Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 88849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88849 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 444(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“No.”
I felt more than heard Kellan’s protest. He knew what his father was doing to me, and he was rallying against it.
‘What did you say?”
“I said no. Let her go.”
The ice was ripped out of me. I screamed, falling to the floor and I felt myself being pulled away. There was a vacuum effect going on, yanking me backward. Kellan stuck his foot out, maintaining contact with me, and as soon as he did, the world righted itself. He anchored me again. Without Kellan’s touch, I would’ve been swept back, and I glanced over my shoulder. Damien and Aumae were on the other side of that barrier. Both had wide eyes and paled features. Damien’s hands were curled into fists. He’d been trying to break through the barrier, but paused, seeing that I was looking back. Aumae clutched at a blanket over her shoulders. Tears fell down her face, and she never flicked them away. She just let them fall, like she knew something we didn’t, like she knew this was our goodbye, like she knew I was going to die.
“NO!” Kellan roared, hearing my thoughts and feeling my pain. He broke free from his dad’s hold a little bit more, enough so he could lean down and grab my shoulder. I lifted my arm up and he caught my hand. There. As soon as our palms were next to each other, it sealed our connection. A wave of strength surged through me, going through him, too, or maybe it had been his in the first place. Maybe he loaned it to me. Either way, I felt a tiny bit stronger.
His father had pulled all the snakes/tentacles back. He stood in front of us in a corporeal form wearing a black suit, buttoned in front of him. His body looked like Brad Pitt, and he cocked his head to the side, a genuine curiosity alighting his eyes. “Well. That was interesting.” He studied us closer, sniffing the air. “You two are bonded, but not enough. You’ve not taken her completely, son. What are you waiting for?” He gestured to me. “She is willing. Even her messenger is silent, knowing it needs to happen.”
My messenger—she wasn’t fighting for me. I tried to waken her, use her power, but nothing. It was like kicking around an empty can.
“Ah.” Kellan’s father smiled at me. “You’re not used to being as one with your messenger, are you? I put her to sleep. I won’t have a half-messenger trying to kill me and only killing herself before I’m done with you.” He swung his head back to Kellan. “Why have you not fully bonded with her?”
I wanted to die. He was talking about sex. If I weren’t so scared, humiliation would be coloring my face red.
Kellan’s eyes closed to slits. “Are you joking? What we do is none of your business.”
“It is my business. That’s why you were sent here, for her. You’re supposed to take her power. I want her power.”
What? I needed to know more, feeling that this was important, but Giuseppa coughed from behind us, rolling to her hands and knees. Her body was black and blue now, with red splotches all over. There were marks that looked like rug burn, like she had been dragged behind a car. I cringed just looking at her.
“Vespar?” she croaked out, one eye looking to the left as her right tried to focus on Kellan. “Where is he?”
Kellan’s father walked around, gazing down at Gus. “Ah yes. This is the foster sister that I sent you to be with.”
She wasn’t looking up at him. Her head hung low, and her back was spasming from trying to breathe. He kicked her, flipping her over. The front of her looked the same as her back, black and blue with red splotches all over except blood had broken through her skin. It was trickling down her body, making a path among the soot, markings, and dried blood that had already been there. Her head fell back to the ground. She couldn’t move. She could only look up at him, and she said, hoarsely, “They did something to my brother.”
“Ah. Your brother.” Kellan’s father knelt down, shaking his head as he took in her form. “You’re a mess, aren’t you? What did my pets do?”
Pets? I didn’t want to think about that. I shared a look with Kellan, who frowned and glanced away.
“Son.” His father swung back around. “Your foster sister was kind enough to call me forward. And I have to fulfill part of my end so where’s her brother?”
Kellan still didn’t say anything.
“Did you kill him?” Giuseppa spoke with such vehemence, she spit out the words. She sat up, her entire body still taking gulping breaths. “Did you?”
Kellan shot her a dark look, but he looked more bored with her question than angered.