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)
“Shit. Are they hurt? Girls?” I crouch to eyelevel with them. “Are you hurt?”
“No, we’re okay,” Minka answers.
I look at Maia, and she nods with damp eyes.
“Minka, Maia!” Hassha teleports across the beach and wrangles them into her arms. Then she drops to one knee to inspect them thoroughly. “Did he hurt you?”
“No, Mum,” the girls reply in unison.
Hassha sighs, reeling them in and cupping the backs of their heads.
I glance over my shoulder to see that Korah has taken control of the unknown man…who is still fucking smiling.
Once Hassha is satisfied with the wellbeing of her children, she turns to Korah and says, “Bring him to the campsite.”
SIXTY-SIX
WILLOW
I want to take a shower and wash this sand off me. I want to sleep and relax for a moment because it’s been a long couple of hours, but my curiosity burns way too much to even attempt.
Caz insists I return to the manor to wash and get some rest, but I want to know who this man is that just landed in Blackwater.
When he landed, I thought for sure he was targeting us. But then he took a look around, spotted us, and immediately apologized—right before Caz and the Kessel warriors appeared and attacked.
“I didn’t see you. I am terribly sorry,” the man had shouted in a thick, posh accent. I think he meant it.
All I cared about, though, was making sure the twins were safe. The last thing I wanted was for something to happen to them while they were on my watch. It would’ve proven again just how useless I am in this world…and how terrible of a mother I’ll become.
“It doesn’t make any sense,” Caz says in a hushed tone to Hassha. “Alora has never spoken of a cousin. I need to contact her and confirm this.”
“If it helps, there is a reason Alora has never spoken about me,” Valden interrupts. He’s tied to a tree, bound by Korah’s magic, but he doesn’t put up a fight like before. “She’s just like my uncle that way. Her father. They don’t want to bring shame to the Vanorian Kingdom so they keep many of our family affairs private.”
“Why would she be keeping you private?” Caz demands.
“Because my mother was a part of the Turi Tribe.”
Caz can’t help but grimace. “The what?”
“Turi,” Hassha answers. “The most powerful tribe of Gilded.”
“I’ve never heard of this tribe,” Caz counters. “He’s clearly lying.”
“Just because you’ve never heard of us doesn’t mean we don’t exist.” Valden flashes a smug grin at Caz. “We prefer keeping ourselves hidden. It’s for the best, of course.” His eyes shift from Caz to me, and his head tilts. “What a gorgeous woman. If I weren’t wrapped up, I’d take your hand and show you my respects, my lady.”
Um. What?
Caz’s nostrils flare as he takes a step toward Valden and glares him down.
I’ll rip his fucking head off. Feed it to the wolves. Arrogant bastard. My mate. Mine.
“Caz?” I call.
He ignores me, locking on Hassha while pointing a stern finger at him. “We need to kill him.”
“We will do no such thing, Caspian,” Hassha says back.
“Why not? He came into my territory without warning, nearly hurt your daughters, and now he’s flirting with my mate and expecting me to tolerate it. If it were up to me, he’d be dead already.”
“Well, it’s a good thing his fate isn’t up to you, isn’t it?” Hassha strolls toward Valden while nodding at Korah.
Korah releases him from the invisible grip, and he sighs as he rises to a stand. He’s nearly as tall as the Regal sisters with skin as tan as Alora’s. I see the resemblance in the shapes of their eyes and the color of the strands of hair peeking out of his helmet.
“He’s here to gather information.” Hassha scans him thoroughly. “It is true that he wants to fight with us in this war against Selah.”
Caz shifts on his feet. “How can we trust him?”
“We learn to. And if you can’t do that, you use him. The Turi Tribe may be small, but they are known to be incredibly gifted and very hard to kill.”
“Well, I don’t give a shit what he is. Until I contact Alora, I don’t want him roaming my territory freely.”
Hassha’s head turns a fraction as she looks over her shoulder. “We won’t let him roam free. But you don’t have to contact Alora to find out who he is. I read him on the shore, and I’m reading him now. He does not lie.”
A growl builds in Caz’s throat as he glares at Valden, who simply grips his chin and pushes his head at an angle so his neck cracks.
Caz takes my hand and after one more glare at Valden, leads the way to the manor.
“You don’t think he’s here to hurt anyone, do you?” I ask when we’re inside.