Whoosh!I let my magic free, pouring everything I have into the dirt. I listen as the seeds shake and then crack under the soil, so many seeds, the ground lets loose a small tremor. Then, little stems break free as their roots dig deeper.
Life. More and more life magic I pour into the land. My spine hunches as my magic depletes. Stems grow buds, then flowers. In the distance, the small group that Galen brought cheers.Galen remains silent as he stands over me, a hammer pounding a nail into its place.
A heavy gasp shoves free from my lungs. I don’t allow myself to fall. It takes all my energy to stand. Slowly, I face Galen. His eyes are smiling wider than his mouth. He looks at the new farm that will feed his human army.
“I expected more of a fight from you,” he comments.
“Who says you didn’t get one?”
His eyes slide off his riches, then he looks down at me questioningly. I press my palm against his chest, then push up on my toes. My lips feather over his. My smile feels like it’s splitting my head in half. “It’s a long game, isn’t that right, husband?” I mock.
“Whatever moves you make, remember this, sweet wife. You. Are. Mine. I own you, and nothing will change that.” He wears a victor’s smile.
I play the role of a mirror and grin back. Fuck him!
Own me? No, Galen, you don’t own me. You owe a paper with words stating I am your wife, but this woman has a mind of her own.
I know how to break the marriage contract. Titus is right. We have a mate bond. Within the next few days or weeks, it will show. But the consequences of giving in and admitting are something I can’t accept yet, perhaps not ever.
It’s not just my life. It’s my people, and Titus’s.
I’m stuck underwater. My lungs burn as I peer up with blurry eyes; freedom from Galen lies just beyond the surface.
Life.
I want to swim and breathe. I want to feel the warmth of Titus’s fire.
My shoulders tremble as Everett’s words shout in my mind.
Another flashback. Another warning.
“Come, you need to rest,” Everett gently touches my shoulder.
“I can sleep for a week and still not have the magic to save them all.” I lost two dozen today. Their injuries were too severe for me to heal.
“You don’t have to save them all,” he says gently.
“Then what is my purpose?” My cheeks are raw and tight from having sat next to the blaze for so long. I hoped the blaze would chase away the icy shadows of death.
“Perhaps you are meant to save just one life.” Stooping, he takes my hand and drags me away from the campfire. “Fire warms, but it can also burn, Selene. Be careful not to sit beside it for too long. You and I don’t have a life of freedom. We have a debt that is owed, and duty comes to collect. It’s time to rest for the night. Remember, it’s okay to sit by the fire, to love it, but eventually you have to stand up and continue on your journey. You must bid the fire goodbye and venture into the cold.”
I say nothing, allowing him to pull me towards my tent. But for some reason, I look over my shoulder at the fire one last time.
Chapter
Twenty-Nine
Selene
The portal’s closure behind us makes the hair on the back of my neck stand. Why are we here and not inside the castle?
Don’t let Galen see your confusion.That’s it. Relax your shoulders, squeeze your abs, stand still and don’t let the rush of adrenaline sway you.All I dare move is my eyes as I scan my surroundings. Blackthorn Castle appears as a mountain.
I’m trapped at its base, unsure whether I’ll make the climb up. I don’t like being this weak and magicless around my husband.
Galen’s smirk presses into me. Did he bring us here so he’d have to carry me?
I’d look so weak and fragile. But perhaps that’s what he wants.
