Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
“Time to rise, my darling,” she coos.
And, just like that, Decius’s eyes snap open.
THIRTY-SIX
WILLOW
It astounds me that it took days for us to put Decius down, and within a couple hours of Selah’s awakening, he’s active again.
When Selah brought us back to Council Castle, she insisted that we all sit together and enjoy a calming dinner. There is nothing calming about it though. The dining room simmers with animosity, and I’m so pissed I can’t think straight. There’s a mixture of anger and fear I feel—fear that he’ll reach for me and suck my tether away.
Decius sits right across from me, smirking as he sips from a silver goblet. Selah produces refills of wine with a flicker of her fingers so servants aren’t necessary. Not that there are any to help anyway. She’s killed them all.
The Council laughs with glee and praises her for returning and thanks her for believing in them.
They’re idiots, all of them. Their people are dead and they’re acting like she’s some kind of angel.
“You look lovely as always, Willow.” Decius eyes me, swirling the liquid in his cup.
I glare at him, wanting so badly to pick up the knife on the table and gouge his eyes out. I’m not one to become violent, but it’s because of him that my brother lost his fucking mind and made it so vulnerable that Selah could tap into it.
Speaking of…
I shift my attention to Selah. “One of my parents on Earth died and the other ran away because he was afraid to raise us. Was that because of you?” I blurt out.
This situation is already weird. Who cares if my questions are?
Selah’s eyes latch with mine, and she does that weird tilt of her head. “Most likely.”
“They had nightmares about you. Said you haunted them in their sleep. My dad told my brother—my twin—Warren, that his nightmares didn’t end until he abandoned us.”
“The more vulnerable you two were, the better,” she returns, flashing a wicked smile.
I grimace.
“Oh, don’t be so upset about it, little one. If it helps, they weren’t even your real parents. They didn’t create you. They hardly even knew you, darling.”
I smash my lips together.
“As for your brother and his nightmares, well…his mind and body were available, and I used him to see things I needed to see. But that’s all thanks to my darling here.” Selah gestures to Decius seated right beside her.
Decius gives her a proud smile. “Thank you, Mother.”
That’s so weird hearing him call her Mother. Not too long ago he was blaspheming The Regals.
“If it weren’t for you, I’d have been so weak in that tomb. I’d have shriveled to dust, but you kept me fueled.”
Decius continues a smile.
“But then you betrayed me.” Selah’s eyes darken. Her normal eyes are the darkest brown I’ve ever seen. Within them, it seems there’s no soul. A chill rides down my spine seeing her like this—a demon. Pure evil.
Decius swings his eyes to hers. “I would never betray you, Mother. I only wanted to gain power so that I could claim Vakeeli as yours and restore you.”
Selah glares at him while everyone else at the table remains silent. She drums her red claw-like fingernails on the wooden table, still keeping her gaze locked on Decius. Then, finally, she softens and gives him a smile.
“You’re lucky I’m so forgiving.” She taps his nose and winks.
I glance at Killian who has his arms folded. Just like me, he doesn’t want to eat. And the wine is tempting, but after hearing Selah say there’s a child in me…I can’t bring myself to drink.
She has to be wrong about that. I’ve been completely fine and healthy…other than that sudden wave of nausea. And vomiting on the way to my appointed room. I just thought it was the food.
I lower my gaze, trying to remember when my last period was. With all that’s been going on, I haven’t been able to keep track of it properly. Maeve bought me pads and tampons once, and it’s now I realize that I haven’t used them since I agreed to live in Vakeeli.
How could I be so naïve? Back on Earth I was on birth control, but they don’t have that here. Still, it’s only been about a month and a half since I agreed to stay. We haven’t been together long enough for a pregnancy to happen…right?
The screech of chair legs pulls me out of my thoughts, and I look up to see Selah standing.
“There was a time when I was in love.” She strolls around the table with a bored sigh.
I can’t help frowning as she raises her hands in the air. The dining room darkens, save for the candles on the center of the table. As she lifts her hands higher, a luminescent streak of orange appears and slowly transforms into a woman.