Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 147891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
Hassha gestures to Garrett as he draws his knees to his chest. “What I’m saying is you have a choice right now to turn him into whatever you want.”
“What do you mean?”
“What I mean is if you want him to become a spider, I can turn him into one.”
“What? How would that even help me, Hassha?”
“If you feel the urge to step on this spider and crush it beneath your boot, I will not stop you,” she continues. “And perhaps it will help you overcome your fear of them.”
I stare into her eyes as they flicker to silver.
“No—seriously! No!” Garrett tries standing, but Lilith shoves him back to the ground then points her spear in his face. “I don’t know what’s going on, but this is fucked up! You can’t kill me! I don’t deserve to die!”
“Is it true that you were laying your hands on Willow? Abusing her?” Hassha asks, lowering her flaming silver gaze to him.
“I—I didn’t do anything! She—she made me do those things!”
His response makes my blood boil. Fuck turning him into a spider. I’d take way more pleasure in ripping him limb from limb as the piece of shit he is right now.
Hassha points her gaze to me. “Well, Caspian?” When I say nothing, she sighs. “It’s this, or he rots in that cave forever, because I won’t let him go. I’ll let him decay, and during his final breaths, he’ll know he’s dying because he laid hands on a woman.”
My breaths come out ragged. I’m so full of rage as I stare down at him. All I need is one minute to destroy him. But it’s not an option, and I realize that when I finally step away and shake my head. Willow would be angry with me, disappointed even. She’d be hurt if I did anything to him without consulting her first.
“It shouldn’t be my choice,” I finally say.
Hassha tilts her head. “No?”
“It should be Willow’s.”
Her lips curl to a smile. “I like that answer.”
Hassha nods at Lilith, and Lilith snatches Garrett up. “Let’s go.” She drags him away, heading toward the bridge again and disappearing beneath the curve. I let out a frustrated sigh, clenching my jaw so hard I swear my teeth will crack.
Hassha places a hand on my shoulder, and to my surprise, her touch doesn’t burn. It hardly feels like it’s there at all. When I meet her eyes, they’ve softened, as well as the anger brewing inside me.
“Vengeance should never be hasty. You of all people should know this,” she says, voice low. “I saw your memories about your mother, and what your father did to her.”
I clench a fist at the sheer reminder of my mother and the mistake I made that got her killed.
“Her death was not your fault.”
I close my eyes, breathing harder, faster.
“Caspian, look at me.”
I wait for my breathing to slow before finding her eyes.
“Your mother’s death was not your fault. Do not let the hurt from your past and your blind rage rush you into doing something you’ll regret later. You were wise to think about Willow first.”
“He deserves to die, Hassha!”
“Sure, but the pain he inflicted was never yours. It was hers. Don’t go behind her back making decisions for her. Let her choose what should be done so that she’s at peace with it.” She removes her hand, and I’m not sure why a sadness falls over me. Hassha is tampering with my emotions. She’s putting logical reasoning into my brain, regardless of how badly I want to soak in my anger.
I’m saddened, not because I don’t get the chance to kill Garrett, but because my love for Willow is so much stronger than I realized, and she means so damn much to me.
Hassha is right. I can’t kill him. It’s not what Willow wants, no matter how badly he treated her, and that tears me in two because her heart is good. It’s so good, and I don’t deserve the love she pours from it. She could have ordered me to end that man the same night I captured him and stuffed him in the trunk of her car, but she didn’t. Even in fear, she displayed nothing but compassion for that worthless fucker. I truly don’t deserve someone like her.
“Come now, Caspian.” Hassha’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. “Your mate is awake, thriving, and her heart yearns for you. Let’s get back to her.”
Chapter 48
CAZ
When we arrive in Moon Village, my eyes move to Willow who is now being offered a fruit basket from Carra. When Willow takes it, Carra drops to her knees and begins massaging her feet. Willow looks around, clearly uncomfortable, but too kind to tell her to stop.
I soften a bit, my guard wavering as I watch her. She’s so stunning in that dress, the yellow making her brown skin more luxurious. I want to take her somewhere and lay kisses all over her body, but it’d be rude of us to just disappear while Kessel has taken us in. Still, just five minutes with her, and we’d both be satisfied.