“Fair point,” I grumble before I shrug. “My eyesareslowly adjusting to the light in the outside world. I can tolerate full moonlight now. So I guess I just need to be patient.”
I pull on a pair of black pants, followed by the tunic I chose before. Then I attempt to straighten the strands of my hair so I can braid it. It’s a thankless task.
“Let me,” the keeper says, emerald light glimmering around his fingertips.
I remain still as his magic curls around the clumped strands, separating them. He’s careful. Never tugs. Finally, my hair falls softly down my back once more.
I’m quiet when he finishes, and he looks to me with a question. “My Veda?”
“She called meDaughter.”
His hands close around my shoulders before he slides his arms around me, pulling me close to his chest.
I swallow past the lump in my throat. “She called meDaughterand I called herMother.”
And now I don’t know what I’m supposed to feel.
I sense his nod, his cheek lowering to brush mine. “Names have power.”
They do. Which is why it hasn’t escaped me that, ever since the keeper found me in my father’s lair, he has called me, ‘my Veda’.
My Conqueror.
Our fates are bound, just like he said.
He promised me thatIwill decide when my vengeance is achieved, and after that…
Well, I’m not really sure what will happen once the keeper’s no longer bound to me.
Assuming we survive, he will have choices and so will I.
It’s all a huge unknown, but I tell myself to focus on the present, not thewhat ifs.
I let myself rest for a moment in his arms, listening to the silence outside the building. Well, not silence, exactly. The waves on the beach make a constantwhooshingsound. The soft breeze filters through the far doors. In the far distance, I can hear the creaking of tree branches, even the furtive scurrying of little creatures.
Closer to us, I make out the crunch of footfalls on the sand.
Lucian must be coming back.
Judging by the number of footfalls, he isn’t alone.
I picture Anarchy, whose two-legged steps are lighter than Lucian’s heavier gait, along with the three male panthers, whose padding paws sound a little heavier than they did last night.
They must have had a good meal.
The deliciousness of the scents wafting ahead of them indicates that they’re bringing the food the keeper asked for.
My stomach growls again, but I pause a moment longer.
“How long do you think we can stay here?” I ask the keeper.
“In this training hall or on this island?”
I tip my head back. “Why do you make that distinction?”
He breaks into a grin. “Because there’s a lot more to this island than this training hall.”
I’m sure my eyes have lit up. “I want to see everything.”
