64. Chapter 64

Chapter sixty-four

A t Astreas screech, Nik released the magic he was using to hold his friends in place. He hadn't wanted to use it on Haven because he knew she would figure out it was him but when she almost escaped the hold of her captor, he had to.

Nik knew that Delroy would also figure out what he had done, and likely already had, but his friend would understand. Delroy knew almost all of the dark thoughts that ran through Niks head, his happiest moments, the saddest ones and the one thing he truly wanted out of life. As soon as Nik held a force of air in front of his friend to keep him from fighting back, Nik knew it was only a matter of time before Delroy understood what was going on.

The fake magic restricting ropes around his wrists dug into his skin as he thrashed, trying to get the bag off of his head. He could no longer hear Havens screaming and it was thoroughly unsettling.

As much as he hadn't wanted to be the cause of her anguished screams he'd take being able to hear it over the eerie silence that now greeted him.

Using his enhanced fae hearing, he picked up her heartbeat out of the pack. He'd spent a lot of time simply listening to it so he could easily tell its unique rhythm from the others. Hearing its faint but steady beat caused relief to wash over Nik.

I'm sorry

He apologized to her at least a hundred times in his mind, unable to speak the words aloud. As he was hauled up and off the ground, bag still preventing him from taking her in one last time, all he could think was,

I'm so sorry

He repeated it over and over in his head, though he knew it would never be enough.