Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 43197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43197 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
But I stood there in shocked silence. I knew my father loved me and loved Adan, as well. What I didn’t know was how he could prepare a feast and only try to protect me. Why hadn’t he mentioned a plan to go immediately to save Adan? Didn’t he want to participate in a rescue mission to bring my brother back to us? Nothing made sense about what was happening around me. Absolutely nothing.
“He doesn’t think it is possible to save Adan,” Alyx whispered in my ear. “Your mother is powerful because of her dark magic. Your sister, as well. He’s also just realized what has happened over the past years. Give him time to wrap his mind around it.” Alyx slipped his arm around my waist. “It’s difficult for a man to accept that he might not be strong enough to defeat the woman who gave birth to his children.” He took a deep breath. “I also think he has a difficult time accepting the fact that she needs to die, both her and your sister. He loved her, Kailar. I think a part of him still does—still hopes that she will turn away from the darkness and come back to him, bringing his other two children with her.”
“Then he’s delusional,” I huffed in fury. “How can he know that Adan is in the clutches of Beathag after all these months, and still talk about preparing a fucking feast to welcome me home? My brother is still in her lair and in grave danger with every passing moment.” Shaking my head, I sighed. “I don’t know if I can deal with this, Alyx—especially tonight. I can’t celebrate while my brother grows weaker and weaker locked in his iron prison.”
“I understand. Let them have their celebration tonight. Tomorrow morning, you and I and Keion will bring your brother home.” He reached up and grabbed both sides of my face in a loving gesture. “Once that is done, Kailar, you won’t ever be able to return here if we can’t destroy the Hag. We’ve tried before and nothing has worked so far. It won’t be safe for you here in the ocean, or for Adan either. I’m nervous about you staying this one night, in fact, because Beathag is locked onto you. She’ll know you’re here. I can only hope she won’t be able to get her army together fast enough to attack before we’ve left to rescue Adan.” Water surrounded the bubble of protection that even this outpost of Atlantis held—saltwater everywhere but the only water that meant anything to me was the lone tear that slid down Alyx’s cheek.
“You…you don’t think we can do it, do you? Save Adan? You think she’s too strong?”
“I don’t know what I think, Kailar. All I know is that Keion and I will be by your side, live or die. We hate ourselves for the years we’ve lost because of our careless, selfish decisions when we were too young to know what we should have done. Beathag will have to kill me before she can get to you—and the same goes for Keion. Our magic is strong. We’ll put up a valiant effort and the gods may be on our side.” He took my hand and pull me close. “All I know is that I want to spend every possible moment with you in my arms. Come, let’s go to our quarters. Please, Kailar. I need you.” He smiled enticingly at me in an attempt to not make what he’d just said so terrifying. “Plus, it makes us stronger. My essence inside of you, and yours inside me. Our strength will grow.”
“How’s that?”
“The proof of our love—the love of a soulmate—makes our magic stronger.”
I tried to make a scoffing noise, but I knew he could tell it would be fake. I was moved by what he was saying, though I didn’t want to be. “Is that a line you use to get men in your bed?”
“I don’t know. Is it working?” His grin was rakish. “It is true, though.”
“Then make love to me all night long,” I whispered, knowing I’d made the right decision, even though I was risking his hatred when he learned of what I was planning. I only hoped he would one day understand.
Chapter Nine
Alyx
I collapsed on the bed. Somehow, I’d forgotten the slight age difference between the two of us. Kailar had been insatiable. Of course, I had been doing most of the work and loving every damn minute of it. The rest of the afternoon leading up to that night’s feast had been spent with me making love to him, not the other way around. Not even once. He said that my turn to become strong from sex with a mate would be after the damn celebration. I was so worried Kailar wouldn’t be able to control his anger during tonight’s feast. Who could blame him? It was Kailar who’d talked to his twin, saw the pain he was in, first hand. And then there was the special twin connection to add to the horror of seeing Adan literally withering away.