Chapter 027
Emilia's POV
Above us, the sky bleeds red. Swollen and furious, the moon hangs low as if it wishes to observe our suffering. My breath tastes like ash and iron. My feet are barely touching the floor. Trees snapping under strain, howls rising like old curses, blood burning in the back of my throat—it's all blurred in motion.
There he is.
Maximilian.
Too much of his fur smells like mine, and now it's black, darker than sin, and glistening with blood and sweat.
Something breaks inside of me. I don't hold out. I jump, a haze of pain and anger.
He doesn't wince. does not dodge. He seems to want the hit.
My claws s***h across his ribs. I shed a viscerally painful tear. Blood spills and warms. He lets out a low growl, but it's not hate.
It's heartache.
Sadness.
You're not a
