Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 129912 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 650(@200wpm)___ 520(@250wpm)___ 433(@300wpm)
I clench a fist, staring at Willow again. If you go there, you’ll die, Caz. Don’t agree to this. Please.
Her voice is loud in my head, the only voice I can hear. I have no reasoning within me. They’re threatening to kill her over a trip to bloody Inferno Isle.
I lower my gaze, trying to think of a way out of this, but I can’t. My hands grow hot and I feel something surging within me. All that power Hassha mentioned I have, yet none of it is coming to the front.
I lift my hand, hoping it’ll bring a spark like it does when I have a nightmare. It doesn’t. My palm is muted, not even a speck of color.
I look at Willow again. I have to.
Her mouth parts, and her eyes fill with more tears.
“Why can’t you just take my blood and go?” I ask, brows furrowing.
Callista scoffs. “Believe me, if it were that simple, you’d have been dead a long time ago.”
I work my jaw.
“It’s not just as simple as drawing your blood and using it, Monarch Harlow,” she counters. “The tomb Selah rests in requires your presence—your energy. Even we can’t tamper with that.”
“Plus, it’s a horrifying island,” Arie adds, waving a flippant hand. “One we prefer not to lose our lives on.”
Yet they want me to lose mine.
I sigh. “Fine. I’ll go. Just set Willow and Killian free.”
“Ah, ah, ah.” Callista presses her palms together, and her head goes into a slight tilt. “Who is to say you agree to go and then try to run off to Earth or some other place where we can’t reach you…like Kessel, perhaps?” Her eyes flicker as well as the candles in the sconces on the wall. “No, Monarch Harlow. We’re not idiots. While you fulfill this mission, we will take your mate to Council Castle where she will remain until Selah has risen.”
“No! You can’t do that!”
“I can and I will,” Callista snarls.
I reach behind me for the gun tucked in the back of my waistband and point it at Vassilis. “I’ll blow his fucking head off, Callista, and I promise you I will not miss.”
“Not before I twist her pretty little neck with one finger,” Vassilis hisses, tossing the knife and gripping Willow’s throat with his bare hand.
“Caz,” Killian calls. I steel my jaw, cutting my eyes at him before glaring at Vassilis again. “I’ll go with them. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“Killian, no! Fuck that! This is just a game to them. We know this. You go there and they’ll kill you.”
“It’s fine, brother.” He tips his chin when I look at him, his jaw setting. “I know you want to save her right now, but there’s no way out of this one. Not even for us.”
My eyes grow hotter. I stare at him so long he becomes a blur. I blink, focusing on my mate again who watches me with utter despair.
“How noble,” Callista tinkers.
I lower the gun, hands shaking, frustration settling in my veins. “If any harm comes to her, I’ll kill you all. That is my word.”
“I’m sure you’ll try.” Callista sighs. “Right. The ship is at Blackwater Port. The sooner you leave, the better. Your mate will be in Council Castle with us while you fulfill your end of the bargain. Once you do what needs to be done, we’ll set her free.”
My breathing grows louder and my anger blinds me completely. All I can see is red.
I want to wrap my hand around her throat and strangle her. But how will that save Willow?
If I wake Selah, Hassha and Korah say we’re all dead. But if I don’t go, Willow dies. There is no winning here. Both options lead to fatality.
I cut my eyes to Vassilis, who grips Willow tighter by the throat and smirks at me, knowing it’ll piss me off. That fucking bitch.
“Stop holding her like that!”
Callista looks sideways at her brother. “Release her throat, Vassilis.”
Vassilis grimaces but follows instruction. Just like a fucking pet.
“Let’s not make this hard, Caspian. Get to Inferno Isle, wake Selah with however much blood of yours it requires, and come back to your mate,” Callista goes on.
“It’s okay, Caz,” Willow whispers. I’ll be okay. Another tear slips down her cheek. My heart feels like it’s splintering in my chest.
I haven’t felt an ache as intense as this since she left Vakeeli the first time to return to Earth.
This is that moment all over again, only she’s not going anywhere safe. She’s walking right into the mouth of a beast. I don’t know what The Council will do to her or even Killian for that matter.
“How do I know she’ll be safe?” I ask, trying to mask the defeat in my voice.
“You won’t.” Vassilis backs away with Willow as if he’s the one running the show—as if he can’t wait to torment her.