Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 108376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 108376 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 542(@200wpm)___ 434(@250wpm)___ 361(@300wpm)
“She’s a nice person, selfless really. She’s always been that way,” I said, while a tendril of jealousy curled it’s way around my insides. I had no right to feel it, especially given everything that had transpired between me and Vas, not to mention the vision of the future Sarasin had shown me. And besides, I was certain nothing was going on between Peter and Angela. Neither of them was the type.
“You must be tired. Come here,” Peter said while pulling me back onto the bed.
“You look tired, too. Have you not been sleeping?”
“Not as much as I should. I certainly have a newfound respect for my mum. It’s non-stop taking care of those boys.”
“I bet,” I replied and he helped me climb under the covers then wrapped his arms around me. A yawn escaped me as I asked, “Who’s with them now?”
“Mrs White, our neighbour. She’s human so I don’t often ask her to babysit since the boys sometimes like to prank her with spells. But when I heard you were getting out of the prison I had to come.”
“Oh, Peter. I hate that your dad did this to you all. I hate even more that it happened while I was gone.”
There was a brief flash of pain behind his eyes. “You’re back now. That’s all that matters.”
Again, guilt swirled within me. I was being torn in two different directions, a force slowly tugging away at my seams. If only I could magically clone myself, sending one version of me to rescue Vas and Sven, while the other version stayed and helped Peter with his familial responsibilities.
I nestled into the crook of his neck and closed my eyes. Too many worries filled my mind to sleep. Most urgently I needed to figure out how to get to Oreylia. A part of me wished to go immediately, but I didn’t have the magic to get there and Carrabelle was too injured to open another portal. I at least needed to let her rest and heal first.
“Peter,” I said in a soft voice.
“Hmm?”
“Do you know what kind of spell it takes to open an interdimensional portal?”
At this, he stiffened. “Not in detail but I have a vague idea. I’m sure Rita or your mother would know. Why do you ask?”
I fell silent, unsure how to answer. Peter still saw Vas and Sven as escaped convicts, criminals. He had no idea how my feelings towards them had shifted, no clue of the passion that had been stirred within me, the need to help them be free. Unsurprisingly I left all that out of the account I’d given of my time in the prison.
“Is this about Vasilios?” he asked then, his voice low and my heart gave a sharp thump.
“Yes,” I answered honestly.
“Do you think the Guard are going to travel through dimensions to Oreylia just to put him back in the Prison of Thorns? Whatever he’s facing now is surely far worse.”
He had no idea how his words made me sick. I just kept remembering the look of betrayal on Vas’ face when he learned I’d been undercover. That I’d tricked him yet again. And then the next minute he was gone. I was traumatised by it all, plagued by the need to explain myself, to make him see that as soon as I got to know him I wasn’t working against him anymore. Surely, if I were then I’d have informed one of the guards about his and Sven’s escape plan as soon as I learned of it, but I hadn’t.
“What’s wrong? You seem troubled.” Peter shifted on the bed so that he could look at me.
I lowered my gaze. “It’s nothing.”
“Darya, you can tell me anything. You know that, right?”
At this I glanced up. “It’s just that…” I trailed off for a moment, unsure what to say. Peter was staring at me with such open affection and kindness in his eyes. I forced myself to continue, “I got to know Vasilios and Sven quite well during my time in the prison and I know this is going to sound crazy, but I’m not sure they deserve this. He told me all about his childhood in Oreylia, how he and Sven spent their entire lives working in the mine. To think that’s what they’re being dragged back to, it makes me feel ill.”
I watched as he digested this. “You got to know them?”
“Well, yes, I didn’t have a choice. Don’t get me wrong, I never expected to empathise with them, but when I was in there I suddenly had all these other dangers to worry about and Vas and Sven became my allies. They protected me from other prisoners more than once.”
“Vas?”
I stilled, embarrassed that I’d referred to him so informally. I blew out a breath. “Like I said, we became more familiar with each other, and once I realised he wasn’t the one who framed me, well, it’s surreal to say it but we became friends. I hate thinking about what they’re going through right now.”