Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 26760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26760 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 134(@200wpm)___ 107(@250wpm)___ 89(@300wpm)
“Hey,” she whispered, stepping out into the hallway.
“Hey,” I responded, tired but welcoming her company.
She followed me and Thea to my room, her footsteps feather light on the plush hallway runners. Once inside, I closed the door, and the weight of the day seemed to settle between us.
“You look like you've had a rough night,” she noted, her eyes sharp.
I sighed before recounting my strange encounter with Aidoneus, sparing her the details of what happened on my way home.
As the story poured out, I watched her expression shift from curiosity to disbelief, and then concern. She crossed her arms and worried her lower lip. “I thought Mom was being her usual paranoid self, but after what happened in the plaza, this doesn’t sound good, Kore.”
I sighed and removed the clip from my hair. “I know. I’m not sure what to make of it all, honestly.”
“Well, waiting around to see if anything else happens isn’t the way to go about things. So, what are we going to do about it?”
“We? We aren't going to do anything. I’ll figure it out.”
She took a step forward, her eyebrows pulling together in concern. “Kore, you can't just—”
"No,” I interrupted, holding up a hand to stop her from saying anything else. “I don’t want you dragged into this any more than you already would be just by being my sister. None of you. Promise you won't tell Mom and Dad. It'll only make things more complicated.”
For a moment, she hesitated, clearly torn.
“Effie.”
“Okay, fine. I won't say anything. But this conversation isn’t over. Get some sleep.”
She gave me one last concerned look and left the room, granting me some privacy. I moved to my grand armoire and grabbed some night clothes before I stepped into my attached bathroom. I started the shower, letting the steam fill the space as I shedded my uniform and got in. The warm water felt like an embrace as it cascaded down, helping ease my tension.
When I was done, I brushed my teeth and started my final skincare routine. I looked into the mirror, the warm light illuminating my features. My heritage was evident in the tanned complexion I bore, a contrast to my stormy blue-grey eyes. My dark brown hair, damp from the shower, reached to the center of my shoulder blades. I usually threw it up in a clip or styled it in a loose braid to keep it off my face. And then there was the mark on my lower right jaw, faint but noticeable. It had an odd shape to it.
Grandma used to apply a cream to lighten it when I was younger, telling me it was a burn scar. As I got older, I began to doubt the truth of that. I had no recollection of burning my face in such a way. It made me wonder why she wanted it hidden. My parents never denied or confirmed what she claimed, and we rarely discussed the mark at all anymore.
I emerged from the bathroom, the warm steam from my shower dissipating behind me. Amalthea had already made herself comfortable on the area rug beside my bed, her soft breathing serving as a gentle reminder of her unwavering presence. Picking up my NyxPhone from the bedside table, I sent Ezra a brief goodnight message. It was more for appearances than anything else. If we really were being monitored, I needed to keep up the facade of our usual relationship.
I switched off the lights and climbed into bed, but sleep was elusive. Aidoneus' unexpected visit to my job and the scene I had witnessed on my way home played repeatedly in my mind, mingling with my already swirling thoughts.
As I pulled the covers closer, I tried to push away the unease lingering in my chest.
CHAPTER FOUR
The trill of my NyxPhone jolted me awake, banishing the remnants of my dream to the shadows. I blinked, letting my eyes adjust to the soft morning light filtering through my window. My heart raced from the vivid images that had haunted my sleep: a dark, enchanted forest shrouded in mist, where a majestic black unicorn roamed, its presence both comforting and foreboding. In the distance, a powerful dragon watched over the realm, its eyes a molten blend of red and gold, filled with a possessive intensity that both thrilled and terrified me.
I reached for my phone, my fingers trembling slightly. The screen lit up with a message from Ezra, but my mind lingered on the dream’s haunting symbolism. It felt like an omen, hinting at a fate I couldn't yet grasp.
"Hey, what's your plan for today?"
I responded vaguely.
"Not much, just a few errands. You?"
Before I could set the phone down, another notification popped up. This one was from Nefertari.
"We still on?"
"Yes, about to get ready now." I sent back quickly, confirming our plans.