Land of Light and Shadows

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Jai watched as Lyv gripped the grimoire in both hands, staring down at the spell that would allow the two of them to share her darkness together. She tried to tell herself that everything would be fine. They would do this and get through it together.

But she began to shake then, lips pursed before pulling down into a frown.

Placing his hands on her shoulders, Jai smoothed them up along her neck before cradling her face, making her look up at him. "You have no idea how proud I am of you right now, Lyv, and how much I have been since the day I met you. You've been strong for so long, dealing with all of this on your own...but now you don't have to anymore. Because you have me, just like you always have, but I'll be able to be here for you in another way."

Lyv nodded in his hold, breath hitching. "I know that," she told him...and then continued on in a rush as her panic rose her throat. "No...I change my mind...I don't know if I can do this. I can't do this to you, Jai. I can't ask this of you."

"You're not asking, though."

Her emerald eyes flashed green fire that blazed brightly. "We don't know what will happen during the process. Corliss...she didn't say much on the subject in her journal. Did Meron go fully dark just like she and I did in the beginning? What if...what if you disappear, too, and go off on your own? What if I can't help you reign it in? I remember how it was, Jai, even though I wasn't the one controlling my body. I can't do that to you. I can't..."

In an effort to silence her, Jai swooped down and kissed her gently. She let out a whimper, moving closer and pressing the grimoire between them.

"I trust you with everything I have, Lyv. You can do this. We can do this."

"You sure?"

"Why are you still asking?"

"Because..."

"Because you're hoping I'll change my mind."

"Maybe?"

"Lyv."

"Jai."

"I love you."

"And I love you, too. You know that."

"I do and I know it's one of the reasons you don't want to do this...and yet you know we need to."

Nodding, Lyv took a step back from him, though he didn't seem to like that. She dropped to her knees, pulling Jai down to his in front of her, and both of them stared at the text in her grasp. Still hesitant, she lay the grimoire in the sand beside them, keeping the page with the transfer spell open.

"So, what do we have to do?" he asked her, trying to keep his own voice from shaking.

"You don't have to do anything. This is all me. But it's as simple as joining hands and simply reciting the spell. The wording...I can't even begin to translate it into the common tongue, yet I still understand what it says. When I do it, it's our mating bond that will be the link between us, allowing for me to share the dark magic with you. Once I do it, all of it can't be transferred into one of us at a time...unless that link is severed."

Severed...by death. It didn't have to be said aloud. Of course, they both knew this, even before reading Corliss's journal and knowing how she went fully dark.

Corliss's handwritten note along the edge of the page glared up at Lyv.

Those who harbor the dark magic have the chance to share it with another – their mate. Their bond acts as a tether...interesting, though it must be hard to know what they will go through.