Chapter 285
Chapter 285:
Then another set of arms wrapped around us. My father. Silent, solid, unyielding. I didn’t fight it. For once, I just let them hold me. The three of us tangled together in a messy knot of pain, regret, and hope.
When the tears finally ran dry, I took a shaky breath. My mother brushed a damp strand of hair from my face, her eyes searching mine with a mixture of love and regret.
“Better?” she asked softly.
I managed a wobbly smile. “Yeah,” I whispered. “Better p>
We pulled apart, tension crackling in the air but no longer suffocating. I turned to Ryder, his eyes gleaming with pride and something deeper, warmer. He reached for my hand, fingers lacing through mine.
“You did it,” he said, his voice full of wonder. “You’re free p>
I nodded, the truth settling in my bones. I was free—from the blood tie, from the lies, from the chains of the past.
And maybe, just maybe, I was ready to start healing.
Ryder’s POV
You know that feeling where you’re holding a live grenade and just hoping to hell it doesn’t go off in your hands? Yeah. That was me. I watched Jasmine, her face twisted with pain, her body trembling like it was seconds away from collapsing. The blood tie’s dark magic was still inside her, clinging to her like some venomous parasite. And all I could do was stand there, hold her hand, and pray this witch knew what the hell she was doing.
The witch’s voice echoed, a ripple of power that made my skin prickle. Ancient words, sharp and biting, like they were peeling the darkness away one layer at a time.
I didn’t take my eyes off Jasmine. Her knuckles were white from how tightly she was gripping my hand, her nails digging into my skin. I welcomed the sting—a reminder that she was still here, still fighting. Her eyes were glassy with tears, but there was that spark in them, even now. That fire that made her her.
Her so-called parents, the Vipers, were standing at the edge of the room, stiff and haunted, their faces a mess of fear and guilt. Part of me wanted to march over and make them hurt the way Jasmine had hurt. But right now, my focus was on her.
Your escape begins with gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs․𝓬𝗈m
“Hold on,” I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady even though my heart was thrashing in my chest. “Just a little longer p>
Her body jerked as if something was ripping her apart from the inside. Her scream cut through me, sharp and raw. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself to stay steady when all I wanted to do was fix it. But this wasn’t something I could fight off with my fists. No, this battle was all hers. All I could do was be her anchor in the storm.
The witch’s voice rose, her power flaring like a flash of lightning.
“Release her!” she commanded, her words shaking the air.
The darkness fought back, twisting and shrieking, but the witch wasn’t giving it a choice. Light exploded through the room, so bright it seared my vision. The darkness inside Jasmine quivered, then shattered like glass.
Her knees buckled, and I was there before she hit the floor. My arms wrapped around her, pulling her against me. Her breath came in sharp, ragged gasps, her whole body trembling.
“It’s gone,” I whispered, my voice barely holding together. Relief surged through me, making my chest ache. “The blood tie is broken p>
Her tears came then—hot, relentless, waves of everything she’d been holding back. Grief. Rage. Relief. I tightened my grip, holding her like she was the most precious thing in the world. Because she was. My hand slid through her hair, my heartbeat steady and strong against her chaos.