Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Branock
Icursed and lunged for the mirror before it fell off the wall and shattered. What in the Fates was she thinking? Why would she do that?
I know what you fear, Evadine.
That young girl…she spoke about Evadine’s greatest fears. Losing her identity and freedom. Trapping herself. Just like the destruction in the palace was rooted in my deepest fears of failing my people and watching the empire burn under my rule.
This place…this place fed on our fears. It brought them to life. And now, she really was trapped.
My Evadine had replaced the younger version, staring back at me with wide, frantic eyes. Her fists pounded on the glass as her muffled voice screamed, “Branock!”
“It’s alright. I—I’m going to get you out,” I said. Think, Branock, think.
“What she said—what I said…it’s true, isn’t it?” She bit down on her lip as if fighting off more tears. Wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand, she took in a shuddering breath. “I’m trapping myself. This is my fault.”
Her words pierced me. For some reason, I didn’t think she was talking about the magic mirror.
“I would never trap you, Evadine,” I said, holding the frame tighter. “Is that what you’re scared of? That this marriage will make you lose yourself?”
Flattening one hand against the glass, she ran the other through her blonde hair, fingers shaking. “Won’t it?” she whispered, so quiet I could barely hear her. “Do you know what it’s like to be born into something the world already holds at arms length?”
My mouth went dry. I paused, then slowly shook my head. “No. No, I guess I don’t.”
She looked at her hand, refusing to meet my eyes. "Shifters are born wrong, they say. Too wild. Too unpredictable. But do they ever stop to think about what that does to a child? To grow up knowing people flinch when you lose your temper, or whisper when they see your eyes change shape?"
It was like someone slapped me. I remembered what I said that day in the throne room. “So, this is the wolf.”
Fates, no wonder she hated me. I was callous.
Needlessly cruel to hide my own insecurities.
Even after that, even with these fears she kept bottled up, she’d still helped me when I needed it, when this false world had been on fire and I couldn’t bear it.
She’d still promised to stay with me through it all despite the fact that none of this was her choice.
I was beginning to understand why my father thought she would be good for me. Evadine Faelan was resilient. Capable. Compassionate and gracious.
Everything I wasn’t.
“I don’t,” I said softly. “I don’t see you the way they do, Evadine.”
Her eyes briefly glanced up to mine, then back down again. “Maybe you don’t. Maybe your parents don’t. But I’m still being handed over, my future already signed away. And Branock, I—I don’t know how to be part of your world without giving up mine.”
She finally looked at me. There was no accusation or hatred in her eyes, only fearful resignation.
"For Shifters, it’s like there’s this—this whirlwind of emotions and desires warring inside us all the time.
I’m scared that once I do this, once I become your wife, I’ll have to force the rest of me back down.
To control myself. To make myself smaller, quieter, safer for everyone else.
What if there’s nothing left of me when this is over? "
I was already shaking my head before she finished. “Have you seen me? I’m loud. I’m angry. I’m chaotic. Do you think I’d ever want you to be anything less than what you are? You don’t have to be small with me, Evadine. You don’t have to be safe. I just…I just want you to be you.”
She let out a small scoff. “Really? You’d be fine if I bite back when I don’t agree with you? Shifted in the middle of a council meeting? Snarled when your nobles insulted me?"
“I’ve known you for mere days, and you’ve already disagreed with me at every step,” I said, offering a smile. “And maybe the nobles deserve to be snarled at from time to time.”
She stared at me, brows slightly lifted in surprise. I leaned forward without touching the glass, wishing I could reach for her as I said, “You’re sharp-tongued. Argumentative. Completely insufferable. You’re—”
“Is this supposed to make me feel better?”
“—passionate and brave and beautiful,” I said.
“I don’t want you to put your claws away.
I don’t want you to hide any part of yourself, even if it makes me want to punch a wall sometimes.
Please, Evadine. Don’t be scared. Like you said to me—we’ll get through it day by day.
Together. I won’t let you lose anything. ”
“Together,” she repeated, the sheen of tears fading from her eyes as resolution seemed to overtake her turmoil. “Okay. Okay, I—I believe you.”
I couldn’t stop my gaze from shifting to her lips when a small smile graced them. She put her hand back on the glass as if to touch me.
Crack.
The fracture on the mirror spread like a spiderweb up to the top of the glass. Evadine gasped and stepped back, yanking her hand away.
“Step away from the mirror,” she said quickly.
“Why?”
She squared her shoulders. “Because I’m getting out of here.”
I barely had time to back away before she shifted her hand into a paw, gray fur and sharp claws replacing delicate fingers. She slammed her paw into the glass, and the crack widened.
She brought her elbow back and struck again. Her lips were set in a determined line, her cheeks pink with exertion, blonde hair falling over her eyes. Those hazel eyes glowed gold with her wolf half, shining back at me with that fire of her wild nature.
Beautiful.
With one final strike, the mirror completely shattered. Glass rained down on me as her body came flying through and collided with mine. We hit the ground and rolled away from the blast until I landed on my back, her hair cascading over my neck and cheeks while her chest heaved against mine.
“Easy there, killer,” I murmured, lifting a hand to push her hair behind her ears. “You alright?”
She nodded but didn’t speak, eyes still bright and exhilarated.
I was suddenly all too aware of her body pressed into mine, her knees brushing my thigh, her shirt riding up as my other hand splayed protectively across her back.
Her skin was soft and warm against my fingertips, and I couldn’t stop myself from running them across the exposed sliver of flesh beneath her shirt.
Her breath hitched, eyes sliding down to my lips for a fraction of a second.
“We should get out of here,” she whispered.
“You first,” I said.
She dragged her bottom lip between her teeth, and it took every ounce of control not to take my thumb and pull her lip free. My heart hammered in my chest, the very air seeming to hold its breath.
She cleared her throat and carefully lifted herself off of me. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to thank the Fates or curse them.
Probably both.
It may not have been what we expected, and it definitely wasn’t our choice, but as she held her hand out to me and pulled me to my feet…all I could think was “she’s mine.”