Page 150 of Where Darkness Falls

My body tightens as her dainty hand takes hold of mine. Instead of pulling away, I allow my fingers to wrap around hers. Something catches in my throat as the warmth from her contact spreads through my hand. She offers me one more affectionate look, and my heart clenches.

You’re a fool, Emyr.

Within moments, she drifts off to sleep, and I take a deep breath. She didn’t say it, but she shared a glimpse of her emotions with me, and it shattered my very being.

She loves me,I think, with both sorrow and joy mingling in my heart.

It’s what I’ve desired for so long, yet I realize how selfish I’ve been with her. I try to wriggle my hand free from hers, but the movement causes her grip to tighten.

How befitting.

As much as I’ve tried to pull away from her in the last several months, I’ve never succeeded because I can’t…

Though I should.

Once she learns of all the horrid things I’ve been forced to do, she’ll never forgive me,I remind myself, as my heavy lids close and sleep overtakes me.

After all, how can she, when I can’t even forgive myself?

Thick, black smoke curls out from the rafters of the large house.

It’s under attack, and shrieks fill the skies from beyond the four walls.

A large, strong hand is pulling me through the crumbling house.

“You must run on my signal,” the panicked voice says. “Promise me that you’ll run into the woods and not look back.”

“I-I promise,” I say in between coughing fits.

We emerge outside the house, and figures are coming from the other side of the hill.

The strong hand is connected to the body of a tall man.

His features are blurry as he leans down, grabbing my face in his hands and planting a kiss atop my head.

“Remember what I said,” he warns, pushing me away.

“RUN!” he yells.

But my limbs are frozen.

“RUN!”

This time, I don’thesitate as I enter the darkened woods, leaving the burning house and the kind man far behind me.

Ducking and jumping over limbs and brambles, I find a tree with a hollow center to hide in.

I cover my eyes as I hear the footsteps of a pursuer coming through some brush behind the tree.

Terror seizes my chest, fearing that even my heartbeat is too loud.

“Please don’t find me,” I silently pray, holding my pendant tightly.

Suddenly, the footsteps stop, and I open my eyes to find a figure standing before me.

“There you are,” the voice croons.

I scream?—

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