She nodded. “I am. Thank you.”
Brock put his hand on Caleb’s shoulder. “Do me a favor and go tell Tess and Gideon that Jenna’s awake, okay?”
“Sure.”
Once the boy was gone, Brock resumed his gentle caress of Jenna’s cheek. “Everyone’s been worried about you.”
“I’m fine,” Jenna said. She was starting to feel her senses coming back online with every passing minute. But something seemed . . . off.
Brock frowned at her troubled look. “What is it?”
“I don’t know. My head feels strange. It feels like someone’s been rummaging around inside my skull like it was an old trunk.”
As she spoke the words, a horrifying realization settled over her. A certainty she could not deny--no matter how much she wanted to.
“Brock, it was him. The Ancient.” She drew in a sharp breath. “Oh, God. He’s been in my head, in my memories. Everything I’ve been cataloging and recording in my journals for the past twenty years . . . he knows it all.”
CHAPTER 22
Selene inhaled a steadying breath before dropping the seal of light on the door to Jordana’s chamber.
The two female attendants who accompanied her carried trays laden with fruit, cheeses, bread, and juice. It was enough to feed a family, but Selene had no idea what Jordana liked and she wanted to make sure there was ample food to tempt her.
Not that she would eat any of it.
Jordana had refused everything Selene brought her so far, including her every attempt to talk and get to know her granddaughter. The young woman was headstrong and unyielding, traits that evidently had passed down through all three generations of their line.
Jordana had been seated on the end of the large bed when the door opened. Now, she moved against the far wall, putting as much distance as possible between herself and Selene.
Her hands were unbound. Selene had removed the ropes of light the same night Jordana had arrived, mainly out of love and compassion, but also because her granddaughter now understood that Selene was the stronger of them by far.
At least for now.
She couldn’t pretend the past three days weren’t taking a toll. How long could she expect to wield her light without depleting herself beyond repair? Holding locks in place and wielding binding ropes were child’s play, but maintaining full daylight over the realm in order to keep Darion Thorne imprisoned in the east tower wasn’t something she’d been prepared for.
His dark smirk and infuriating salute a few hours ago still grated on her. Even more, she hated that he’d caught her watching him from across the courtyard.
His piercing stare had felt like a physical thing, heated and uninvited. Impossible to forget, no matter how much she wanted to.
“Good morning, Jordana,” she said, corralling her thoughts away from the aggravating Breed male.
“Is it morning?” Jordana glanced at the small window in the chamber. “How can you tell? Does night never fall in this place?”
Selene offered a small smile. “The light is necessary. We’ve brought you a few things to eat. I hope you’ll find something to like.”
“You shouldn’t have bothered. It’s impossible to have an appetite while I’m being held prisoner by a mad, treacherous queen.”
Selene felt her attendants quake at the insult, one of them drawing in a sharp gasp. She calmly glanced their way, dismissing them with a mild tilt of her chin. They scurried out of the room, closing the door behind them.
Selene took a step forward and Jordana backed away even farther. Her hands came up defensively, her palms glowing with Atlantean light.
Selene paused, exhaling a soft sigh. “Are you that afraid of me, my child, or do you hate me that much?”
“I haven’t decided. And I’m not your child. I’m not anything where you’re concerned.”
The mistrust in her eyes carved a deep wound in Selene’s heart. “You are safe here, Jordana. I promise, I have no intent to harm you . . . not ever.”
“Then let me go. I want to go home to Nathan. I want to be with my mate and the rest of my family.”
