“Noah’s house?” I asked, bringing my hand to my mouth. “The artifact is at Noah’s?”

“Seems so,” Darkness said, covering a short but sharp cough as a shiver shook his body.

I swallowed hard. “It might not be there any longer. Noah joined The Army of Light right before we came to find you.”

“As soon as I have regained some of my strength, I will try again to break through the protection spells,” Darkness said, straightening his spine as if he’d only just noticed he’d been slouching.

I shook my head. “No. I’ll do it. It makes the most sense.”

“It’s too risky for you,” Darkness said, placing his palms on his thighs.

“I can get inside. The spells don’t stop me,” I said, ignoring the tension in my jaw. “They know me. They won’t question it, even with Noah gone.” I shifted my eyes away from Darkness. “Noah wants me to wait for him.”

“No,” Darkness said, shaking his head. “I forbid it.”

My brows squished together. “Um, what?”

Nightmare’s gaze darted back and forth between Darkness and me, tension heavy in the room. “I have a few matters I must attend to. I will be in touch soon, brother.”

Darkness grunted, his weight shifting as Nightmare vanished from our sight. “I will not allow you to go there alone when you cannot control the medallion bound to your wrist.”

“I don’t need the medallion to get inside Noah’s house,” I retorted, my words grinding between clenched teeth.

Darkness’s rage boiled over. He stomped his foot with such force the entire house trembled. My eyes fixated on the walls, poised to flee if the structure started to crumble from the strain.

“It is not worth the risk!” he roared.

A cynical laugh erupted from deep inside, echoing in the nearly empty room. “You’re joking, right? You don’t give a damn what happens to me. All you care about is the medallion.”

Darkness was on his feet. With a sudden surge, his vigor returned, and he effortlessly hoisted me with a single hand from the chair, somewhat roughly crashing my body against the unforgiving wall.

My eyes exploded open as my breaths ripped through me. Shock moved through my veins like a lightning bolt, leaving me momentarily paralyzed.

“Who said I didn’t care, hm?” Darkness growled, his deep voice vibrating through my bones

“No one needed to say it,” I replied, my voice barely finding my lips.

Shadows filled the room as he stared into my eyes. “It would kill me if anything happened to you.”

Tension hung heavy between us, like a storm on the verge of breaking. Our hearts beat in unison in the thick silence as we stared into each other’s eyes.

His hand, cool and gentle, reached for my trembling face, brushing a strand of hair away as he leaned closer. “Perhaps I care too much.”

I couldn’t think.

I didn’t know what to say.

“I have only ever hated the idea of losing you,” Darkness said, stroking my cheek.

“You must be ill,” I said, clearing my throat as I slipped to the side to put space between us.

Darkness didn’t turn to me. He placed both shaky palms on the wall, his shoulders loosening as they rounded forward.

“Mmm,” he moaned as his legs trembled beneath him. Vulnerability washed over him as he turned his head slightly. “I need rest. Help me upstairs.”

It looked as though it had pained him to ask for help. His pride held him captive as he wouldn’t even look at me as I approached.

“Of course,” I said, wrapping my arms around his middle.

Darkness was significantly bigger than I was, so I wasn’t sure how much help I could provide. Still, I couldn’t leave him alone when he had managed to ask for assistance.

“Where is your room?” I asked, biting my lip as I attempted to support as much of his weight as I could.

“Down the hall,” Darkness said, taking in a breath. He exhaled slowly, reluctantly relying on me more to keep him upright. “Then up the stairs, and first door on the right.”

Darkness controlled his breathing as we made our way down the short corridor. The path was illuminated by feeble candles that flickered as they worked to light the obsidian void. Each step we took on the unforgiving stone floor echoed around us.

The air was heavy with an enchanting blend of lavender and vanilla. We climbed the stairs, taking each step one by one as the candle lights flickered their ethereal flames.

At the bedroom’s entrance, I pushed open an ebony door with an ornate silver handle, revealing an alluring sanctuary. The room was draped in rich, velvety curtains of deep purple, a sleek contrast to the black lacquered furniture that adorned the massive space. An opulent canopied bed was in the middle of the room, shrouded in layers of satin and embellished with plush, amethyst-hued pillows. On each wall, there hung beautiful paintings in decorative silver frames.

“Wow,” I whispered. “Your room is beautiful. Why is it so empty downstairs?”

“This is where I spend my time when I’m home,” Darkness said, grunting as he sat on the edge of the bed.

“I can see why. Can I get you anything?” I asked, watching him as he slid further onto the bed, laying his head back on the pillow.

His eyes closed as if he had very little control over them. “Just rest.”

“Okay,” I said, shifting my weight as I stared at him.

I pressed my hand against his shoulder, feeling the gentle rise and fall of his body with each slow breath. Yet, relentless worry gnawed at my heart.

He was weak because of me.

If he would have had the medallion, he wouldn’t have been taken and tortured. I was the one that had to do something to make things better for him.

The medallion needed to be around his wrist because it would help him get stronger. Again, I desperately tried to remove it, but I could feel the band tighten around my wrist.

“Dammit,” I muttered.

My eyes remained locked on his every movement, as though my gaze alone could shield him from anything and everything that might cause him trouble. The dim light bathed his sculpted, masculine features in an otherworldly radiance. At that moment, my world revolved around him, each of my thoughts ensnared within an inescapable web of worry that only I could unravel.

And I knew exactly where to start. He didn’t want it, but I knew what I needed to do.

I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes. It felt as though it had taken forever, but eventually, sleep found me.

My eyes shifted around the dark city, searching for him. “Nightmare?” I called, even though I wasn’t sure if my lips had moved.