Page 76 of Radiant Shadows

Part of me felt that I already had, but that was nearly impossible. Arya still had feelings for me the last time I saw her, so it couldn’t have happened yet. Plus, as close as I was, truly falling in love with Arya might still take a bit of time. People didn’t change overnight.

Either way, I was anxious to see her.

I was ready to tell her everything. I would tell her about my father’s assignment when she first arrived at the Dome. That I’d been tasked with befriending her to find out if she was the siren from the prophecy, but that she truly had become my friend.

I’d tell her that my father wanted me to seduce her to get the information, but I’d grown real feelings for her.

I would tell her that my father then ordered me to cut ties with her, but I’d asked her to be my girlfriend instead. I hoped the latter would redeem me from all my former transgressions and lies at the beginning of our relationship.

I would tell her about the curse. That it prevented me from allowing myself to fall too deeply for her—because I was terrified. And that it had driven my behavior more than I’d like to admit. I hadn’t always treated her the way I should. And I wasn’t proud of it. I would apologize for all of it, lay my heart on the table for her to either butcher or keep.

And then...I would tell her that I’d gone to Shea, her trusted friend, who had finally lifted the curse.

Not just for me, but for my entire family.

I made a mental note to call Mom later, even if I needed to be realistic about the timing of my parent’s situation. Lifting the curse wouldn’t change Arthur’s personality, but I knew he had a heart under all that pride and arrogance. He loved me andTamara in his own way, and he had respect for Octavia. It just might take a little bit of time for thelovepart to happen.

As soon as I entered the vault door, I went in search of Arya. I held firm to the invisible tether that kept me bound to her and let it pull me to her. I could finally be the protector the imprint demanded of me. I could be everything she needed me to be. I could—

My thoughts and my body came to a halt at once as I came onto the lawn and turned to the crowd of students toward the left.

One of the greenhouses had been reduced to a pile of wreckage. Glass and structure scattered and smashed. Limp greens and dirt peppered the obvious destruction. It looked like an ursa had a tantrum.

Whatever happened, I was distracted from my linear thinking and walked up to Mr. Sharp, who embraced a clearly upset Mrs. Sharp.

“It was an ursa,” said Shawn—a dragon who often sparred with me in defense. He stood gawking at the scene.

“Figured,” I said. “Who was it?”

Shawn shrugged. “A new one, clearly.”

I scoffed in agreement. Ursas could be volatile. It wasn’t exactly noteworthy, just presented an issue for the teachers to prevent future property damage.

An irrational fear shot through my heart—could Arya have been close when it happened?

No, if Arya had been hurt, I’d have sensed it. I hated that she was always my first concern when faced with news of an accident, especially when the facts proved otherwise. It was maddening.

And the imprint wasn’t leading me here. It was tugging me toward the southern end of the Dome, likely the Defense Room. I’d had enough of this distraction, so I left without a word and followed the tug.

When I’d gotten halfway across the lawn, I caught sight of the silky dark hair exiting the back door of the Defense Room.

Her name stuck in my throat, and my palms felt clammy as my pace stalled to stop. I was nervous to see her. Everything that had happened and everything I planned to say in the next few minutes had my stomach twisting into knots. So much had changed, and she had no idea about any of it.

Swallowing loudly, I clenched my fists, then took a deep breath. I had no idea how she would take my confessions, but I also planned to tell her that I was falling in love with her. I hoped that would soften the blow of everything else.

“Arya!” I finally called, the smile on my face genuine and big—and borderline giddy.

She stopped her stride toward the main building and stiffened. A jolt of trepidation shot through me, and I met her in a few quick strides.

Something’s wrong.

When she turned to face me, the expression she wore was the last I ever wanted to see on her face. It was full of grief and fury, and I somehow knew it was there for me.

Her hand whipped across my cheek before I knew what happened, thesmackechoing off the glass dome. Orange and purple flashes zinged my vision for a split second, but the resounding sting of my skin was nothing compared to the jab in my heart.

I recovered quickly but instinctively rubbed my cheek as tears rolled down either side of Arya’s beautiful face.

Thewrongnessof this situation wedged itself between my ribs.

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