Page 69 of Fated for Flames

It was a grueling process.

By the end of it, Rafe looked exhausted while Theo sagged to the floor, his willingness to fight apparently drained out of him completely. His eyes were distant and lost as he mumbled my name.

“Yes,” I responded gently, crouching beside him. My hand hovered over his arm before I allowed myself to offer some comfort with a tender caress.

“I’m…I’m so sorry,” he muttered, sounding so small and broken.

I offered him a small smile, hoping it would give him some comfort.

“It’s okay, Theo,” I reassured him gently. “I knew it wasn’t really you.”

“How could I have said those things to you?” His voice was barely above a whisper.

Catching his breath, Rafe placed a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, Theo. But first, we need to make sure you’re all right.”

Theo ran a hand through his hair, a gesture I recognized as a sign of his distress. “I can’t believe I turned on you like that. After everything we’ve been through…”

“It’s not your fault,” I repeated firmly. “They manipulated you. We’ll make them pay for what they’ve done.”

Once Chad and Ryker left, Lucien cleared his throat, drawing our attention. “As much as I’d love to see them pay, we need to tread carefully. The Luminary matriarch is clearly behind this, maybe even the elders. They are powerful, and I’m sure they’ve been planning this for a while.”

I nodded. “So what’s the plan?”

Lucien exchanged a look with Rafe before speaking. “We need to gather more information, be ready for any retaliation, and find a way to break the binding on your magic once and for all.”

“And what about Theo?” I asked, glancing at my friend, who still looked shaken.

My fears spilled out about the potential backlash if they discovered Theo’s restored state. Lucien was right, we needed to tread carefully.

Taking a seat, we filled Theo in on our suspicions, what had happened with Lia siphoning my magic, and the potential larger scheme. He agreed to continue playing the part without question.

I felt a mix of relief and heartache as I watched Theo try to piece together the fragments of his memory. It was horrifying to see someone you cared about being controlled and manipulated like this. But he was resilient, and I knew he would overcome this.

“I’ll work on reversing the spell’s effects,” Rafe chimed in. “It may take some time, but I’m confident we can undo the damage that’s been done to Theo, and he’ll be able to get his memory back and tell us who did this to him.”

Theo looked up, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. “Thank you. All of you.”

I gave his arm a gentle squeeze, offering him a reassuring smile. “We’re in this together, Theo. No secrets. We’re going to take Lia and the matriarch down, once and for all.”

The determination in my voice seemed to bolster Theo’s spirits, and he nodded resolutely. “I’m with you, Evelyn. Whatever it takes.”

Theo left, leaving me with Rafe and Lucien. It was a relief knowing he was safe, but it was also heartbreaking not being able to openly be friends with him during this time. I would miss having him by my side until everything was resolved.

Once he was gone, I turned back to face Lucien and Rafe. With a shaky breath, I stepped toward Lucien and threw my arms around him. His body stiffened for a moment, the potionmaster clearly taken aback by my sudden display of affection. But then he relaxed into the hug, wrapping his arms around me in a firm but gentle hold.

“Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” he grumbled into my hair. “This is…”

I looked up at him. “It’s not nothing. Many wouldn’t do anything to help others in need. I was scared when I first came here and you have been nothing but supportive. You dismiss all my compliments. Maybe you don’t like to be complimented. But I want you to know how much I appreciate the fact that you keep helping me when I’m in trouble.”

I felt him stiffen slightly at my words, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he held me tighter for a moment before finally letting go.

Next was Rafe. As I moved toward him, he opened his arms without hesitation and enveloped me in a warm hug. He was softer than Lucien, his touch gentle and soothing.

“We’ve got you,” Rafe whispered into my ear. His voice was comforting and reassuring, exactly what I needed to hear at that moment.

As we pulled away from each other, I gave him a small smile. “Thank you.”

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