Chapter 272: Chapter 272 Watched You Died
The word alone made the smoke around us ripple, like the very world recoiled at the sound of it.
My pulse hammered in my ear. "What is the Hollow?"
She tilted her head, her silver hair falling like silk over her shoulder. "Hades itself. It seeks what is broken, what is torn, what is not whole. Your light is fractured now, Aeris... Jasmine... whatever you choose to call yourself. And because of it, the Hollow will follow you."
The ground beneath me quivered faintly. I stumbled a step, heart rattling in my chest. ’Did I do something wrong by saving Damon? And what does she mean by Chosen? She might be wrong... she is wrong.’
"I’m not a Chosen, you are wrong. And if I were one, my mother would have told me, and I wouldn’t live a powerless life." I said, my eyes narrowing at her.
"Would she?" Her golden eyes pierced mine. "Those who serve kingdoms see only thrones. Those who serve in war see only enemies. But I... I see what lies beyond all of this." She raised her hand and a butterfly burst into golden dust between her fingers. "And what I see, Jasmine, is that your time is slipping... if you don’t fulfill your destiny before then... then the whole world is doomed."
I staggered back another step. My breathing quickened. "Why are you telling me this? What do you want from me?"
The woman didn’t answer immediately. She drifted closer, the smoke curling away from her bare feet. Her voice dropped lower, softer, until it was almost a whisper meant only for me.
"I want you to survive... And revive the sacred tree."
The smoke surged, swallowing her shape, scattering the butterflies into sparks of light until nothing remained but endless white again.
"Wait!" I shouted, my voice cracking. "Tell me how...!"
But the world distorted away before I could finish.
I jolted awake, my lungs burned like I had just surfaced from drowning. My back pressed into rough bark, and it took me a moment to realize I was still slumped against the tree.
Damon’s shadow loomed over me, his hands gripping my shoulders tight, shaking the life out of me, his face was so close I could feel his breath on my skin.
"Aeris!" He called out in desperation, shaking me harder. His chest rose and fell heavily, his jaw tightened like he was barely holding himself together.
I let out a wheezing breath, dragging in air down my throat. Sweat clung to my skin, my body trembling. I couldn’t tell if it was from what I’d seen or from the way his fear pressed against me like a storm.
The Hollow. The woman’s golden eyes. Her voice still clung to me, etched in my memories.
Damon’s grip tightened. He pulled me closer, his black eyes wide and unguarded, like he was afraid I’d vanish if he let go. "What happened? You weren’t breathing?"
I swallowed hard. The shock struck me like lightning. ’I wasn’t breathing... Doesn’t that mean I just died?’
He cupped my face with his trembling hands, his eyes searching mine for answers. "Tell me what happened."
My lips parted, ready to spill everything but the words stuck in my throat.
My pulse raced in its cage, my thoughts tangled, and still he looked at me like I was the only thing in the world that mattered.
"I..." My voice shook, so I looked away from his and curled my fingers into the dirt. "Nothing. Just... exhaustion."
The lie sat heavy on my tongue, leaving an aftertaste of bitterness.
His eyes darkened. His jaw clenched, a muscle ticking in the corner as if he was fighting back everything burning inside him. He didn’t believe me... I knew he didn’t.
"That wasn’t nothing... I watched you die!"
His dark eyes turned to silver grey... his emotions ran through my veins, I felt his disappointment, anger, and fear.
I looked up to meet his gaze, I sniffled, my lips stretching wide as sobs escaped from my throat... "I can’t believe I just DIED... I was just resting when everything went blank... Oh my pet... your master almost dieeeeeeeeddddd."
His expression froze, caught between rage and disbelief, like he couldn’t decide whether to strangle me or hold me in his chest. "This isn’t a joke, Aeris." His voice cracked, raw and emotional. "You stopped breathing. Your heart..." his throat bobbed as he forced the words out, "... your heart wasn’t beating."
I blinked up at him through the haze, my lips trembling before I let out another dramatic wail, dragging a hand over my face. "And here I was, hoping for a peaceful nap. Instead, my soul apparently decided to take a little vacation to hell."
His grip on my shoulders tightened, his jaw. "Stop." The word came out low, pleading.
Something inside me broke. For once, his cold mask wasn’t there. His eyes were burning, almost wild, like the weight of his emotions was too much for him and his wolf to contain. And I felt every ounce of his fear slamming against me, clawing at my insides until I couldn’t breathe again.
My smirk faltered slightly. "So I really..." My voice lowered, shaky despite how much I tried to sound in control. "I really stopped breathing?"
His forehead pressed briefly against mine, his breath hot and ragged. "Don’t ever do that to me again." He pleaded.
For a moment, neither of us moved, the forest was quiet as if holding its breath.
I forced a laugh. "Relax, pet. Your master is alive and well. It’ll take more than a little... near-death nap to get rid of me."
But even as the words left me, my fingers dug into the dirt, because I wasn’t sure if I believed it myself.
I couldn’t help but wonder if saving Damon was wrong... and how much time I had left.
He pulled me into his warmth, however, I pulled back. "Don’t be a naughty pet... no touching allowed." My words broke out in real sobs.