“Della?” I stepped toward her with my hands up. I had no idea what to expect from this. Would she be the same? No, I already knew that she wasn’t the same. Realization hit me when I noticed the unnatural, suffocating feeling in the air was emanating from her. She was the evil I felt. I took another step forward.
As soon as she saw my face, she stopped crying. Her head tilted as she studied me with red eyes. I stopped moving toward her when she smiled. But the smile was not hers. It was demonic and sinister. My heart squeezed at the sight of her. There was no recognition of who I was that flickered in those eyes.
“Storm?”
Her gaze traveled over me. “You should probably keep your distance from me,” she warned.
I didn’t dare move as I peered at a version of Della that I never wanted to see.
“You won’t hurt me.”
“Yes, I will.” Her eyes flashed with concern for only a moment before they lost all emotion.
Della stepped toward me, and I didn’t move away. She traced her fingers along my jaw.
“You are handsome,” she purred.
I watched her eyes, but there was nothing. Not a single flicker of recognition or emotion.
“Do you know who I am?” I asked.
“Yes.”
I stepped away from her when she let out a soft chuckle that was so creepy I got goosebumps. My wife was scaring the fucking shit out of me.
“You are my enemy.”
I swallowed hard.
“No, Storm,” I whispered.
I felt Thea’s magic before I saw it. Her darkness suddenly exploded around us, her barrier magic pulsing in front of me, blocking Della.
“Stop,” I yelled at Thea.
Thea didn’t, and I looked at Della. She was holding a dagger in her hand. Her red eyes raked over me, predatory and cold.
“Please.” I begged, and she didn’t flinch. Her red eyes glanced at Thea before returning to me.
Without another word, Della summoned her star mist, which was now midnight black, and disappeared. Once she was gone, Thea pulled her magic from around us and regarded me like she didn’t want to say what she was about to.
“I could hear her thoughts, Haden. She did not recognize you. She kept calling us disgusting heavenly gods. She was going to hurt you.” Thea sounded panicked. “I couldn’t see her soul anymore.”
Because she gave it to Remiah.
Cassius rushed up to me when I began to sway. My mind was racing with so many things that I couldn’t catch my breath. My wife did not know who I was. Della had fallen from the grace of the heavens to bring Remiah back.
?????????
I did not remember coming into Ezra’s castle and sitting down. All I could think of was Della’s eyes full of hate and evil. She would’ve killed me if Thea hadn’t intervened. I was staring at the fireplace, trying to understand what was wrong with her.
“Haden.”
I looked up to see Brim staring at me.
“Brim.” I let out a deep breath. “Please tell me you know what the fuck is going on.”
He nodded as Thea and Cassius shuffled into the sitting area with Ezra. They all sat down and stared at Brim expectantly.
