Chapter 15

EMMETT

G rayson's already up when I enter the kitchen. He's leaning against the counter, one arm behind him while he rubs his forehead with his other hand.

I grab a mug and pour myself some coffee. "You're not planning on being a complete asshole to her today, right?"

Grayson's gaze flicks to me, and he pushes off the counter. "Only if that's what she requests from me."

I sip my coffee. Grayson's always wound up, but since the destruction of his world and time stream he's been nothing but angry and prissy. I just can't tell if he's angry at himself for the role he played in that unraveling of his world or angry at everyone else for it. Either way, I don't want Prue to become his punching bag.

"You don't have to break her, Grayson," I say, my voice firm. "She's already frustrated enough with her lack of progress."

"She should be. We are running out of time."

I clench my jaw, suppressing the urge to snap at him. "Just don't be a complete ass. Try to help." I rub a hand over my eyes. "I know it's a foreign concept for you, but maybe just this once, give it an actual shot."

His gaze hardens toward me, but he doesn't say anything. He knows I'm right. He needs to learn patience and especially with her. I don't say anything else and opt to carry on drinking my coffee.

Grayson's getting more agitated waiting for Prue. He's pacing across the kitchen. I'm about to tell him to sit when footsteps on the stairs pull my attention. Prue's coming down, her red-brown hair loose around her shoulders. She seems ready, but as soon as her gaze lands on Grayson, a tiny bit of hesitancy enters her eyes.

"Ready?" Grayson asks, his voice clipped.

She nods. "You coming with?" she asks me.

I wasn't planning on it, but from the nervousness in her voice and the way she is fidgeting with her hands, I can tell she wants me there. "Yeah." I place my coffee on the counter.

"Let's go then," Grayson says impatiently and leads us outside. We make our way over to the little hill we've been using as the practice grounds.

I move off to the corner, leaning against a tree while Grayson walks Prue into the middle of the grass area. He begins circling her, and I want to shout at him because how's that not being an ass? She isn't prey, and right now, he's assessing her as if she is. His eyes are focused and sharp.

"All right, Prudence," he says, his voice cold and calculated.

That was a dick move using her full name when he knows she doesn't like it. Why am I friends with this guy again?

"No more holding back. Today, you're going to willingly tap into your power, whether you like it or not."

She straightens and turns toward him. "I've been trying."

"No, you've been overthinking it. You're scared." His words are harsh.

She flinches but takes a step toward him, ready to set him straight. "I'm not—"

"You are. And that's fine. But it's stopping you from accessing your power. So today, we're going to push through that."

She swallows, and her green gaze flicks to me for a moment, as if looking for reassurance. I give her a small nod, even though my stomach's twisting into a knot. Grayson's right and she does need to break through this barrier.

But that doesn't mean I have to like how he's going about it.

"All right," Grayson says, standing directly in front of her. "Close your eyes."

She hesitates for a second before doing as he says. She takes a deep breath, her chest rising and falling slowly. Grayson's gaze is locked on her, unblinking, and the tension between them is obvious. He begins circling her again.

"I want you to find my energy," he says, his voice a low command.

"How?"

"Focus just on me." He stops and stands in front her. "Nothing else is around us. Just you and me."

He's wrong because I'm here, but it seems I don't matter.

"Focus just on me." Grayson steps closer to her, his voice dropping even lower. He cups her cheek, her eyes still closed, but she tilts her head into his hand and exhales.

"You're a Time Witch, Prue, you can pick up any energy. Remember what it looked like. You've seen it before."

He drops his hand from her face. Hers curl into fists. She flexes her fingers, then repeats the motion: closed fist, open hands, over and over. Grayson stays in front of her but doesn't touch her again.

"Prudence," he growls when she still hasn't managed. "Find me. Push through it," he says, his voice harsher. "Stop thinking about it."

"How?" she snaps, her eyes flying open and she throws her hands up.

Grayson doesn't back down. "What do I feel like?"

"What?" her voice is taken aback.

"When I touched you, what did my hand feel like?" Grayson clarifies.

She hesitates, not wanting to answer him. "Cold. Your fingers," she glances at his hand. "They're always cold."

"Find that coldness." He doesn't back down at all and he steps even closer, he is a mere few inches from her. She doesn't shut her eyes this time but focuses on him. Something begins to stir. I can see the energy shift; she extends her fingers again and reaches for Grayson but doesn't touch him. Silver threads begin to wrap around him and coax his threads towards her. I watch as the silver and purple threads intertwine and dance together. His eyes widen. She's tapped into his energy.

Her breathing's shallow, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She's on the edge.

"There you go." He grabs her hand.

"What are you doing?" Prue shoots the question out as his purple energy starts to encase her.

"Pushing back." He says and shoves again and as he does, his threads are almost a reasonable charcoal now instead of purple.

"Grayson," I interject because what this was too much

"Back off, Emmett."

Prue's breathing quickens. Grayson's not letting up. He's shoving his magic into hers, taking over her very essence. If he keeps going, she'll disintegrate, and it will be like she never existed.

"Fight me off, Prue," he says, his voice low and challenging. "Show me you're not afraid."

"Grayson, stop." She tries to remove her hand from his, but he won't let up.

I inch forward.

"Don't even think about it." Grayson's words make me pause. "She can do this." "Drive me out, Prudence."

She sags and closes her eyes. She doesn't try to remove her hand from Grayson's but grabs his other and hisses. The cold must have settled over her. It's the first sensation you get when someone has complete control over your energy, your fabric of existence.

Her jaw clenches like's she's going to snap. She opens her eyes again.

"You aren't in control," she whispers and I watch as she takes a hold of more threads and she's clouded in silver threads now.

"I am." Grayson shoves his magic out more and I have to pull up a block so that he doesn't start to pull my energy in too.

She cries out and crumbles to the floor as the second stage hits her, a stabbing, burning pain will be ripping through her entire body, making her muscles seize. The feeling is brutal.

"Push me out," Grayson repeats, standing over her while holding her hands still.

"You aren't in control," she chants.

The time streams shift, and the sharpness of the air softens.

"Get out," she grinds through her teeth.

"Fight harder."

I move behind Grayson, ready to put a stop to this. She catches my gaze, and I debate what to do here. Grayson's out of line, but she's holding her own.

"Show him what you want," I say to her and bypass Grayson, coming to crouch next to her. "What do you want him to feel?"

She doesn't answer but keeps her gaze on me for a second then focuses back on Grayson. She takes a deep breath, and the air changes around her. It's electric. And I watch as she wraps her magic over his chest and constricts it like a silver chain around him.

"Fuck," Grayson says, and his eyes widen. He lets go of her one hand and grabs his injured ribs. "Okay, enough." He breaks the hold he has on her.

She slumps back, throwing her hands behind her to support her. "What the hell was that?" Her breathing is fast, but her tone is angry.

"That's what Cole will do to you if he gets a hold of you. He will take over your energy and keep going until your existence unravels, until your time streams break." Grayson says in a matter-of-fact tone that just pisses me off.

She swallows.

"You needed to learn to fight back, and you did. You made it feel like my ribs were on fire again, you pushed your energy back into me and took control." Grayson adds and now he sounds oddly proud.

"Fine," she says through gritted teeth. "I'm done for today."

I can see the toll that using power had on her, she hasn't stood up yet, and she's bracing herself with her hands. But there's something else in her eyes too—something like determination. She did it. She tapped into her power.

Grayson edges closer to her, his voice softer now. "You're stronger than you think, Prudence. Don't forget that."

For a second, I think she's going to say something, call him out for his asshole tactics, but she just nods, her gaze still locked on his. The tension between them is still there, but it's different. Less about anger, more about something else.

I watch from the sidelines, my fists clenched at my sides. I want to interject, to say something, but I don't. This is their moment, and I won't interfere.

Grayson finally moves back, giving her space. "We'll go again tomorrow," he says, his tone firm but not harsh. "But you did well today."

She stays silent, still, but there's a smile that tugs at the corner of her lips.

Grayson turns and leaves.

I want to tell her that she did more than just ‘well.' But something stops me. Grayson's words seemed to resonate with her in a way mine never did.

"Come on." I hold my hand out for her and help her up. "Let's go for a run." "You're both trying to kill me." She huffs out a small laugh.

As much as it sucked to watch Grayson break her, seeing her put herself back together was something else. She won't need us once she's got the hang of this, and for a second, I'm not sure if I will miss her more than Grayson will.