Burned

Chapter Ten

     “We’ll need to meet back up with them soon,” Clarity sighed, pulling her thick locks back and brushing through them with her fingers. She frowned before dropping the mass back down. “Valin and Tidal. They’ll need to have everything explained to them and we’ll need to figure out how to handle them both.”

     I leaned against the back of my couch, legs stretched out and hand folded over my stomach as I watched her pace back and forth. The pale dress shimmered around her as she wore a path in the wooden floor.

     My gaze dropped aimlessly to the table, a frown fixed on my lips.

     I had screwed up royally. Telling her I loved her had been the biggest mistake I could have ever made. When I’d said it…I had expected her to just smile and lean closer or even make some snippy comment.

     She did neither. Actually, her eyes grew sad and she moved away, getting up and getting dressed before saying that we needed to figure out what to do next. Somehow, I had hoped she would return the thought, though I knew better.

     Things were only made worse by my own thoughts. I was more than a little sure that she regretted what we had done. Hell, I was almost as sure that I regretted it.

“Jack. Are you even listening to me?”

     My head lifted tiredly, arms crossed and I let out a yawn, tilting my head back before I let out a groan, covering how I was truly feeling. I didn’t need to get emotions into this mess. It was already as complicated as Hell.

     “Yes, I am. But I’ve already figured out that we have to tell them. I’m more concerned with finding the damn Ferryman and the Gate Key. Because that is going to be the fun part of this.”

     My gaze met hers sharply and she stiffened before averting her eyes. It seemed some things never really changed.

     I stood carefully, my hand closing around her wrist as I pulled her close. She let out a gasp and a string over curses and demands left her lips but I didn’t pay them any attention as I flattened my hand on the wall.

     Emry wasn’t the only one able to create doors.

     I shoved my hand through the brick, pushing into the darkness and Clarity tightened her hold on me suddenly. I wasn’t too surprised—she’d only been through the paths once and, then, she had been asleep.

     My feet connected with the smoothness of the ground, the thick blackness tightening around our bodies and pressing up closely together. Another three steps and I was pushing through another door, exiting through the castle doors.

     The Spiriten land extended before us, stretching out to the river and lake and Clarity’s steeled grip on my arm relaxed. Her eyes looked over the area and I couldn’t even begin to wonder what she was thinking about—but there was one particular question on my mind.

     How much did she remember? Or did she even remember anything from being the former Clarity. I highly doubted it, but there were a few times her expression had mirrored the original’s. And, even for a few moments, I wondered if she was indeed the original.

     “Please tell me I don’t have to go through those freaky hallways again.”

     My lips curved in a smile and I shook my head, leaning down and kissing her head. She let out a noise and glared up at me but I only smiled.

     “You eventually will,” I replied, sliding my hand into my pocket as she released my arm. “The paths are the fastest ways to travel for those who know how to use them.”