The Wisteria Accond

Chapter Twenty-seven

We continued our journey, the unease between us growing stronger. Every step felt like a countdown, every day a reminder that we were running out of time. The Void's hold on Ashen was growing, and I could see the toll it was taking on him. His movements were slower, more labored, and there were moments when he seemed to slip away entirely, lost in some dark place I couldn't reach.

On the fifth day, it happened.

We were making our way through a dense forest, the air thick with humidity and the scent of earth and leaves. Ashen was walking ahead of me, his eyes scanning the trees for any sign of danger, but I could tell something was off. He hadn't spoken in hours, and his usually fluid movements were stiff, mechanical.

Suddenly, he stopped.

"Ashen?" I called out, my voice tentative. He didn't respond. His head was lowered, and I could see the tension radiating off him in waves.

I took a step closer, reaching out to touch his arm, but before I could make contact, he turned on me, his eyes wild and unrecognizable. They were black—darker than I had ever seen them before, swirling with the unmistakable influence of the Void.

"Ashen!" I gasped, backing away, fear spiking through my veins. "What's happening?"

He didn't answer. Instead, he took a step toward me, his expression twisted with pain and something else—something darker, more dangerous. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

For a terrifying moment, I thought he might attack me.

But then, just as quickly as it had come, the darkness receded. His eyes flickered, the black fading away as he crumpled to his knees, clutching his head in his hands.

I rushed to him, kneeling beside him as he struggled to regain control. "Ashen, I'm here. It's okay."

He shook his head, his voice barely a whisper. "No... It's not okay. I'm losing it, Kiera. I can't—" His voice cracked, and for the first time, I saw the fear in his eyes. "I almost hurt you."

Tears pricked at my eyes, but I blinked them away, refusing to let them fall. "But you didn't. You fought it. You're stronger than this, Ash."

He shook his head, his breathing still ragged. "I don't know how much longer I can fight it."

I wrapped my arms around him, holding him close, feeling his body tremble against mine. "You're not alone in this," I whispered. "I'm not going to let you go. Not now. Not ever."

For a long moment, Ashen didn't say anything. He just held me, his grip tight, as if afraid I might slip away. His breath was ragged, his muscles tense under my touch, and I could feel his desperation—his fear. It was a silent battle, one I couldn't fully understand but could feel every pulse of in his trembling body. He was fighting, not just the Void, but himself, terrified of what was happening inside him.

His head was buried against my shoulder, and I held him as tightly as I could, whispering reassurances into the cool night air. "I'm here, Ash. You're not alone. We'll get through this."

But as the words left my mouth, I felt something shift. His breathing grew shallow, rapid, and his body went rigid against me. My heart pounded in sudden panic as I pulled back slightly to look at him.

His eyes—no longer soft, no longer glowing with warmth—had gone completely black.

"Ashen..." My voice wavered, but I couldn't hide the fear in it. "No. Please, stay with me."

He didn't respond. His gaze was empty, cold. There was no trace of the man I had come to know, come to care for—only the Void.

"Ashen!" I tried again, my hands gripping his shoulders. But he wasn't there. Not anymore.

And then, in a blur of movement, he lunged at me.

I barely had time to react. One moment, we were standing close, and the next, his body slammed into mine, sending us both crashing to the ground. My back hit the earth with a painful thud, and I gasped as the wind was knocked out of me. Ashen hovered over me, his hands gripping my arms with a strength I had never felt from him before. His face was twisted with rage—or perhaps, pure, mindless instinct.

My heart raced in my chest, fear clawing at my throat as I stared up at him. "Ashen, please!" I begged, my voice cracking. "Come back to me!"

But there was no recognition in his eyes.

Justdarkness.