Demir began reading them.
Your bloodand bond exists on borrowed time.
Unlock the flame.
Consume the darkness.
Find the light.
Bathe in peace.
‘What does that mean, Princess?’
Shocked theOraclehad, for the first time, shown me words, and that Demir could suddenly see them pushed the confusion from my mind so I could answer him. ‘It means I’m the only one that can stop this, except I have no idea how to find a new vessel, control it or become it.’
‘What is this thing?’
I couldn’t help but sigh heavily at his question. I was exhausted by all of the surprises I had encountered. ‘TheOracle. It is a book that is meant to reveal itself only to the ruler of the Skin Seepers. It shows the future, and now apparently it writes poetry that’s of little help. At least I know this ends in the Ancient Forest, but for now, I must speak to Cain.’
Closing theOracle, I pushed forward back towards the door, but before I could reach it, Demir spoke. ‘I think I know how.’
I pushed for more, but he shook his head. ‘I don’t know enough. Let me read through my book again. I don’t want to give you false hope of an end to this if I am remembering anything wrong.’
Once we were in the safe confines of my room, Demir awkwardly sat on the sofa while I rushed to my desk to send a message to Cain requesting his immediate return. He would be the only one who could help me unlock the flame, whatever that meant.
‘We have a busy day tomorrow; get some rest. That sofa is your bed, so get comfortable, princeling.’
As I moved to my bathroom I could barely peel my clothes off my back as the oozing wound from the burn had dried and hardened. Instead, I decided to hop into my bath with my shirt on, hoping it would loosen the fabric from my skin.
I woke up screaming, which turned into drowning. My arms tried to grip the edges of the tub, but I couldn’t pull myself up. I gasped in the water as I struggled to find air, and the darkness ofthe room left me unable to find safety. I didn’t know which way was up.
Warm arms grabbed my body, hauled me out of the water, and rushed me to my bed. There were a few candles lighting the room as Demir’s face came into focus. He brushed my wet hair from my face while inspecting my body for injuries. All I could do was try to breathe again. Slowly focusing on my breath until his voice broke through the fog.
What is wrong with this girl?!
‘So much.’ I laughed.
Demir looked at me as though my mind had been lost as I couldn’t contain my laughter. ‘Not funny. Where’s Visarous?’
His question brought me back to reality. ‘What? Why would you say his name?’ I whispered as the floor fell from under me.
‘You were screaming for him before I found you in the bath. Where is he? I’ll get him for you,’ Demir asked with concern lacing his voice.
‘He’s dead,’ I breathed as Demir helped me peel my soaked shirt off my bloody back.
‘I’m so sorry, Princess.’
‘Don’t be, I killed him.’ As those words left my lips, I felt Demir’s fingers falter and stop.
‘Why?’ was all he asked as he pulled my wet shirt from my back and wrapped me in a blanket.
‘He was working with your father to overthrow me this whole time. He laid in my bed. He told me he loved me and then he betrayed me.’ As soon as I spoke those words, a sob threatened to escape me, but I closed my eyes tightly and breathed through the pain that was nestled in my heart.
‘How long were you with Visarous?’ Demir asked. It was not what I had expected to hear from him in that moment.
‘Jealous, are we, princeling? That’s your takeaway from what I just said, not that your father is an insidious infectious disease that destroys everything good in my life.’ I stood up and stormedinto my wardrobe to clothe myself. When I stepped back out, Demir was sitting on the edge of my bed.
‘I don’t quite understand it, but yes. A part of me hates that another man has touched you. You’re my Ruhi; I can’t explain it, even if I truly don’t have a claim to you. I used to get off on him laying his hands on that body of yours in the library, and now here I am wishing I could erase it all.’
