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 hold onto the man who’s the only thing keeping me standing through all the hell I’ve had to face.
I have no idea how much time passes before I say, “I’m so glad you’re mine. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
The air displaces around us, and the next second, I’m pulled to my feet by Raighne, who immediately takes a defensive stance.
A few feet from us, Ares appears with Griffith right beside him.
Even though there’s a glamor making Ares look human, my body shudders with revulsion at the sight of the monster who tortured me.
He must’ve taken an elixir before coming back because his eyes are the same light blue as Raighne’s.
Griffith holds his hands up. “Let’s talk before anyone overreacts.”
“Overreacts?” Raighne growls. “How can you stand beside such evil, Father?”
Griffith shakes his head, giving Raighne a pleading look. “Son, Ares never meant to hurt Alchera. He was under Adeth’s control, the same way Alchera was earlier. You can’t hold him accountable for what happened.”
I struggle to accept what Griffith is saying. I’ll never forgive myself for the parts I played in the deaths of my father and brother.
I’ll never forgive Ares.
If we were stronger, Adeth wouldn’t have been able to control us.
Raighne’s eyes snap to my face, then back to Ares, and I see the moment he starts to believe what Griffith is saying.
Pulling away from him, I shake my head.
“I know I’m the last person you want to see, Alchera,” Ares says. His eyes are filled with the same guilt I feel. “And I know nothing I say will change anything, but I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt you.”
I shake my head wildly, moving a couple of steps backward while hissing, “Don’t talk to me.”
“I can’t erase what happened between us, but please allow me to help. Let me try to make up for what I’ve done to you. I can help you fulfill your destiny by transporting you wherever you need to go.”
Just the sound of his voice makes me feel sick to my stomach, and darting away from them, I only make it to a tree before my body convulses as I vomit.
A second later a hand rubs over my lower back, and Raighne’s healing touch quickly settles my upset stomach.
“Enough!” Raighne snaps at his father and Ares. “There’s no way we’re working with Ares. You can both leave.”
“We can’t,” Griffith replies, his tone firm. “Awo has given a destiny to Ares. He has to help Alchera by transporting her to the chosen ones. Awo heard her concerns and answered them by sending Ares.”
“What the hell?” Raighne gasps.
I’m starting to think Awo hates me.
I shake my head as I walk to the house to get away from them, my body trembling like a leaf in the shitstorm my life has become.
“Alchera,” Griffith calls. “Don’t walk away. We need to settle this matter.”
Ignoring him, I head into the house, and I don’t stop until I shut the bathroom door behind me. I take a minute to brush my teeth before washing my face and hands.
When my eyes meet my reflection in the mirror and I see the shadows growing in my irises, I sink down to the floor, sitting flat on my butt.
I’m no better than Ares. Where he just tortured me, I killed Roark.
I killed my own brother.
I’m worse than Ares.
“No!” Raighne’s voice thunders through my mind right before the bathroom door opens and he comes inside.
When Raighne picks me up, I rest my head against his shoulder. He carries me to a bedroom and gently places me on the covers before he lies down beside me. I snuggle against his chest as his body engulfs mine.
“What do we do?” I ask.
“We’ll deal with everything once you’ve had some rest.”
I take deep breaths of Raighne’s scent, and the next second, I drift off to sleep.
Chapter 28
Alchera
Ares is standing over me with his whip, ready to begin another day’s torture.
“I don’t want to hurt you, Alchera. Please forgive me,” he begs as tears roll down his face.
I don’t understand why he’s crying.
“Ares?” I look into his light blue eyes, alive with pain. He lifts his arm to hit me, and I reach out to him. “You can fight her. Please don’t,” I beg.
My plea doesn’t stop him from bringing the whip down over my broken skin.
“No,” I sob. “Please stop.”
The words echo around me, and I realize it’s not my voice, but Ares who’s begging.
I find myself in some sort of cave, and I can hear water dripping, the stench of rotten eggs filling the air.
I glance wildly around, and when I see a weak and beaten younger version of Ares lying on the floor, I gasp in horror.
Adeth raises her arm high and brings the whip down hard on his back.
When she raises her arm again, I race forward and throw myself over Ares. I cover him with my body and brace myself for the impact, but the whip goes through me.