Page 199 of Scars Beneath a Serpent’s Scales

Roremar was sprawled in the center of the room, his body convulsing with each burst of power that shimmered off the walls—each wave of starfire that flared and slammed into him.

“No,” she breathed.

There’d be no getting him out of there. He couldn’t run to her as she desperately wished.

His agonized scream bounced off the marble, her chest ricocheting with his pain. From the heart of the web of fortunes and starfire, Roremar cracked an eye open, finding Emmeline in the doorway. He shook his head.

Her magic beat erratically, shaking every inch of her body. Her nails dug into the doorframe.

She couldn’t leave him there. And he couldn’t run to her.

The remaining guards and officials were only strides away—hands outstretched toward her—and Emmeline realized there was only one option. If she wanted to save him, they needed proof that he wasn’t a danger.

Knowing what this was about to do and ripping herself wide open, giving up every part of herself, she dove into the seeing chamber.

And the explosion that followed as her body crossed the threshold could have wrenched apart realms.

Chapter Sixty-Nine

Roremar

The moment Emmeline crossed the line of magic, the seeing chamber erupted in a deafening blow.

Marble and glass poured all around them, raining down in heavy chunks. The bubble of starfire the web had formed protected the two of them, but rubble bounced off the surface and clattered to the floor.

Roremar’s ears rang. His entire body throbbed from the pain of the seeing chamber ripping up a Fate tie that wouldn’t budge.

“Emmeline,” he choked out, trying to reach for her.

He forced his eyes open, prepared to see her sprawled out beside him, the seeing chamber taking its toll on her power next. The sky wavered into focus⁠—

The sky?

He blinked a few times, and sure enough, the force of that explosion hadn’t just cracked the windows and pillars—it had blown the chamber to smithereens. The sky was just fading to night, a dusty purple with only a few stars fully lit.

One by one, more popped into view. In a dizzying dance, Roremar swore the constellations were moving, rearranging. Could have sworn the realm shuddered below.

He coughed, throat dry from his screaming. “Emmeline?”

“Roremar,” she whimpered. He rolled toward the sound of her voice.

She was kneeling on the floor at the edge of the starfire web that swirled and rippled around them. It didn’t look like there was a scratch on her, but tears rolled down her cheeks as he dragged himself over to her, body wrung out.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m sorry I lied,” she said, voice cracking. Her hazel eyes took on a silver sheen. The starfire burned hotter around them, flames shuddering. “But I’d give it all up for you.”

He reached her, pulling himself onto his knees and cupping her cheek. “What do you⁠—”

The magic around them exploded, blinding sparks crackling in all directions. Eyes closed tight, Roremar clung to Emmeline, tucking her into his chest as they were thrown back. They skidded across the ground, rubble shredding through his tunic, and slammed into a crumbling pillar.

“Are you okay?” he choked out over the crashing magic, a low hum in his ears.

Emmeline whispered, “Yes.”

The web of flames and burst of whirling, night-kissed air tried to pry them apart, but he held on to Emmeline with every ounce of strength he had left. The stars above spun, constellations shattering and reforming over and over again in a cosmic light show. Puzzle pieces searching for their match.

The room had collapsed enough that the walls into the Trade House were demolished. Roremar struggled to his knees, lifting his head as he panted.