Page 54 of Chaos Carnival

“But you said they're part of her now. What does that mean exactly?” The temperature in the room dropped slightly with my growing unease.

Lilith's expression turned serious, her ageless face a mask of cold certainty. “Imagine your consciousness as a cup of water. Most practitioners spend years learning to add drops of spiritual essence to their cup, slowly increasing their capacity. Tess just tried to pour an ocean into a teacup.”

The implications made my stomach turn. “And now?”

“Now those threads, that alchemy, is trying to integrate with her being. Her mind is trying to process information it was never meant to handle. She's seeing things as they truly are—all the layers of reality at once.” Lilith's voice dropped lower, carrying the gravity of forbidden knowledge. “Most minds break under that kind of pressure.”

“But she has a chance,” I reminded her—or perhaps myself—my voice tight.

“I always knew she was special, you know.” Oscar's voice cut through the tension, his crystal form catching the dim light. “From the moment she walked into that dusty shop and didn't run screaming at the sight of a talking skull. Most people, they see me and lose their minds. But not our Tess.”

I shifted in my chair, the leather creaking under my weight. “What's your point?”

“My point, dear boy, is that someone who can face the extraordinary with such composure might just have the strength to survive this.” His tone carried centuries of observation. “I've watched countless humans break under far less pressure. But Tess? She's got something different in her. Always has.”

“Different doesn't always mean better,” Lilith interjected, but there was a thoughtful edge to her voice.

“No,” Oscar agreed. “But in this case, it might just be what saves her. I've seen how she handles power—with respect, but not fear. That's rare. Most either cower from it or try to dominate it. She does neither.”

I remembered how Tess faced down demons, hunters, and supernatural threats without flinching. Even when terrified, she'd never backed down. The memory of her standing her ground against Ivan, despite being completely outmatched, flashed through my mind.

“She's stronger than any of you realize,” Oscar continued. “Trust me when I say there's something exceptional about that girl.”

The conviction in his voice made my shadows settle somewhat. If anyone could survive this, it would be Tess. She'd already defied every other limitation placed on her.

“She's unique, her hybrid nature might help her adapt. And the bond between you two gives her an anchor to this timeline.” Lilith gave me a pointed look, with understanding in her gaze.

A sound from the bedroom had me half-rising again, my movements unnaturally swift, but it was just Tess turning over. I forced myself to stay seated, though my stillness held the tension of a coiled spring. “How long?”

“Until we know if she'll overcome it?” Lilith shrugged, the gesture too precise to be human. “Hours. Days. Maybe weeks. Time becomes fluid when you're processing multiple layers of the universe at once.”

“And if she does? What then?”

A slow smile spread across Lilith's face, the expression holding ancient secrets. “Then, my dear seraph, your mate becomes something entirely new. Something that can not only see the strands but has them woven into her very being.” She took another sip of wine, the gesture deliberate and controlled. “Assuming she survives, of course.”

“You seem awfully calm about this,” I growled, might rippling beneath my carefully maintained composure.

“Would you prefer I panic? Would that help?” She set her glass down with a sharp click that seemed to echo in the charged air. “Besides, my brother was right. This is fascinating. A hybrid weaving into the universe? It's never been done before.” Her clinical interest carried the detachment of one who had witnessed millennia of supernatural phenomena.

“This isn't some experiment—” I started, but Lilith cut me off, her voice carrying the significance of millennia.

“Everything is an experiment. Every choice, every action. You experimented when you claimed her. She experimented when she tried to weave without protection. And now we experiment with keeping her sane while she adjusts.” She stood, smoothing her dress. “I suggest you start thinking about how to generate those endorphins. She's going to need them when she wakes up.”

As if on cue, a whimper came from the bedroom – the sound somehow wrong, as if it echoed through multiple dimensions. This time, I didn't hesitate, rising and moving toward the sound with preternatural grace.

“Maverick,” Lilith called after me, her tone carrying an ancient warning. I paused at the bedroom door, feeling the enormous power in the air. “Don't let her try to weave again. Not until she's stabilized. If she draws in more lines in this state...”

She didn't need to finish the sentence. The temperature around us dropped several degrees at the mere suggestion. Inodded once, then entered the bedroom, closing the door firmly behind me.

Tess was twitching in her sleep, lying on her front, her face contorted in what looked like pain. The air seemed to shimmer around her, as if the filaments she'd absorbed were still trying to settle. I lay down beside her, pulling her close, and she gradually stilled as my presence helped secure her to this plane of existence.

Whatever was happening inside her mind, whatever battle she was fighting, I could only hope our connection would be enough to guide her back. Because the alternative was unthinkable, even for one who had witnessed centuries of sin.

Chapter 24: Awakened Hunger

Maverick

Carefully,Iliftedtheblanket, revealing her legs slightly parted in an innocent invitation, her curvy cheeks on gorgeous display. I wanted to bite them. My cock swelled with excitement as I contemplated the sweet, forbidden fruit before me. I slipped into bed beside Tess, careful not to disturb her. Not yet. She was still twitching, her face contorted in what looked like pain, and my chest ached with the need to help her. Lilith's words echoed in my mind. ‘Either make her laugh, run hard, or come.’ Endorphins, laughter or physical release—I knew which one I could provide right now.

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