overwhelmed by pain, yet she barely paid it any mind since the crushing feeling of failure was so much stronger. She bit her lip hard, tasting blood.
Her eyes came to rest on the bracelet Esther had gifted her. If she took it off, her magic would be stronger, reaching its full potential, but did she want to risk it? She would have a hard time controlling it, and in the end, it could kill her if she were unlucky. However, one look at Zane’s arrogant sneer made her decision a lot easier. Even if it killed her in the end, she wanted to kick this bastard’s ass. Someone had to prove to him that humans were not weak.
Her stubbornness became her new resolve. She took the bracelet off and put it in her pocket. The change was instantaneous, and her magic exploded in white light, flooding the clearing, ripping at the trees and bushes nearby. Zane had to shield his face with his arm, his magic temporarily retreating.
A storm tore through her body, its destructive strength nearly pushing her back to the ground. It was a lot to endure, and she didn’t know how long she could. Already, she felt drained. “Just for a little bit. I have to beat this asshole,” she whispered to herself and forced her magic to shoot right at him, and this time it was he who had to go on the defensive. Cursing and dodging, he glared at her with a vengeance, his bloodred eyes burning like coals.
She almost had a heart attack when she felt a surge of magic behind her that almost knocked her to her knees. Zane sent a glare in her direction, proving that someone had indeed just appeared directly behind her. The demon didn’t hesitate to attack with his magic, but before she could do anything, a bright light appeared in front of her.
It was like a shield that enveloped her from all sides, hiding her from Zane, who cursed annoyedly, his chance to kill her gone.
“You idiot.” a familiar voice said. A pair of arms hugged her waist from behind, pushing her to a hard chest. She was enveloped by the scent of ash and cinnamon, knowing exactly who it was. He dimmed the uncontrollable flow of her magic. “I told you not to use your magic like this,” he scolded her, but there was a hint of worry beneath his anger. She turned around in his embrace to watch him, meeting his ruby eyes. They darkened significantly when he spotted the injuries on her neck and shoulders.
“You’re here,” she breathed, relief making her body feel light as a feather. She leaned into him, and he let her, his hand stroking the back of her head.
“Because you can’t be left alone without getting in trouble,” he sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. “Why would you fight him of all people? He could have killed you.”
“We met by coincidence, and all I did was defend myself,” she replied. It was hard to be this close to him after what had happened. Her mind told her to push him away, but her traitorous heart fluttered, filling her with joy. No matter how much she lied to herself, she was happy to see him, and his embrace had her knees go weak. It was just like a month ago, like they had never been separated.
His red eyes were entrancing, hypnotizing, and she was drawn in like a moth to a flame. She couldn’t rip her gaze away. The void within her heart wasn’t so painful anymore. He was the missing piece, and now that he was here, she felt a hundred times better instantly.
“Thank you for coming,” she whispered, hiding her face in his leather jacket to conceal the wetness of her eyes.
“You owe me, and I expect you to pay me back later. I don’t do this for just anyone,” he huffed, his hands wandering lower, coming to a halt over her hips. Her breath hitched, body freezing as the meaning behind his words registered in her hazy mind. Eyes opening wide, she lifted her chin to look at his face, seeing a mix of concern and annoyance.
“Does that mean you’re planning to… to stay?” she stuttered in disbelief, scared to let Hopegrow within her, fearing it would be crushed once more.
“I told you I needed time to think, and I concluded that you won’t survive without a babysitter,” he said cheekily, his lips twitching in amusement when she pouted.
“We talked about the babysitter thing, I’m an adult.” she complained, but she was unable to hide the relief that washed over her like a calming wave. “Don’t go back on your word, you’re staying.”
“It’s a promise.”
He leaned in and stole a brief kiss from her that left her wanting more. When their gazes met, she read boundless relief in his eyes and realized that he must have missed her, too—she hadn’t been the only one longing to be together.
With this in mind, she stood on her tiptoes and connected their lips once more, feeling her heart beat excitedly in her chest. An overwhelming sense of joy overcame her and let her forget about everything around her. His lips were as soft as she remembered, melding with hers as if they were made for each other. Being so close to him after such a long time made her feel like she had found water in the middle of the desert. Her heart no longer ached. She was content.