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Once the guards backed off, the shadow infernal returned to me.

I ignored the council’s whispers as my breath grew labored, and my insides tingled and burned.

Zeke’s panicked voice cut through my discomfort. “What are they doing to her?”

“Cyn, you can’t touch them,” Ezra said. I didn’t understand what he meant.

Ash stayed rigid. Any time he tried to move—even to reassure me—they chittered and hissed at him.

We stayed like that for several minutes. Strange sensations lit me from within, easing the pain until only a dull ache remained.

One by one, my shadow friends backed away, hissing at the council as they melted into the dead trees’ shadows at the edge of the clearing.

Earlier, I thought my insides were melting, but now I felt nothing more than a mild stomachache.

Was it out of my system?

What had my shadow friends done?

I slowly sat up, Ash steadying me. “I don’t know what just happened.”

Did they heal the damage from the sludge and the council’s magic, or would I get sick again?

“I’ve never seen infernals like that,” Ezra said, drawing my attention.

Zeke looked at me, head cocked. “Are those your shadow friends?”

“Shadow friends?” Cyn looked between us.

I nodded. “They found me here,” I whispered, throat raw from the acrid puke and the yelling. “I don’t know who or what they are.”

Ash took my hands in his, pulling my attention away from the other guys. “I need you to know the truth.”

What more could he say? After everything, I didn’t know how much more I could take.

Would he take back what he’d said before everything went hazy?

Would he say he didn’t love me?

“Rae.” Ash squeezed my hands. “Breathe.”

When had I started hyperventilating?

I dropped my head, hair falling like a shield, blocking all the eyes that suddenly felt like too much.

Ash pressed his forehead to mine, long hair falling forward. Our heads bent together created a little hair cocoon of safety.

“I don’t understand any of this,” I whispered.

“I know. I don’t either. But believe me when I tell you what I do understand… I love you.” He let go of one of my hands to brush his thumb over my lips. “Mate or no mate. I love the woman you are.”

Movement on my left caught my attention before I could respond.

I looked up, mouth falling open, as someone stepped around the cluster of dead trees where my shadow friends had vanished.

“Quinfina,” Cornaith said. “Why are you here?” A touch of respect colored his stern voice.

“Quin?” I whispered.