He'd cast that spell. Bound them– mind to mind. He couldn't read her thoughts but he could talk to her and feel what she felt.
She was fast asleep right now, he could tell. The link where their minds were bound together were calm on either side, compared to a few hours ago when he'd felt her pain and emotions slam into him like a brick.
Migraines, Caroline had told him when she was holding him prisoner in the armory. ( She was Emma's ''friend'' apparently. Kai didn't buy it.) Anything could trigger the memories, she'd said. So be careful. It's...painful.
He'd had a glimpse at that just minutes ago.
And where the fuck was her husband when she needed him? Couldn't he bother to at least tell her where he was going? Why the fuck did she even marry him in the first place?
Every inch of her was hurting and all she could care about was that damn dog.
Couldn't Caroline– Emma's "friend"– be there? He was shocked to learn that Emma was close with the twins. That had made him rethink his plan to kidnap them. But, since Alaric had the audacity to lock him up, Kai figured he could at least get the old man's heart racing with panic.
The plan had failed but hey...points for trying, right?
He'd felt a surge of burning anguish and quiet sobs fill his mind right after. He would've thought that his years in hell had toughened him up. Immune to any empathy he'd adapted to since his merge.
But one pained echo of her voice and he was reaching for her.
And he would've gone to her. He would've gone to her if it wasn't for-
" There you are," she crooned, lips pulling back in a grin that Kai absolutely, utterly, hated.
" You can't summon me every time you're bored," said Kai, teeth clenching. " I don't work for you. Or anyone else."
" Oh, but, don't you?" Sybil replied sweetly.
Kai glared at her.
Hell was cold. Never-ending. You'd wake up everyday hoping the torture would end but it never did.
The souls locked in there would give anything to get out. And so had Kai.
The gate was wide open. And Cade wasn't looking. Kai was going to slip out. He almost had, when a low feline voice sang to him. Telling him that he needed to take her with him. That he wouldn't survive outside without her.
And so his foolish, controlled, weak mind had obeyed.
" It isn't fair, is it?" she pouted. " Only one of us getting benefits out of the deal we made together."
Only problem was that Kai no longer was in his semi-ghost form. He'd made a deal that Cade couldn't refuse. But that left Sybil all alone wandering around like a ghost. Literally.
" We made no deal," snapped Kai.
" You manipulated me. And now you're weaker in this form. Figure it out for yourself."
In the other part of his mind, he could feel a wave of unease. Emma was waking up. And if he had to guess he'd say that she was still in a little pain.
Still there? Kai? Her voice was low with the shadows of sleep still lacing it.
" Such anger," said Sybil. She began saying something but then angled her head in confusion. " You're hiding something. Fess up."
Kai choked on a laugh. " You don't command me, Sybil. You never will. Don't call me again." With that he turned his back on her. But he could've sworn he could feel the anger radiating off the Siren.
Her voice turned icy, like the rivers of hell. " I will find what you're hiding, Kai. And I will destroy it piece by piece until I get what I want."
He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of spending another minute talking to her. Kai left. And when he was far away, he said into his mind, into that safe space,
I'm here.
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