𝐒𝐲𝐧 ┃𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

123. 𝐿𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝐹𝑎𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝐿𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑆𝑜𝑛

Syn

I realized Cleo was right the moment I stepped through the portal. There wasn't a noticeable change, but something in the air was different. Someone was here.

I heard the snap of a branch and I followed it to just beyond the trees beside the house. "You heard that too?" I heard Paris ask me as he followed along.

"No, I'm just walking towards the woods because I like the scenery." I walked ahead, my steps long yet my body felt weaker than it ever had. Then I remembered something. And I stopped walking. "Why am I walking ahead of you? I'm not your guard."

He stopped walking too, crossing his arms. "I don't work for you anymore, remember?"

"Ah." I nodded. "Well, you're hired again. Lead the way." He deadpanned, clearly unamused and I gestured for him to go ahead. He remained frozen- annoyed too. "Should I ask you as your king or ask politely one more time?"

That thrust him into motion and he walked past me. "First thing, you are not my King. I wasn't born in the Underworld." Fair. "Second, it's okay to admit you're afraid."

"Afraid?" I mused, glancing at the cabin. It was quiet. "That's not the word I'd use." I cleared my throat. "There is just a hierarchy of importance in this world and I happen to rest far- and I mean far above you. So for the sake of the natural order...better you than me."

He scoffed, stepping into the clearing past the woods. "Shall I bring him to you, then?"

"Bring who?"

"Hmm. You are weak right now." Well. He vanished in an instant, speeding past the trees and sending leaves flying off the ground. Show off. I wasn't humble enough to feel useless despite my condition right now, but I did wish there was more I could do. Especially where Queen was concerned.

If it were up to me I'd go in now, with the clothes on my back. But the moment I did, I would become a burden to her when I was supposed to be the one to save her. We needed to be prepared. That meant restraining my impulsivity and being patient, of all things.

Just a few more— I glanced at my watch, hours. My eyes widened.

I wasn't a patient man. By far.

I used to be.

Maybe not patient. Admittedly. But I did have better self-control before I met her.

Alas, love.

My undoing yet my one salvation. She was my god. Humans had their petty religions, false deities— beacons of hope that kept them from living on and ending their miserable lives.

I had her.

If I were anyone other than who I was, I'd be considered a pagan for that.

I walked back, following along the radius of the barrier. Although I was careful not to make contact with it, my attention was glued onto the cabin. All the blinds were drawn, obscuring my vision of any area. I figured he had caught on and closed everything, but again, it was too quiet.

And Queen wasn't a quiet person. That's what made the silence so off-putting.

I should've been able to hear something. But as Paris pointed out a few moments ago, my abilities had become flawed. I focused, willing myself to hear something, anything at all. That's when I heard the scraping of a chair against the floor—