Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
I take hold of Sky’s hand and wait for Ares to shimmer us to Italy.
God, I hope this works.
I try to brace for the sickening sensations I felt the first time Ares shimmered me to the shack, but instead, a cool breeze rustles through me right before the living room starts to blur.
Chapter 29
Alchera
As my vision comes into focus again, I quickly glance around us but don’t see Riccardo.
Shit.
Ares sinks to his knees, and sitting back on his haunches, he sucks in desperate breaths of air.
There’s a glimmer of worry in my chest, and I instinctively move closer, but Raighne grabs hold of my arm, pulling me back with a stern shake of his head.
Jason darts forward and crouches in front of Ares, saying, “Your nose is bleeding. Tilt your head back.”
I watch with a weird sense of worry as Jason hands Ares a tissue to wipe up the blood before checking his vitals.
Staring at the man who tortured me, I struggle with the conflicting emotions in my chest. The hatred and fear I have for him buckle beneath the compassion that has no business being in my heart.
“He’s just exhausted,” Jason says. “The shimmer thing he did took a blow at him.”
“There’s no time to rest,” Finian mutters.
“Matt’s puking his guts out,” Dylan mentions, his tone strained and looking a little pale himself. “We could all use a minute or two to recover.”
I glance at where Sky is crouching near Matt with a water bottle, which makes me think back to what Brenna said about them forming bonds with one another.
It seems more like some are forming romantic relationships.
Turning my attention back to Ares, I watch as he climbs to his feet, muttering, “I’m good to go.”
I let out a relieved breath, then take in the area around us.
We’re standing in a park that’s surrounded by old buildings. The few people who are out on the streets this early in the morning don’t even notice us, because they’re too busy rushing to their destinations.
The air feels tense, and it makes a shiver ghost down my spine.
Needing a moment to try and focus on sensing where Riccardo is, I pull away from Raighne and walk toward a tree that offers some shade.
“You okay?” Raighne asks.
“Yes. Just need a minute. Check on Matt and Sarah for me, please.”
“Alchera.” Hearing Ares’ voice in my mind has me looking over my shoulder at him.
“Stay out of her fucking mind,” Raighne growls.
“It’s okay,” I tell Raighne. “I have to talk to Ares at some point.”
“No,” Raighne refuses, the brutal expression on his face spelling nothing good for Ares.
“Raighne.” I give him a pleading look. “I’ll be okay. Give me privacy.”
He shakes his head at me before giving Ares a look of warning. “One wrong move, and you’re dead.”
“Got it,” Ares bites out before turning his attention back to me.
I’m relieved when Ares doesn’t attempt to move closer to me, but when his expression softens, it fills me with a weird sense of confusion like it did when he asked me to forgive him in the shack.
Wrapping my arms around my middle, I hold his gaze. “When we were in the shack, and you asked me for forgiveness, did Adeth’s control on you slip?”
“Don’t.” He shakes his head, “Please.”
“Don’t what? Talk about it?” I lift my chin. “You taught me something, you know. Thanks to you, I can now handle a shitload of pain.” I glance at his right hand, the hand I know so well, and remember when it felt like he was burning the skin from my body.
Ares clenches his jaw, and a tear slips down his cheek, but he doesn’t stop me from talking.
“I remember our last time together in the shack. Right before you left, I saw something, and I want to know if I imagined it or if it was real.”
I can’t believe how calmly I’m talking to him. I have to be insane.
“I couldn’t control what I did, but I…Alchera,” he pauses and gives me a pleading look. “I tried so hard to fight Adeth. She was just too strong, but I never wanted to hurt you. What I did to you…” he shakes his head, tortured by the guilt that’s clearly eating him alive, “it killed me.”
His eyes beg me to understand. To forgive him.
Now that he’s no longer a threat, it’s hard to ignore that he looks a lot like Raighne and Finian. Just like them, he’s good-looking, but the hell he’s lived with gives him a dark and tortured look the other two men don’t have.
It makes it so much harder not to feel pity for him.
I glance away from Ares and take in my surroundings. The wind is constantly blowing, never letting up. The sun has a sinister red tinge to it, giving the impression it’s twilight and not early in the day.