✓ | Curse Breaker ⋆ Julian Blackthorn [1]

xxiv. TO BELONG TOGETHER

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CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: TO BELONG TOGETHER

❛you are so loved.❜

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Culminating shadows bowed to the feminine touch of the moon, caressing the heart that was splintered by the remaining visions of death.

Zoya had never in a million years thought she would witness the day when her parabatai would have her hands completely tied and her body surrendered to the united wrath of demons and the sea. It was, perhaps, why she couldn't pry away the vivid images of Emma's hair forming a melted golden crown around her head. It was why she couldn't erase the invasive reminders of the way her chest shook as it struggled for air, lungs left to adjust to the weight of water that filled their every crevice. It was why she couldn't forbid the immortal symphony of Emma's powerless cries and strangled chokes from entering her ears. It was why she couldn't forget the cold touch of Emma's fingers as she tried to put an iratze on her ashen skin and pull her away from the darkness that was threatening to swallow her whole.

Zoya was in an eternal debt to Julian Blackthorn, for he was the one who had so selflessly arrived at the scene and helped Zoya save her parabatai. It was all a blur to the Caldwell girl; one moment she was smiling at Emma and the other, she was staring in Julian's blue-green eyes and following him underwater. Together, they had successfully destroyed the remaining demons and located Emma.

To say that it wasn't an easy task would have been a terrible understatement. A whole army of shapeless creatures waited on them, burying Emma under thousands of layers of the ruthless ocean and relieving her of air. Zoya and Julian didn't hesitate; their weapons casted a brilliant wave of silver across the water medium, turning it into a pool of light.

Everything that followed after was A bitter ache. Ache that was embedded deeply in their bones, permeating their bloodstreams and wrapping itself around their fragile hearts. It was all Zoya and Julian felt as they carried their friend to the Institute. All Zoya could focus on as held her sister in her arms and uttered comforting words in her ear.

Time slowed down for them when they reached the Institute's ground.

After begging Julian to stay outside of Emma's room and wait for Zoya, the two girls had retracted into the safety of the blonde's chambers. The blue-eyed girl had taken it upon herself to help Emma change out of her wet gear and into a warm sweatsuit. She found an additional blanket on the very bottom of Emma's closet, throwing it over her friend and telling her to try to rest.