Page 107 of Dark Bonds

I watch as Frankie’s expression cycles through surprise, hurt, and finally a determined curiosity that I recognize all too well. Her fingers drum against the puzzle box, a rhythm that speaks of barely contained energy. “And when were you planning on telling the rest of us about this?” she asks, her voice as tight as a bowstring.

“We wanted to have more information first,” I explain hastily, feeling like I’m trying to catch smoke with my bare hands. “We wanted to be sure before we got anyone’s hopes up.”

Frankie nods slowly, but I can see the walls going up behind her eyes, brick by brick. “Right. Well, don’t let me keep you from your secret mission planning.”

She turns to leave, but I reach out, gently catching her arm. The warmth of her skin against my fingers sends a jolt through me, like touching a live wire. “Frankie, wait. Please.”

She pauses, looking back at me with a mixture of emotions I can’t quite decipher—a tempest barely contained behind those fierce eyes.

“I know I have a lot to make up for,” I say, my voice rougher than I’d like. Gods, how do I make her understand? The weight of my mistakes feels like it’s crushing me. “Frankie, I... I’ve been such a fool. I thought I was protecting you, but all I did was push you away, and now...” I trail off, the words sticking in my throat like tar. “But I want you to know that everything I’m doing—becoming a guardian, this mission with Cass—it’s all to keep you safe… to keep all of you safe, even if it means sacrificing everything I am.”

Frankie’s expression softens slightly, like the sun breaking through storm clouds. “I understand, Bishop. I do. It’s just... a lot to process. How can I trust that there aren’t more secrets waiting to be uncovered? How can I trust that you won’t shatter me all over again?”

I nod, releasing her arm and immediately missing the contact. “Take all the time you need. When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here. No more secrets, I promise, even if it kills me.”

As Frankie walks away, the puzzle box clutched to her chest like a shield, I feel a mix of hope and trepidation. The path ahead is fraught with danger and uncertainty, but for the first time in a long while, I feel like I’m moving in the right direction.

Have I just pushed her further into the darkness I’m trying to protect her from? The thought chills me more than any shadow beast ever could.

Cass sidles up next to me, her excitement palpable in the air between us. “So, shall we go over the mission details? I have some fascinating theories about the shadow fluctuations!”

I take one last look at Frankie’s retreating form before turning to Cass with a nod. “Yes, let’s, but first, we need to talkabout how we’re going to involve the others. No more secrets, Cass. It’s time we all worked together.”

As we walk toward my car, I feel the weight of the guardian’s medallion in my pocket. It’s a reminder of the oath I’m about to take, not just to the shadow realm, but to Frankie and all those I’ve let down. This time, I won’t fail them.

The future is uncertain, but for the first time in a long while, I feel ready to face whatever challenges it may bring.

The shadows seem to pulse around us, as if the night is alive with possibility... and danger. Somewhere in the depths of my soul, I feel an answering call—a siren song of power and sacrifice that threatens to consume me entirely.

Chapter 34

Frankie

The harsh buzzof my alarm slices through the darkness, jolting me awake. My heart races, a frantic drumbeat against my ribs.

Today’s the day—another meeting with Professor Blackwood. As I drag myself out of bed, my stomach twists and churns, a writhing mass of shadow beasts clawing at my insides.

I catch my reflection in the mirror as I get ready. Dark circles ring my eyes, revealing restless nights filled with swirling darkness and cryptic whispers. My fingers trace the outline of Bishop’s puzzle box on my nightstand, its intricate patterns seeming to writhe beneath my touch. Next to it sits the coffee mug Leo gave me, emblazoned with an awful pun that still makes me smile. Matteo’s protection charm gleams softly in the dim light, while the ancient tome from Dorian lies open, its pages filled with lore I’m only beginning to understand. Each gift is a reminder of the bonds we’ve forged and the secrets still left uncovered.

Should I open Bishop’s box? I don’t know if I’m ready to know what’s inside.

I shake off the thought, the cool metal of the box lingering on my fingertips. One mystery at a time. Right now, I need to focus on Blackwood.

As I pull my jacket on, a chill runs down my spine. For a split second, I swear I catch a whiff of Valerie’s perfume—that sickly sweet scent that used to make me feel safe, but now just makes me want to puke. I shake it off.

Get it together, Frankie. She’s not here. She can’t hurt you anymore.

The campus is super quiet this early, and the mist is making everything damp and creepy. The urge to share my worries with my packmates is almost overwhelming. Leo’s easy smile and Matteo’s steady presence flash through my mind, a balm to my frayed nerves, but no—I need to handle this on my own. I’ve relied on others for too long.

Time to face the shadows head-on, Francesca. You’re not that helpless girl anymore.

The heavy wooden door to Blackwood’s office looms before me, more imposing than ever. The grain of the wood seems to twist into faces, watching and judging. I take a deep breath, the scent of old books and something darker filling my lungs. My hand trembles as I raise it to knock, but I force it steady.

“Come in,” Blackwood calls out. His voice gives me the creeps, like always.

As I cross the threshold, something feels off. The air is heavy, and I’m getting major bad vibes. Something’s different, dangerously so.

New artifacts crowd his already cluttered shelves, their surfaces carved with eldritch symbols that seem to writhe and twist when I try to focus on them. Just looking at them makes my eyes burn and my head spin, as if my mind is rejecting what it sees.

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