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In. Go in.
I try to will myself forward. But stepping back into this cabin is more difficult than walking out of the forest. I made this choice. My choice. I’m here of my own free will. I repeat it like a chant.
Yet a voice gnaws at the back of my mind, a fear I can’t shake. What if Oberon raises the wards again? What if he can trap me just as easily as he let me go? The thoughts claw at my resolve.
MOVE! I scream silently at myself.
My hand tightens around the pendant. It vibrates again, softly but surely, in sync with the rhythm of my heartbeat and magic. The warmth of it seeps into my skin, steadying my breath. This is my choice.
And with that, I step inside.
Chapter fifteen
Gravity’s A Bitch
Grabbing a chair, I drag it with deliberate slowness to the head of the table, seating myself among the males. My face remains a mask of indifference.
Ash’s grin splits wide across his face as he throws his arms up dramatically.“You came back!” he exclaims with exaggerated relief. “Thank the gods. I thought I was going to be stuck with broody Oberon forever.” The brightness of his smile dims almost immediately.
“I was beginning to think I’d have to hunt you down again,” Oberon remarks, his tone smooth but edged with steel.
“Oberon!” Ash hisses, snapping his head toward him, eyes wide with disbelief.
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. My heart stumbles. Hunt you down.I force my body to remain still, will every muscle not to flinch as the panic claws at my edges. If I hadn’t chosen Oberon’s way, would he have chosen for me?
My expression doesn’t waver. They won’t see the cracks. “I thought being here was a choice,” my voice steady despite the tightening knot of anxiety in my chest.
“It is,” Ash insists quickly, his gaze flickering between Oberon and me. Then, turning to Oberon with a scowl, he adds, “Oberon, stop being a dick.” The sharpness in his tone surprises me. It’s serious, almost protective, his smile faltering when he adds, softer this time, “Wait. It is her choice . . . isn’t it?”
Oberon doesn’t answer immediately. He simply arches a single brow and shrugs, the barest smirk curling his lips. “I did tell you I’d miss you terribly.” The smirk deepens, teasing.
Is he joking? Or would he have truly come after me?
Ash rolls his eyes and slouches back in his chair.
Oberon’s gaze lingers on me, sharp as a blade and twice as dangerous. “Or perhaps,” he muses, “I would’ve hunted you down simply because I missed you.” His devilish smile widens. “I didn’t say I’d force you back.” He leans forward slightly, shadows catching in the sharp lines of his face. “So eager, little Lyra, to jump to your own conclusions.” His voice drops to a purr, the teasing laced with something far darker.
“Asshole.” The word slips from my lips before I can stop it.The room goes still for a moment before Ash erupts into laughter, pounding a fist on the table.Oberon, however, doesn’t so much as flinch. He simply tilts his head, thumb brushing his chin, studying me with that same cryptic smirk, trying to figure me out. “‘Asshole?”” Oberon repeats, raising his brow. “You wound me. Admit it, you missed me, too.” His voice is smooth as silk, his lips curling into a dangerous smile, flashing his sharp canines.
Ash rolls his eyes, leaning back in his chair with a dramatic sigh. He throws his hands behind his head and props his feet on the table. “Well, isn’t that romantic? ‘Oh, Lyra, I missed you terribly. I was so lonely.’ Gods, you two are exhausting. Just kiss or kill each other already, either way, spare me the drama.”
Oberon shoots Ash a look I can only be thankful isn’t aimed at me.
“I’m leaning toward kill,” I mutter.
Ash gasps, pressing a hand to his chest. “Ruthless! I like you even more.”
Ash is still grinning when I lean forward, resting my elbows on the table. “I’m here,” I say, letting my gaze sweep over both of them and linger on Oberon. “Do not mistake my presence with compliance. I have conditions.”
Ash lowers his feet from the table with a raised brow. “Ah, conditions. She does keep things interesting.”
Oberon’s smirk doesn’t falter, though his gaze sharpens. “Conditions?” he echoes, voice smooth. “I’m listening.”
“First,” I begin, voice steady despite the hammering of my pulse, “I’m not now, nor will I ever be your prisoner. If I stay, it’s as an equal. Not someone you keep locked away when it’s convenient.”
A flicker of something unreadable passes across Oberon’s face. He gives a slow nod, saying nothing.
Ash taps his fingers on the table. “Fair. She’s got a point. You do have a habit of coming off a bit . . . possessive.” Oberon shoots him a look, but Ash just grins, completely unbothered.
