Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 79952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79952 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 400(@200wpm)___ 320(@250wpm)___ 267(@300wpm)
To my amazement, Tatiana doesn’t falter at all. Instead, she too squares her shoulders and accepts the battle. “I’m not following.”
The queen scoffs. “Oh, I think you are. And again I ask… don’t you think you’ve kept her secret for far too long?”
“We stay out of everyone’s way, and we pay our taxes. We contribute to Cardia without question or resentment. So why are we, all of a sudden, being targeted?”
She is playing a convincing role, and despite having to tame my own boiling rage, I feel an overwhelming sense of pride to have such a strong, determined sister.
The queen makes a tsk sound. “You’re always fighting their battles, even when we were young. But now isn’t the time, Tatiana. Now is the time for you to take a step back and give what’s owed.”
“We don’t owe anything.”
“Oh, you do, so let’s just cut to the chase. You know we can never allow the prophecy to come true, and your sister is a threat to making that happen. Cardia is our world now. It’s all we have left. You do care about the continual rebuild of the earth, don’t you? You do care for the air you breathe? For the food you eat?”
It’s all lies.
Cardia and its occupants are not endangered. Not by me, anyway. Tatiana knows more than she is letting on. But I know what she knows, and it isn’t good. There are reasons why we stay away from other witches, including the queen. We stay away because we know of her betrayal. We know of her allegiance with the demons.
I am indeed included in a prophecy, but I am by no means a threat to others—only the queen.
“So, as a means of protecting the people of Cardia and all we have built after such travesty, Talia is to remain with me. You and Tanya can leave safely and without disturbing the peace. But…” she takes a step forward, pausing before continuing, “…heed my warning. Do not cross me, Tatiana. She may be your sister, but we have so many more lives to think about.”
“And her life isn’t important? You don’t think others will see through these blatant lies of yours? You don’t think there will be an uprising? The werewolves don’t take too well to deception. They have our backs and—”
“Hush!” the queen spits angrily. “Don’t mistake our friendship as leniency. I protect more than just the witches in Cardia, and that includes the wolves.”
She gives a small, subtle wave of the hand, and the angels start to gather around, separating me from my sisters. In haste, Tatiana and Tanya stand beside me but are pushed back. I turn to Bronik in panic, but he is deliberately avoiding my gaze.
“Tatiana!” I call when she is dragged farther away.
“Fight, Talia!” she screams. “You need to—” My sister is silenced when a hand covers her mouth, turning her pleas into muffles. She tries to fight her aggressor, but the burley angel is having none of it.
I turn to the witch who looks bored by the whole fiasco. “Tell him to leave her alone,” I demand. “Let them go unharmed and I’ll stay with you.”
Over the chaos, I hear Tanya whimper.
The queen just smiles. Her teeth slowly showing as her mouth widens.
But it’s too late.
Tatiana bites down hard on the angel’s hand. Losing his temper, his hand wraps around her throat and he throws her backward. It’s fast, the force behind it loaded with a super-strength only angels possess.
Tatiana smashes into a white column before falling like a ragdoll and landing heavily on the floor. A snowfall of debris covers her, her eyes barely opening as she lies there unmoving.
My body trembles and tears of frustration spill over my cheeks. I feel a burning rage toward the angels and the queen, and I sense the familiar itch in my hands that only occurs when I’m about to lose control.
Tanya notices and immediately drops to the floor, staying low. She knows what’s about to happen and she’s taking cover. Her actions cause the angels to raise their brows in question, but it’s too late for them to inquire.
A blast of wind circulates through the ballroom, blowing the silken hair of the angels. The queen struggles to tame her red dress, yet I remain unaffected. Those around me shield their eyes as the force grows.
I lock eyes with the angel who hurt Tatiana, and he looks at me curiously, his gaze narrowed as he fights the cyclonic force around him. Raising my hand, I use the power emanating from my gut and hurl the angel backward just like he’d done with my sister. He smashes into the adjacent column, causing a deep fracture that spreads like a vertical vein. Everyone watches with a mixture of surprise and outrage as he falls in a heap to the floor.