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“How are they moving past the wall?” I ask, hesitant to hear the answer.
Ryuu nods his head toward the black smoke. “They movethroughit now. They no longer need a break in it to get through. Once the shield is down near it, they can enter.”
My hand tightens on my daggers as I focus on the wall, but instead of one or a couple of dark creatures forming, an entire group spills through all at once.
Ryuu dips his head to me before rushing forward. I follow him and as soon as I’m close enough, I behead the nearest one.
Ensuring Ryuu’s back is covered, I spin around and attack any who get too close. But we quickly get overwhelmed with more coming through the wall to attack us. Surrounded, with a group advancing on us, I let go and attack without limitations, the only restraints left on my powers.
Without any confines, the fight is exhilarating. Instead of tiring me, it refuels me, feeding the part inside me that craves battle and bloodshed.
Ryuu snags one of the dark creatures and pushes it against the wall before pulling out his iron chains to secure it. With his back turned, another comes up behind him.
Twisting the dagger in my hand, I throw it, my aim directly hitting the middle of its head. I catch Ryuu flinch, but my focus turns back to the handful of creatures around me. I duck a clawed attack before twisting and sliding my other blade across its neck.
I quickly move through the rest, slashing across their bodies and using the wall as leverage to twist and rise, slamming my body weight into my next target before moving on.
Before I know it, they’re all gone, disappearing into the black smoke they formed from.
Ryuu stands off to the side, a creature at his feet already wrapped in chains and covered.
“I don’t think I was needed,” he says with a small smile on his face, and it mirrors my own.
“A fine compliment from one who helped train me.”
“I only added to your already large skill set, nothing more.” He turns around and picks up some more chains, handing them to me. “Should you need it.”
I take them with thanks.
“How will you get it inside the palace without the guards finding out?” he asks.
With my eyes firmly on the chains, I answer him as best I can without revealing something that would only provoke further questioning and a possible lecture.
“I have something arranged,” I tell him and glance up to catch his frown.
“I don’t think I want to know,” he says, but his frown deepens as he looks at my wrists.
I glance down to see what has caused the look and find my sleeves pushed up, revealing my cuffs. I quickly pull them backdown, but from the worried expression on Ryuu’s face, he has already seen them.
“What are those?” he asks carefully.
“A little…gift.” Technically, they were given without payment, so it isn’t exactly a lie.
“Seren—”
“Trust me?” I whisper, needing to leave soon and not wanting to fight. Tonight was a good night, seeing them all.
“I do,” he says quickly.
I look at him, shocked to hear the sincerity in his voice.
“I should have trusted you long ago when you first asked to join our fight. Trusted your capabilities and strength. I trust you now even when my instinct is telling me to keep you here, safe and away from anything that can harm you.”
He steps forward, moving in front of me. “I know that I have not been the best… role model to guide you, but I will always be here for you, Seren. Sometimes I… worry.”
“It is a father’s right to worry,” I tell him. And mean it. Jarek was right. And only now, when I am not so blindly absorbed in my own thoughts and perspective, do I see it too.
He swallows hard, his eyes widening a fraction before he nods his head.
