29. Thorne

29

THORNE

The transition from Caine's icy magick to Violet's dream world is jarring. One moment, I'm shivering uncontrollably, my body shutting down from a demonically-induced hypothermia, and the next, I'm standing in an opulent gothic mansion. The air here is heavy, oppressive, and tinged with an underlying current of fear and despair.

I take a moment to orient myself, reaching out with my senses to try to locate Violet. There's a faint pull, like a thread connecting us, and I follow it deeper into the mansion. As I move through the rooms, I notice how the decor seems to shift and warp, reality bending in impossible ways. This place is a manifestation of Nathaniel's twisted psyche—a trap designed to break Violet's spirit.

I find her in the kitchen, on her hands and knees, in that same dress she arrived at MistHallow in, scrubbing an already spotless floor. The sight of her like this, reduced to a subservient doll, makes my blood boil. Nathaniel stands in the doorway, watching her with a predatory gaze.

"Violet," I call out, but she doesn't react. It's as if she can't hear or see me.

Nathaniel, however, turns to face me, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Ah, the Dark Fae noble comes to the rescue. How touching."

I ignore him, focusing on Violet. I crouch down beside her, trying to catch her eye. "Violet, can you hear me? It's Thorne. I'm here to help you."

She continues scrubbing mechanically, her eyes vacant. Nathaniel laughs, the sound grating on my nerves.

"She can't hear you, boy. She's mine, blood, body and soul. Your pathetic attempts to reach her are useless."

I stand, facing Nathaniel with barely contained rage. "You underestimate her, and you underestimate me."

With a wave of my hand, I send a blast of shadow magick at him. I'm not surprised that it passes right through him, but a Dark Fae has to try.

He smirks. "This is my domain, Dark Fae. Your magick has no power here."

Of course it wouldn't be that easy. I turn back to Violet, wracking my brain for a way to break through to her .

"Violet! Snap out of this now!"

Okay, so yelling at her isn't the best move I've ever come up with, but having someone completely ignore you is desperately frustrating. Suddenly, the scene shifts, and we are in a ballroom. Nathaniel is dancing with Violet. She is moving, but her eyes are still dead.

"Violet, come on," I urge her. "This isn't where you are supposed to be. Remember fate, destiny, soulmates. That is all back at MistHallow, not here."

Nothing.

Nathaniel laughs at me.

The scene shifts again, and suddenly, we're in a study. Violet is chained, suspended in midair, her face a mask of calm acceptance even as her body shows signs of torture. The sight makes my stomach churn.

"You see?" Nathaniel says, circling Violet like a predator. "This is what she needs. Structure. Discipline. Something you and your little friends could never provide."

"You're wrong," I growl, watching her silently screaming as he tortures her. I'm unable to do anything. Reaching out to her, my hand passes through her.

But then, I start to get an understanding. She can touch him, and he can touch her. This is up to Violet to hurt him, to break free.

She drops to the ground, and Nathaniel strokes her hair possessively. I feel sick watching this twisted display.

"That's my good girl," he croons. "You understand now, don't you? Those boys at the academy, they can never have you. You're mine, Violet. Forever and always."

I see a flicker of something in Violet's eyes—a spark of defiance. It's brief, but it gives me hope. She's still in there, still fighting.

"Violet," I say urgently, crouching down to her level. "I know you can hear me. This isn't real. You're stronger than this. Remember who you are."

For a moment, nothing happens. Then, with monumental effort, Violet turns her head slightly, her gaze meeting mine. "Thorne?" she whispers.

"No!" Nathaniel snarls, grabbing Violet's chin roughly. "Look at me, little flower. Only at me."

But the connection has been made. I can feel our bond strengthening, pushing back against Nathaniel's control.

"That's it, Violet," I encourage. "Fight him. We're waiting for you back at MistHallow. We need you to come back to us. Only you can break free of this. Only you can hurt him. Fight. Violet. Fight."

Violet's eyes widen, a flicker of recognition passing through them. She blinks rapidly as if waking from a deep sleep. "Thorne?" she says again, her voice stronger this time.

Nathaniel roars in anger, his grip on Violet's chin tightening. The room around us warps and twists, reality bending under the force of his rage. "No! She's mine!"

But Violet is fighting now, struggling against his hold. "Let go of me," she growls, her fangs elongating as her vampire nature surfaces.

I feel a surge of pride seeing her resist. "That's it, Violet. Show him who you really are. Hurt him."

With a burst of strength, Violet breaks free of Nathaniel's grip. She stumbles back, putting distance between them. Her eyes are clear now, focused.

"This isn't real," she says, her voice shaky but gaining strength. "You don't control me, Nathaniel."

Nathaniel's face contorts with fury. He lunges for Violet, but she darts away, faster than I've ever seen her move.

"You can't escape me, little flower," Nathaniel snarls. "Our bond is unbreakable."

"Maybe," Violet says, standing tall despite her fear. "But that doesn't mean I have to submit to you."

I move closer, positioning myself strategically to help her. "Hurt him, Violet. Find a stake?—"

I'm cut short by Nathaniel's rage. He flings his hand out at me, and I go flying backwards, crashing into the desk, but he has played right into my hands. "Violet!" I rasp, catching my breath and reaching out for a piece of shattered wood.

Violet's eyes lock onto the jagged piece of wood in my hand. Understanding flashes across her face.

"No!" Nathaniel roars, lunging towards her.

But Violet is faster. She is a blur as she approaches me. She snatches the makeshift stake from my grip and whirls to face Nathaniel. As he reaches for her, she drives the stake deep into his chest with no hesitation.

Nathaniel's eyes go wide with shock and pain. He staggers back, looking down at the wood protruding from his body. "No," he grunts.

"Yes," Violet hisses.

The room around us disintegrates, reality crumbling as Nathaniel's control weakens. He falls to his knees, black blood oozing from the wound.

"This isn't over, little flower," he hisses. "You can't escape me forever."

"Watch me," Violet snarls.

With a final, agonised scream, Nathaniel bursts into ash. The mansion trembles and shakes, walls crumbling around us.

I grab Violet's hand, now fully corporeal. "We need to go. Now."

She nods, squeezing my hand tightly. As the dream world collapses, I feel a tugging sensation, pulling us back to reality.

There's a moment of disorientation, and then I'm jolting awake, bolting upright on the bed. Beside me, Violet gasps, and her eyes fly open.

"Violet!" Flint exclaims, immediately at her side. "Are you okay?"

She blinks rapidly, looking around the room as if to confirm where she is. "I'm here," she says shakily. "It worked. We fought him off."

I nod, still feeling the lingering effects of Caine's ice magick. "You did," I pant, struggling to breathe as my lungs defrost.

Caine approaches, his expression dark and a little bit frightening. "What happened in there?"

Violet shivers, wrapping her arms around herself. "It was horrible. He had me trapped in this nightmare version of his mansion. He was trying to break me, to make me submit to him completely. I think it was on a loop. He was going to… going to… trying to get me into bed, but I defied him, and it reset the loop. I staked him. Killed him."

"You fought back, and it weakened his hold on you, Violet. You are so strong."

She flings her arms around me, nuzzling my neck. "Thank you. Thank you for coming for me, for helping me."

I wrap my arms around Violet, holding her close as she trembles against me. "Of course I came for you," I murmur into her hair. "We'll always come for you."

"You're safe now," Flint says gently, placing a hand on her lower back.

Caine nods in agreement. "That bastard can't hurt you again."

Violet takes a shaky breath, pulling back slightly to look at us all. "Thank you," she whispers. "I don't know what I'd do without you guys."

"You don't have to find out," I say. "We're not going anywhere."

She gives a weak smile .

"You should rest," Caine says. "That was an intense ordeal."

Violet nods, exhaustion clear on her face. As she settles back against the pillows, I can see the lingering fear in her eyes. Whatever happened in that dream world has left its mark, and I have the unsettling feeling that not all is as it seems.