For a moment, I thought Charlotte had gone back on her words but then, she reappeared looking very much satisfied. She led us deep into Eden's stronghold, her footsteps echoing off the damp stone walls as if the fortress itself was holding its breath.
I could feel the tension within our group coil tighter with each step, like a snake ready to strike. Mascot walked beside me, silent and grim, his shoulders tight. I wanted to reach for him, to reassure him, to reassure myself we'd be okay after all of this. But I knew the moment I let my guard down, I'd falter.
I'd begin to question my decision all over again. And here, in the heart of our enemy's lair, there was no room for doubt.
"Feeling nervous?" Charlotte's jeering voice cut through the silence. She turned around to me, her eyes sparkling with sadistic delight. "Oh, Tasha. You always wore that soft look. That little glimmer of hope in your eyes, as if somehow, against all odds, things will turn out well."
I glared at her, refusing to give her the satisfaction of seeing me break. "Just lead the way," I said, my voice steadier than I felt. Beside me, Jacob tensed, his hand itching toward his weapon, but I gave him a quick shake of my head. Now wasn't the time.
Finally, we came to a broad, circular chamber. Lying in the center of the room was a worn stone altar, surrounded by strange ancient symbols carved into the floor. Each pulsed with a faint light. The air was thick here with heavy residue from spells cast long ago. This was the place. The place where I'd sever the bond with Mascot.
Charlotte gestured for us to step into the circle. âI hope youâre ready for this, Tasha,â she sneered, circling me like a vulture. âBecause once itâs done, thereâs no going back.â Mascot's eyes seared into my skin, his jaw clenched in the battle to keep calm. I saw his pain, his betrayal running deep. And yet, he said nothing. He just stared at me, waiting, daring me to change my mind. But I didn't. I couldn't.
Forcing myself to take another deep breath, I nodded toward Charlotte. "Let's get this over with."
Charlotte's smirk grew, and she began tracing the symbols with her fingertips, murmuring incantations under her breath. The symbols flared to life, casting a strange glow across the room. The light danced over Mascot's face, highlighting every line of hurt, every crack in his resolve. I tried to focus, tried to block out the barrage of emotions crashing through me. But Mascot's presence was like a constant ache, a reminder of what I was about to lose.
I could feel the weight of his gaze, the quiet desperation in his eyes. "Don't do this," he whispered, the barest whisper, as if to say it louder would make it real. "Tasha⦠you don't have to do this. We can find another way."
My heart twisted, but I made myself hold his gaze. "Mascot, you know this is the only way. If we're going to stop Eden, I have to make this sacrifice. A flash of hurt crossed his face, raw and unguarded. "So you'd sacrifice us for them?"
Jacob snorted from behind us. "Us? You mean you, Mascot. She's doing this to save everyone, not just because of hurt feelings."
Mascot's gaze shifted to Jacob; his eyes flashed with anger. "You have no idea what you're talking about, Jacob. I have been at her side since the beginning. I fought for her, risked everything-
"So did I!" Jacob snapped, stepping forward until he was inches from Mascot. "But I'm not the one hiding secrets that could get us all killed. If you'd been honest from the start, maybe we wouldn't be here!"
"Enough!" My voice boomed, and they both shut up. I looked at them, the simmer of anger just beneath my skin. "This is no time for your petty rivalry. If we don't do this now, Eden will destroy us all."
Charlotte's laughter came softly, her eyes alive with pleasure as she enjoyed the mayhem she'd stirred up. "Oh, it's so delicious to see you two fight over her. But believe me, neither of you is worthy of her. You're both my pawns. Always have been."
I bunched my fists to restrain myself from attacking her. "Just complete the ritual, Charlotte."
She shrugged as if in mock innocence. "As you said." She gestured to the stone altar, a wicked grin spreading across her face.
I turned back to Mascot, my eyes locking with his, heavy with every word unspoken between us, each moment we'd shared. His eyes reflected sorrow and a love that was so fierce, it almost broke me. And then I looked at Jacob, his expression unreadable, guarded, but his eyes held a softness I hadnât seen in a long time.
A part of me wanted to reach out to both of them, to hold onto the bonds weâd formed. But I knew that if I hesitated now, Iâd never be able to go through with this. I closed my eyes and focused on the chill of the cool stone beneath me.
Charlotte's voice was a low murmur, her words weaving together in a spell that felt like weight upon my chest. I could feel the bond with Mascot, the tight thread that joined their soul to mine, weakening and slipping through my fingers like sand.
A fierce and merciless pain ripped through my insides, tearing away parts of my being. My breathing came out as broken fragments; my hands turned to fists as my nails pressed hard into my palms.
It was Mascot's voice this time that cut through the haze of agony: "Tasha⦠please⦠don't leave me like this. His plea shattered something inside me, but I forced myself to remain silent. I couldn't look at him. If I did, I knew I'd break, and I couldn't afford that now. Jacob's voice was even, almost cold.
"Let her go, Mascot. This is bigger than both of you."
Mascot growled low, his voice a desperate whisper. "Easy for you to say. You never loved her."
Jacob's eyes hardened, but he said nothing, the silence thick with words left unsaid. The bond continued to snap thread by thread, each break like a searing pain that left me breathless and wondering how much more I could take. Then the final thread snapped, and in my chest, an emptiness settled where the presence of Mascot had once been.
I staggered, clutching my chest, feeling as if Iâd lost a part of myself. Mascot looked at me, his eyes hollow, empty, like he was a shell of the man heâd been just moments before. He opened his mouth, but no words came. There was nothing left to say.
"It's done," Charlotte announced, a satisfied gleam in her eyes. She held up a small vial filled with a glowing liquid, the weapon she'd promised. "This will give you the power to destroy Eden⦠if you survive long enough to use it." I took the vial, feeling its weight in my hand, but a chill crept up my spine.
Something was wrong. There was a smugness in Charlotte's gaze, a satisfaction that made my skin crawl.
"Why are you smiling, Charlotte?" I demanded, my voice sharper than I'd intended.
She laughed, a low, mirthless sound that reverberated through the chamber. "Oh, Tasha. Sweet, naive Tasha. Did you really think that it would be this simple? You may possess the weapon, but you've mislaid something considerably far more valuable. And now you'll never know if your choices were right." My heart was racing, a sense of dread settling over me as her words sank in. I looked at Mascot, but he wouldn't meet my gaze. His face was pale, his shoulders slumped, as if the very life had been drained from him.
"What did you do?" I whispered, horror clawing at my chest. Charlotte leaned in close, her voice a whisper in my ear. "I gave you what you wanted, Tasha. But at what cost? Now you'll never be whole again."
Before I could react, she stepped back, a triumphant smirk on her face. The room seemed to grow colder, the shadows lengthening as if they were closing in on us. And with a last, jeering smile, Charlotte disappeared into the night, leaving us to ourselves amidst the hollowness of the chamber's silence. I dropped to my knees, clutching the vial, the understanding of my choice crushing me.
Mascot's hollow gaze lingered in my mind, the emptiness where our bond had once been an ache that I knew would never heal. The air was thick with regret, the bitter taste of betrayal. I knew we had what we needed to defeat Eden, but at what cost? I'd severed the bond with the one person who had stood by me through everything, and now I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to make it right.
After a while, Jacob stepped forward, his face unreadable. He looked at me, his gaze steady, unwavering. "Come on, Tasha," he said quietly. "We have a war to win."