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)
Smirking, Decius rises and leans down, his face so close that his hawkish nose almost touches mine. “Very well. We can do it your way. It is true that I don’t really need Willow’s half of the Tether. I just don’t like leaving loose ends, but seeing as she’s not from here…well, I suppose this is a risk I can take to get this over with sooner rather than later. So long as she goes back to her world and doesn’t return to Vakeeli, she should be safe. And if she does come for me, well, that’ll be her mistake. I won’t be able to control what I do to her if she does.” His eyes darken. “Better that you warn her.”
“Do I have your word, Manx?” I demand.
“Decius,” he corrects, face twisting.
“Do I have your word, Decius?”
He grins, revealing slick white teeth. “One thing about me is that I keep my word. Willow will remain untouched, so long as she doesn’t come after me when this is all over. Now, hold still.” He grips my head, holding on to it tight. I cry out as his talons pierce my skull, and he groans too, yelling, “Send your message to her now!”
I let the words form in my mind, despite the pain and the cold. They’re likely the last words I’ll ever tell her, so I make them worthy.
I love her so much. I only want her safe. It sucks to die this way, but it must be done. I’ve wanted to die for a very long time, and now the moment has come. So long as my mate is spared, I’ll let my fate be.
Decius’ talons release my head, and he pants raggedly, staggering backward. I drop my eyes to his hands, and they’re no longer the talons of Mournwrath, but mortal hands…just like Manx’s. His hands are charred, like they’ve been burned or forced into a fire. Black smoke whispers off of them, and he hisses in pain, staring down at them.
Decius’ eyes flicker to mine, and we stare at each other without a single world. I’m not sure what the hell just happened, but it feels like it was more in my favor than his.
With a grimace, he steps away, and his eyes drag to mine once more, burning with furious curiosity, before he vanishes into thin air.
Chapter 9
WILLOW
When we reach Blackwater, the moon shines boldly in the night sky and the temperature has dropped several degrees. My breaths ripple out, floating past me when I step out of the SUV. It may be chillier here, but it’s nowhere near as cold as the prison of Caz’s mind.
Speaking of, Killian and Rowan waste no time taking Caz’s body out of Alora’s SUV. As they do, a voice runs through my head that catches me completely off guard.
Willow, my time is running out. Forget about me. Live your life on Earth and promise to never come back to Vakeeli. And tell my family to let me go. I love you.
“What?” I whisper. Caz? Caz?
“What’s the matter?” Juniper rushes toward me.
“I just heard Caz’s voice telling me to forget about him.”
I stare at his motionless body as Rowan and Killian steady him in their hands. Why would he say that? I’m not living without him. What the hell is he talking about?
Caz? Why are you saying that? Can you hear me?
I wait for his response, but it’s like I’m speaking into a void again. There’s nothing but silence, my voice echoing back to me.
Juniper’s brows have dipped with concern. “Are you sure it was his voice?”
“I’m positive. It sounded just like him. I don’t know, maybe it was a warning. We need to hurry and get to the portal.” I take a sweep of my surroundings. In the dark, it’s hard to tell exactly where the portal is, but Killian bobs his head in the proper direction, and I take the lead. We trek through the forest and despite how badly I’m shivering, I walk as quickly as my body will go.
“Make a right at that tree, then a few paces left. I marked the area with a W,” Killian says, and sure enough, as Juniper points her flashlight, I spot the W on the ground. “W for Willow,” Killian goes on.
“That was very wise of you, Killian,” Maeve tells him. “Thank you.”
Beatrix rushes past me, carrying a large burlap bag with her. From the bag she takes out vials, bowls, books, and containers filled with various colored liquids, powders, and rocks.
“Lay him on the ground,” she orders Killian and Rowan. They place him down and she looks to me. “In order for this to work properly, your bodies must merge.”
“Merge?” I frown. “What does that mean?”
“The less clothes you have on, the better this will work. Clothes are barriers to Mythic magic, and for something as powerful as sending you both through a portal, I don’t want any sort of resistance.”