Page 113 of Dark Bonds

“Verify,” I say, the word sharp as a blade. “Every. Single. Word. Starting with Blackwood and the eredar.” My eyes narrow, shadows gathering around me like a cloak. “You mentioned Bishop. What exactly does he know and, more importantly, why does he know it?”

A flicker of hesitation crosses Valerie’s face, there and gone in an instant. “Approaching Bishop directly might be risky. He’s close to Blackwood, and if word gets back to him that we’re asking questions...”

I narrow my eyes, suspicion flaring anew. “Then we’ll be careful, but I need to hear it from someone I trust, not just you.”

Valerie sighs but nods in agreement. “There might be another way. Bishop keeps detailed records of his research. If we could access his office...”

“Breaking into a TAs office?” I can’t help but let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh in the quiet hallway. “No, I’ll ask Bishop on my own.”

“You can’t,” she yells, licking her lips. “Verify some other way.”

I tilt my head to the side, studying her. “And what if I decide you’re the real threat, Valerie?” I ask, shadows coiling around my fingers.

Valerie’s eyes meet mine, a mix of fear and acceptance in their depths. “Then you’ll do what you have to, Francesca, just like I taught you.”

I turn to leave, my mind reeling from the weight of Valerie’s revelations. Suddenly, I feel her hand grip my arm, her touch sending a jolt of ice-cold terror through my body. In an instant, I’m transported back to that pink room, helpless and afraid.

The shadows around us explode into motion, responding to my panic. They whirl and surge, forming razor-sharp tendrils that lash out at Valerie. The fluorescent lights above shatter, plunging the hallway into darkness broken only by the writhing mass of shadows.

I straighten my spine, feeling the power of the shadows thrumming through my veins. No more running, no more hiding.

As I struggle to regain control, one thought cuts through the chaos—no matter what happens next, nothing will ever be the same. The line between ally and enemy has blurred, and I’m standing on the edge of a precipice, unsure if the next step will lead to salvation or damnation.

One thing is certain—I’m done being a pawn in someone else’s game.

It’s time to become a queen.

Chapter 37

Matteo

I meltinto the shadows at the end of the hallway, a technique I’ve honed over years of training. Frankie hasn’t noticed me yet, too focused on her confrontation with Valerie. My enhanced senses pick up every word and every subtle shift in their body language. This isn’t how I planned to spend my afternoon, but when it comes to Frankie’s safety, plans tend to go out the window.

The flickering fluorescent lights cast a sickly glow, turning the worn linoleum into a grotesque chessboard of light and shadow. The air feels thick, charged with unspoken threats and ancient magic.

My heart pounds a war drum rhythm against my ribs as I watch Frankie confront Valerie, every muscle in my body coiled tight like a spring about to snap. I shouldn’t be eavesdropping like some common thief, but the protective instinct that’s been growing inside me since I first laid eyes on Frankie won’t let me leave her alone with this monster wearing human skin.

Why is she here? This is a secure campus.

The idea that she could just waltz in here makes my skin crawl.

Valerie’s voice slithers down the hall, smooth as arsenic laced honey and twice as lethal. “Francesca, please. I know I made mistakes, terrible mistakes, but I’m trying to make it right. Blackwood is the real enemy here.”

I see Frankie flinch at Valerie’s words, her shoulders hunching as if to ward off a physical blow. The shadows around her writhe and pulse, a living manifestation of her inner pain.

My fists clench at my sides, my nails elongating into claws that dig into my palms, drawing pinpricks of blood. The pain is a welcome distraction from the rage threatening to consume me.

How dare Valerie speak to her like that, as if she has any right to Frankie’s trust after the horrors she’s inflicted?

“And what makes you any better?” Frankie spits back, her voice trembling with a fury that makes my own anger pale in comparison. “You used me, Valerie. You broke me down and rebuilt me into what you wanted. How is that any different from what Blackwood’s doing?”

Pride swells in my chest, fierce and hot, at Frankie’s strength, but it’s quickly doused by a wave of guilt that threatens to drown me. Where the hell was I when all this crap was happening to Frankie? Why didn’t I do something sooner? The beast inside me snarls, demanding retribution for every moment of pain Frankie endured.

Valerie takes a step closer to Frankie, and I tense, ready to intervene, but Frankie stands her ground, the shadows around her coiling like serpents ready to strike.

“Because I’ve seen what Blackwood is truly capable of,” Valerie says, her voice cracking with genuine fear. “He isn’t just manipulating the shadow realm, Francesca. He’s trying to become a god, and he’ll destroy everything in his path to achieve it. I... I can’t let that happen, no matter what it costs me.”

I watch, my enhanced vision picking up every micro-expression, as doubt flickers across Frankie’s face.

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