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)
“Plans have changed,” John says.
I eye him, not understanding what he’s talking about. All the wolves from his pack are now standing here with us, some quiet, and others not so much. Half of them didn’t like us to begin with, and now they seem even angrier.
“What are you talking about? The Crystal Castle is less than a day’s walk, possibly half if we move fast.” Tatiana turns in the direction we are meant to go but is held in place by John.
“She knows you are coming,” John says. “And because of this, she has moved your sister.”
We both stare at him.
“Is she hurt?” I ask.
“As far as we are aware, your sister has been put under a spell. She tried to escape, and the queen locked her in a barrier cage.”
“What?” I say, surprised. “Tanya would never hurt her, why would she do that?” Barrier cages hurt if you move. Touch the edges and your whole body feels like it’s been electrified, it’s worse than the barriers between the wards. The queen knows Tanya, knows she would never hurt anyone or do anything to cause harm. Yet she treats her as if she is a villain who is set to destroy her world. I guess that tells me everything I need to know about the queen, including her motivations.
“Talia.” My sister says my name, but I ignore her as anger takes hold of me. How could the queen be so cruel? So mean? The little I remember of her growing up, she was never this cold, and never calculated. Yes, I know all the stories of who she is now. But being a victim of it is different from hearing about it. And her villainy is now happening to my sister of all people.
“Little fighter.” When I look around, I see Grim standing in front of me, but he hasn’t frozen time like he usually does. My eyes scan him before I look past him to my sister.
“Talia.”
I ignore my sister’s voice and look back at Grim. “Why are you here? You could be saving her, and here you are. So… save her.” His usually calm face drops for just a second before it goes straight back in place, but I saw it. Pain. “They can see you, hear you,” I say to him and look around. Everyone is staring at him like their eyes cannot believe what they are seeing.
“You have control this time, I do not.”
I shake my head at his words and my eyebrows automatically pull in. “That doesn’t make sense,” I utter.
A warm sensation in my palms draws my attention, and when I glance down, my hands are ablaze. Fire coats them and Grim steps forward, putting them out with his touch. His hand then lifts and touches my face. “I need you to calm down.” I shake my head, the emotions are still too much, they’re overwhelming me. “Little fighter…” I want to argue with him, but his hand is stroking my face, and as I close my eyes at his touch, I feel the world shift. When I open them again, we are standing near the sea, the waves hitting the beach, and it’s just the two of us.
“I don’t want to be here.”
“But here you are, little fighter…” He smirks, and I turn away.
Chapter Nineteen
When I manage to turn back around and face him, he’s watching me with those silver eyes.
“I had to remove you from the situation,” he says before I can open my mouth. “You would never forgive yourself for hurting those you love.” He’s right. I never, ever would. I would rather die a hundred deaths than hurt those I love.
“Could I kill you?” I ask.
He walks up behind me, and I feel his breath on my neck as he leans down. I want him to kiss me, and I shiver at that thought.
A kiss from Death himself.
What a way to die.
“I believe you could do anything you set your mind to. You are that powerful. It’s one of the reasons I am drawn to you.”
I spin and look at him. “What are the others?”
He obliges and smirks, showing his perfect white teeth and a dimple cast in his flawless face. How can he have the most defined jaw structure? It’s so sharp that if you ran your tongue along it, you may very well cut yourself.
And I want to cut myself.
On him.
“It started off as a curiosity. Who is this being that keeps on getting herself in tricky situations?” His lip twitches at the thought of me almost hurting or killing myself and him always saving me. “Then it grew to something else, which you do not need to know.”
“Why?” I want to know. I inch closer, our bodies touching. The urge to wrap my hands around him and pull him to me so no air can escape is strong.