Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 144404 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 722(@200wpm)___ 578(@250wpm)___ 481(@300wpm)
I did, too, and I had no idea how I was going to tell her. “How long does she have to be on the blood? Can we wean her off it?”
“We could take her off it today,” Lee explained. “It’s satan blood. It is not addictive. It is reason distilled. Addiction isn’t logical to a satan, as it would interfere with their duties, so it works like methadone. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t think it would work this way with Liv. I didn’t agree to the plan because I thought it would wake her up.”
“You didn’t think she was asleep at all.” I knew what Lee had thought, but he didn’t remember her the way I did. “You thought she’d turned on us.”
“We don’t know that she didn’t,” Lee countered. “But I’m willing to entertain the idea that she wasn’t always in control of her actions. If Myrddin really had her brainwashed like that, we have to think about the fact that she can be unbrainwashed.”
He wasn’t big on technical terms. “I think it’s going to be harder than that. Every time I think she’s starting to remember, she gets sick. I worry she’s going to get really sick. We’re sure she doesn’t have like a parasite or something that’s making her behave this way? Myrddin used thrall stones before.”
Casey shook his head. “We scanned her for magical parasites, including thrall stones. We never did it before because we had no idea they existed.”
“Thrall stones and the types of parasites you’re talking about are very, very rare.” Lee seemed to consider the problem. “From what I’ve gathered, the schools he set up to train witches were really about conditioning them. Liv ended up in one of the worst. It was for the more talented magic wielders. If you asked the witches, they would say it’s about battle magic and training, but from what I can tell from the ones who got away it was about beating down any and all resistance to Myrddin. Even then, only three were selected to be Profane, and they were the ones who gave up pieces of their souls. At the time we thought they did it in exchange for more power. Now I wonder.”
I did, too. I wondered if she’d had a choice at all.
“Having that piece of her soul back will help enormously,” Gray pointed out. “I’ve been studying up, and I believe being apart from that piece of her soul is what’s holding her back. From everything, really. I would know more if I knew exactly what piece and how much Myrddin took.”
“I can tell you what piece. He took away her basic emotions.” It had been hard to watch her this morning. She’d looked so lost, like she’d wanted to feel but simply couldn’t. “He took away her love and affection. He left her with only one. Rage.”
“I disagree. I think he left her with fear, too. But he did take away her guilt and pain,” Casey added. “He took away what she felt from that night in Wyoming. It’s why she’s afraid to try to get it back. Even if we do manage to find it and bring it back to her, what happens if she won’t accept it? That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“The soul needs to be complete,” Gray replied. “If we release it close to Liv, it’ll find its way back in whether she wants it or not.”
“Oh, I’ll hold her down if I have to,” Casey said with pure will. “I’m sick of that asshole having control over her. I want my wife back.”
“You know you’ll have to deal with the real Liv if she gets her soul back, and she might not be happy to find out she’s married.” I knew my bestie. “She’s always wanted a nice wedding, not some hasty ‘vampire take my blood and oops, we’re married’ thing.”
“We’ve had zero luck figuring out where Myrddin’s hiding it,” Lee said with a frown. “Evan, Fen, and I spent some time at the night market asking around.”
“I think that should be my job,” I pointed out.
Gray’s eyes narrowed. “You are pregnant and on a Hell plane.”
“I thought I would be safe.” I didn’t like the kids out there doing my job.
“You should be, and yet we’ve had two attempts on your life,” Gray countered.
“We don’t know it was me they were coming after,” I argued. “After all, no one outside this house really knew I was coming, and you’ve stated plainly no one inside this house can hurt me.”
“No one living in this house can, but they can certainly talk.” Casey walked over to the mantel, seeming to warm himself at the fire going there. Academics enjoyed physical sensations more than most vampires. Casey wouldn’t actually be cold, but he might like the feel of warmth on his skin. “I think we have to consider Lilith our prime suspect. The question is why would she do it? What does she gain?”