Page 52 of Sophie's Ruin
My fingers elongated into claws, but before I could begin ripping them to shreds, Henry’s face appeared in my mind. I froze as I stared at him. He stared back, begging me to leave this place without going through with what the darkness drove me to do. A battle ensued inside me as I felt conflicted. The darkness pushed but I pushed back, my gaze latched on to Henry’s face in my mind. I didn’t know which side of me I wanted to prevail. The pressure inside me built until I couldn’t take it anymore. With a snarl, I shoved the darkness aside and glimmered out, but not before collapsing the cave and burying Emeric’s family underneath.
My shadows took me to my childhood home, to the corner in my mother’s study, where I knew the sunlight wouldn’t reach me. Damien hadn’t followed me here, either, for which I was grateful—darkness didn’t scare me anymore, but it didn’t mean I wanted to bring it here, to this place where I’d been a child, innocent and sweet, before I’d turned into…this. I tucked into the corner, sitting on the floor with my knees close to my chest and my back propped against the hard wall. The sunlight drifted through the small window above my mother’s desk, bathing a part of the room in a soft, warm glow. I glared at the sun rays, my lips peeled back in a snarl.
How could I truly become the most powerful being if I had to hide in the shadows, curled into a ball, trying to occupy as little space as possible? I hissed at the sunlight as if the vicious sound would chase it away. Pathetic. No wonder the clans had refused to slink back into the shadows after I’d defeated the Dark Witches. They wanted to keep ruling this world, prowling around freely like the apex predators that they were. My browspulled together at the thought. Was I beginning to think like the monsters I was trying to destroy?
I knew the realization should disturb me, but it was hard to care when exhaustion pulled at my limbs, making my eyelids heavy. I knew this should also bother me—the fact that I was so relaxed and drifting off to sleep right after the heinous acts I’d just committed. But I couldn’t bring myself to care. All I wanted to do was fall asleep because the darkness awaited me in my dreams, and I couldn’t wait to reunite with it. I knew it was waiting for me with open arms, ready to wrap me in its embrace. I was ready to be enveloped in it, so, with a sigh of contentment, I closed my eyes and went to sleep.
HENRY
“Where is she?” I growled when Celeste reappeared in the kitchen.
“I couldn’t convince her to see reason,” the witch replied.
“You should have taken me with you!” I raised my voice, failing to keep my frustration in check.
When Celeste had picked up on Sophie’s location, she had disappeared in the blink of an eye. Glimmering, they called it. A magic trick I was growing increasingly annoyed with. My supernatural speed was no match for the witches’ ability to warp from one place to the next.
“I didn’t bring you with me because Sophie is dangerous.”
“She is not a danger to me.”
“You don’t understand. You have only glimpsed a fraction of her power. Her magic is deadly.”
“The more reason for me to find her and bring her home. Do you know where she is?”
Celeste didn’t respond for a few seconds as if contemplating if she wanted to disclose that information.
“I have a way of tracking her,” she finally said. “I will gather a few witches from the village to help me trap her.”
“Trap her? She’s not a fucking animal!” I seethed.
“I know she’s not, but she is not herself.”
“Just tell me where she is so I can go to her,” I asked with a breath of frustration.
“I would advise against it?—”
“I don’t fucking care what you advise!” I didn’t realize I’d moved until my face was mere inches from the witch’s, my fingers digging into her flesh where I was clasping her bony shoulders.
“Control your temper,” Celeste said low. Her voice wavered slightly, letting me know my outburst had rattled her stony facade. “I will tell you where she is, but there is nothing you can do at the moment. The sun is rising.”
My skin prickled at her words as the muscles along my shoulders tensed. I didn’t need to glance at the small kitchen window to know she was right. Swiftly, I let go of her and retreated into the shadowy hallway separating the kitchen from the living room. Without saying a word, Celeste turned and walked to the window, pulling the faded green curtains closed.
“Let’s get some rest,” she said when she faced me again. “We will devise a plan of action in the evening.”
“Tell me where she is,” I said low. “Please.”
Celeste’s shrewd cerulean eyes flickered over my face.
“She’s at her father’s home in New Haven,” she said. “Don’t do anything foolish.”
I didn’t respond before I turned around and walked off, knowing full well I couldn’t make that promise.
27
SOPHIE
My eyes flew open—he was here.
