Soul Ties

Chapter 53: Giving Everything Just To Feel Something

I swim to the ledge. Thankfully, the dome has been left open for me and I wonder if Seren did it or if someone else had. When my feet touch the floor, the dome starts to close, but I continue my path to the door. I know I have to wait till the water is completely drained to open it or else water will pour into the stairs. Finally, when everything is settled, I twist the knob but almost fall inside when the door is ripped from my hand.

Scorpius catches me before I hit the floor, my head falling against his pounding chest. His heartbeat is erratic against my ear. Wrapping his arms around me, he lifts me and runs up the stairs with me until we're back in our home. Kicking the door shut with such a loud slam that it makes me flinch, I close my eyes against him waiting for him to start yelling. But the yelling never starts, even when he sits down with me still in his arms on the glittering couch.

We stay like that for a moment, me in his arms and his chest frantically moving up and down against my face. His skin is scorching and I know it's out of fear. How long has he been awake since I left? I hope it wasn't as soon as I walked out of the room because I already couldn't handle the guilt I felt.

"You promised," he finally says, his voice more broken than I was anticipating. Normally it would tug at my heart, but I feel too numb.

"I'm sorry."

He embraces me a little tighter against him, dipping his head to my forehead and brushing his lips along my skin. The feeling doesn't quite stir something inside me and it feels faint. It's like this love is trying to battle with the sorrow buried within me, and sadly it's losing.

Scorpius moves me into a sitting position on his lap. I can't make myself look at him so I keep my eyes on his leg. He places his hand on my waist to support me from falling back, but the way my shoulders are slumped over, I doubt that'd be possible. My body is basically caving in on itself.

With his other hand, he lifts my chin up to look at him. I give in, noticing the intensity burning behind his eyes and the pained expression he's wearing. It feeds the disappointment I already have brewing in myself. Another person to hurt and all without barely lifting a finger. When were things supposed to get easier?

"You've been crying," he observes, running the back of his hand along my swollen eyes. I try to move my face away but he grabs my chin, gently forcing me to look back at him. "Tell me nothing happened to you before I go out there and rip out the spine of whoever made you cry."

"I did it to myself." Which isn't really a lie. If I hadn't gone out to see the tree house's in the first place, I never would've seen Seren and that whole conversation wouldn't have happened. "Can I ask you something?" I sniffle.

"Just ask me. You don't always have to ask if you can ask me a question."

I nod. "What does the protective bond feel like for you?"

He leans deeper into the couch, pulling me closer to him and resting my shoulder against his arms. I sink into him when his thumb rubs circles on my waist, the comfort of it penetrating my sadness a little.

"It's like when you've been warm the entire time and suddenly you're freezing. And you know the only way to light the fire inside you again is to hold them close. Like they're your personal sun. Like a piece of you is out there and you'd give anything to put that missing piece back. I knew the moment you left because I couldn't sit still. I told you before that being around you makes me comfortable. But when you left there was this ringing sound in my ears that just wouldn't shut up. I heard it before when we were back on Ocura. That's why I was searching for you everywhere.

I can't focus with that ringing. And the only thing that quiets it down completely is you. Your scent. Your skin. Even hearing your breath in the same room brings the ringing to a complete halt. I honestly don't know how I'll manage without you around because the sound is insufferable, almost enough to drive someone completely insane."