chapter forty-seven

"Thea!" Zared rushed to Thea, and she gladly ran into his arms.

He squeezed her so tightly, yet still delicately enough that he didn't risk harming her. Her heart soared to be with him again, but she'd only missed him for the span of a day. How long had he been waiting to see her again?

"Zared, I'm sorry you had to wait so long," Thea said with her face half-buried in his fur.

"It's all right," Zared whispered in her ear, his warm breath sending a tingle across her skin. "It was worth it. You're here now. That's all that matters."

Thea pulled back a few inches, getting a good look at those eyes that always made time stand still. She felt overjoyed, her entire body buzzing with energy as she finally understood how she truly felt. He'd waited for her... She didn't want to make him wait a single day more to know how she felt about him.

"Zared, I—" Thea screamed as Lord Malik grabbed her by the hair and pulled her away from Zared's arms. In a panic, she dropped the rose, grateful it left her grip before Malik could snatch it from her.

"Thea!" Zared reached out to pull Thea back, but stopped before he could make contact.

Something cool and sharp pressed against Thea's neck, allowing her to understand why Zared hesitated. Malik had pulled a knife from his pocket, and now it was pressed up against the soft part of Thea's throat.

For the first time, Zared truly looked like an animal. His eyes went bloodshot, and his fangs glistened with a snarl as he met his father's soulless eyes. "Let her go!"

Thea didn't move, but she could feel Malik shift behind her, trying to adjust so he could reach for the rose Thea had dropped.

"Zared! Get the rose!" Thea shouted.

Zared reacted quickly, scooping up the flower before Malik could try to swipe it first. Malik swore, his sour breath turning Thea's stomach as he pressed the blade deeper against her skin. Warm blood trickled out from under the blade, but she could hardly feel the pain with all the adrenaline rushing through her blood.

"Give me the rose, beast!" Malik snapped, not afraid to draw more blood for the sake of putting on a show. "Give it to me now or she dies! "

Thea closed her eyes, clearing her mind and settling her breathing as she tried not to focus on the blade digging into her throat. She could handle this. All Zared had to do to be free was reunite Daida's broken soul.

"Zared, listen to me," Thea said calmly, unsure if her peace was coming from her mind or her lack of blood. "I need you to do something with the rose."

"Be quiet!" Malik tightened his grip on the blade, and another trickle of blood cascaded down her throat.

"Thea!" Zared tried to reach for her, but one look of warning from his father was enough to shackle him in place. The rose was already wilting in his hand, their curses repelling against each other and causing his sister's energy to fade.

I hope this still works if he does it...

"Zared, I need you to plant the rose." Thea tried to swallow, but her throat was starting to swell inside.

"What?" Zared looked so lost, his only interest was still in pulling her free from his father's hands.

"It will set us all free," Thea said, her vision growing fuzzy as the pain finally bypassed her adrenaline. "The labyrinth is the rose's roots; put it together and she'll be made whole."

"I don't understand! "

"That's enough out of you!" Malik pulled the blade back, preparing to plunge it into Thea's chest.

"Thea!"

"Do it, Zared!" Thea grabbed for Malik's hand, barely holding him back before he could spear her heart. "Now!"

Zared roared, but to Thea's relief, he plunged his claws into the dirt, tearing open a hole and sticking the stem inside. The rose was nearly brown, petals drifting off of it as the rose settled into the soil.

It's still wilting...

"I'm coming!" Thea twisted Malik's wrist, earning a cry from him and enough of an opening that she could stumble free from his grasp. Her dress was spotted with the fresh crimson, and her eyes were blurred from the pain burning along her throat, but she didn't care.

She ran for the rose. Zared's hand was still wrapped around the stem, holding it upright as Thea knelt beside him and scooped the excess soil over the exposed rose end. She gripped the stem with Zared, their eyes locking as warmth flooded their hands. The rose perked up, filling with life and color as it grew brighter and brighter.

"No!" Malik ran for Thea, his dagger held high and ready. Thea covered her head, but Zared let out a deafening roar, that caused Malik to stagger back until the light of the rose was too bright for anyone to see at all.

Everything started shaking; the floors, the walls, and even Zared's hand quaked beside hers.

"What's happening?" Zared asked, reaching out for Thea blindly until his hand found her free one. Thea gripped it tightly, keeping her eyes shut as white light enveloped every inch of the cavern.

"You told me not to come back without a way out," Thea said, having to raise her voice over the sound of the crumbling tunnels. "I think it's time we both leave."