Vanish (Firelight #2)(66)

I glare at Cassian.

“What are you leaving out?” Will asks, his fingers loosening around mine, and I hate that, hate that he’s pulling away from me.

I snatch his hand back and tighten my hold. “Nothing. You know everything.” Everything that isn’t superstitious nonsense. Not every draki couple forms a connection. It’s not an absolute. Why should I bring it up? Just because I imagine that I have a better read on Cassian’s emotions lately? Just because he sensed I might be in danger?

“He wanted to know how I knew you were in trouble. Tell him why, Jacinda.”

Tension radiates from Will. He stands like a wire pulled tight, about to spring apart.

“Some say—” I clear my throat. “Some believe that once a draki couple bond a . . . connection is formed.”

“Connection?” Will cocks his head and something is inherently dangerous in the gesture, like he might spring into attack.

“An emotional connection,” I elaborate.

At first Will doesn’t speak, looks straight ahead at Cassian before he repeats, “Some believe? What do you believe? What’s true, Jacinda?”

“Well, it’s different for everyone. Not—”

“And how is it for the two of you?”

I flinch at the lash of his voice. “It’s—” I want to lie. I don’t want to hurt him, but most of all I don’t want him to think that he and I are anything less than before I bonded to Cassian. Because it can’t be true.

And yet I can’t lie. Not to Will.

With a swallow, I admit, “Since the bonding . . . there is something there. I’ve been more attuned to Cassian.”

Will nods slowly and edges away from me.

“What are you doing?” I demand with a touch of panic as he begins walking away from me.

Oh, hell, no. I haven’t gone through everything just so he can quit on us now. I turn on Cassian. “Are you happy?”

Cassian shakes his head, and what infuriates me even more is the pity I read in his eyes. “He had to be told. I’m sorry, Jac—”

“Don’t,” I bite out. “Don’t feel sorry for me. I don’t need your pity. Will and I are going to be fine.”

With that declaration, I take off after Will. He’s walking fast, cutting a swift path through the trees.

“Hey! You know there’s a bear out here somewhere,” I shout in warning.

He doesn’t respond.

“Will! Where are you going?”

I race to keep up with him. Grabbing his arm, I’m prepared to force him around when he whirls to face me.

“What am I supposed to do, Jacinda?” he explodes. “Wear a smile on my face knowing you’ve bonded with Cassian and, oh, by the way, that pretty much means you’re automatically in love with him?”

“That’s not what I said!” I flap my arms. “That’s not true!”

“Why don’t you explain it to me then?” He crosses his arms over his broad chest. “What else does emotionally connected mean?”

“Well, I would explain it if you weren’t being such a jerk!” I jab him in the chest.

He stares down at me for a long moment. A smile plays on his mouth. “Okay. Explain.”

“Since we’ve bonded I’ve just had a better read on him . . . I can sometimes sense, feel what he’s feeling. That’s it. That’s all.”

“You go around feeling what he’s feeling all the time?”

“Well, only the really intense emotions. Not every little thing.”

He still looks uncertain, so I step closer and soften my voice, trace my fingers along his tense forearm. “This doesn’t change how I feel about you.”

He steps back and drops his arms, severing our contact.

I won’t let him retreat from me. We’ve come too far. I’ll fight for us even if it’s him I have to fight. “It doesn’t affect how I feel for you. Are you going to let it affect how you feel?”

He looks down at me, his gaze a dark glitter in the night. I can’t read him. I step close, brush his hand with mine, just the slightest graze of our fingers . . . testing.

His pinky finger loops with mine and the breath I’d been holding escapes in a hush, the ache in my heart easing a bit.

“I’m here,” I remind. “With you. I left Cassian with the pride. He wasn’t part of my escape plan, remember?”

Will sighs and drags a hand through his hair. “Yeah. I know. God, Jacinda, I’m just ready for us to be together . . . with nothing getting in the way.”

I step into his arms. “We are. From now on. We’re not going to be apart ever again. We’re going to break Miram out and then it’ll be the two of us.”

“The two of us. That’d be nice.”

I exhale in relief, the insane urge to cry coming over me. Until now I didn’t realize just how worried I was that he’d turn his back on me for good when I told him the truth. It confirms everything I ever thought about him, validates that this is right. Him. Us.

We stand together, clinging to each other for several minutes. Two honks finally draw us apart.

“Tamra,” I guess.

“All right. Let’s go.” Will takes my hand and leads me to the waiting car.