Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
If I’d had any doubt all this was my fault, it had now been laid to rest. I was the mastermind; she’d just done a piss-poor job of replication. The proof made me want to break down and cry.
“Put them anywhere—just go.” I waved at Vemar again to put down the books. “Weston is pissed, and I’m the problem. Ugh, I bet Hadriel told on me.”
“My little buddy might seem like he doesn’t give two shits about anything, but he actually has a very big heart. And yes, unlike you, he tattles if he’s worried about someone. I’ve been told on several times. I take it as a very annoying act of love.”
“That’s awesome, but you still need to go.” I took the books from his hands and put them on the table. “We don’t need Weston thinking you had anything to do with this.”
“With what?”
I gestured at myself. “With what looks like a body chewed up by monsters and then spat out again. He hates when I get hurt. He’s going to freak out that I did this.”
“That’s sweet of him.” He smiled serenely. “It must feel good to have an alpha wolf like him treasure you.”
“I—” I furrowed my brow. I hadn’t thought of it like that.
I wouldn’t be able to now, either. Another feeling rattled my heart, like a drum-beating rallying cry. Something mighty and mean was headed my way, and only one thing made my wolf curl up in a little ball and try to hide.
Panic skittered through me from my wolf, hazing my ability to think. Only one need clawed into my awareness. Flee!
“Shit!” I yelled, shoving at Vemar. “The king must be with him. Run! Hide!”
“What the fuck?” Vemar braced against my push, his muscles going taut. He looked every which way. “Who are we fighting? What is happening? It feels like dread, like an enemy is descending upon us. Captive Lady, are you mind-fucking me again?”
I couldn’t stay to wonder at that. I scattered, my body going one way and my brain another. All logic had gone, and my wolf’s frantic power jumbled everything else up. I couldn’t contain the overwhelming, desperate urge to flee. It rattled my nerves, sending my senses haywire. Fueled by terror, I had one goal and one goal only: get the fuck out of there.
I looked for an exit that wouldn’t land me out in the hall, but they all inevitably did. My best bet was the windows. The ones on the second floor sometimes led to the roof. I could get on the roof, skirt across to the other side of the castle, find an open window—
“Go, go, go!” my wolf yelled at me.
I darted around Vemar and headed for the stairs.
“No, Aurelia, wait! What are you doing?” He ran after me, his long legs able to take two stairs at a time.
I clambered up the ladder against the stacks on the second floor, finding the first window. The window didn’t open and the roof was too steep anyway.
“Bugger.” Back down the ladder, then I ran to the next.
“Lady, the king won’t hurt you just because you hurt yourself. This mind-fucking makes no sense.”
Weston’s wolf fed me more power. If his wolf was trying to help me escape, that meant bad news.
“Hurry, hurry,” my wolf begged, dumping even more power into me. I felt stuffed with it, hazy.
The next window did the trick. I struggled to flick the old, unused lock, but once I did, I cranked the handle and turned, opening it slowly.
“Come on, come on.”
“Captive Lady, I can’t let you go out that window,” Vemar told me, reaching for my ankle.
Weston’s power started to pump now. He came faster, running, probably. That presence with him, the thing that had to be the king or something just as dangerous, was moving fast, too. Keeping pace? Ahead of him?
“Run! Faster!” my wolf pushed, wishing she was the one in charge, able to move better, escape faster.
“I have to go,” I cried, kicking down at Vemar frantically. “I’m sorry, I have to escape! Fuck!”
The window now open, I hurried to crawl out. Long arms wrapped around my middle. I snarled and turned to snap at him, realizing my teeth weren’t quite right. My magic bloomed, pumping strong, urging me on. Weston’s was flowing within me through the bond, increasing my potency.
“I’m having a hard time holding her,” Vemar shouted. “Careful, her mind-fucking is really powerful right now. I assume that we are not actually under attack.”
I kicked off one of his hands and was about to shake off the other to slide out the window when I felt Weston’s presence.
“Aurelia, whoa! Hey, it’s okay.” I stilled, and Weston’s hand replaced Vemar’s. “What are you doing? Where are you going?”
My wolf simmered down inside of me, feeling his wolf and taking comfort. Her near-takeover of my body and the desire to bite with significantly sharper teeth subsided, allowing for a little logic to trickle back in. I heaved a deep sigh and flattened against the ladder.