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January 27 - January 28, 2025
“I am her roof—the shadow that dims her light and keeps the world from seeing that mark on her fucking shoulder. Nothing more.”
“You don’t wrap a wound without treating it first. It’ll do nothing but fester.”
I’m sailing toward my promised, still drugging myself with the fading dregs of another man. My final vice. The hardest anchor to cut loose. The one I don’t want to cut loose.
Heartbreak can cripple the body. The mind. It has no mercy. My own grief has punched its teeth into flesh and silenced heartbeats. And there’s something slithering inside—a coy awareness that hisses its truth like a snake. I’d do it again.
Truth is, I fell in love with a ghost. Now I’m gone and still ... haunted.
“I’m exactly where I need to be.” “Then I need you to leave me alone.” My upper lip peels back. “Can’t do that, Milaje.”
“What’s this?” “Enough coin to buy every shop in the square and still leave you with plenty left over.” Her face twists with a fury so potent I taste it on my next breath. “I’m not your problem anymore. I don’t want your charity.” Never my problem. Always my tragic ever after.
Little does she know, there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her. Except let her go.
“I won’t determine your steps, Milaje. I’ll even let you trip. But I refuse to let you fall.”
“I told you. I’ll hunt you to the four corners of the continent.”
“There is nowhere you can hide. Nowhere you can go. Even if this were to stop beating,” he says, threading his hand over my rioting heart, “I’d follow.”
“It’s ancient Valish for mathematics,” he says, the words a cold blow against my ear. “In case you were wondering.” “You ruined the surprise,” I croak. “Apologies.” “Not forgiven.”
What I regret is letting her believe she doesn’t hold my cold, crippled heart in the palm of her hand. Because she does. She always will.
“Why are you here, Rhordy?” “My indifference is just as lethal as my affection,” he murmurs, the smoky words drifting from my grasp the moment they ignite. “Lethal for who?” The world continues to thump past. “You.”
“But that didn’t stop him.” It would never stop him. “Because he was hers—forever—even though he knew his love was lethal.” He was hers.
“Just so we’re clear, Milaje, I will never ask someone else to carry you.”
“Your pain calls to me. You can tuck it down deep and cover it up all you want, but I can still see it clear as day.”
“You’re going to go to war with him? Over me?” He doesn’t blink or flinch. “I’d strike the fucking world down for you.”
