Oh, my sweet girl. It’s so good to hear from you.Her words turned choked.Timith still lives, surprisingly. I thought he was going to die last night. His heart was barely beating, but hepulled through, although he’s even more different today. The fangs he’s grown are longer now. They grew more overnight, and this morning, he’s been mumbling over and over about how thirsty he is, but he won’t drink anything. And at one point, I could have sworn that he was going to bite me when I accidentally got too close to him, but Jamie stopped him from connecting.
Jamie? He’s back there?
He is. He came back last night after taking Verin away. He’s stationed inside our bedchambers to keep an eye on Timith. He’s just across the room from me actually. The Imperial Council said your uncle isn’t allowed to leave this house ever again. I fear that they’re going to—Her words cut off, but she didn’t need to say it. We both knew what would happen.
The Imperial Council would kill Timith.
They wouldn’t allow a monster to roam the land and infect others. They’d probably burn him as well, just as Kole had done to the monster I’d seen in Inisville.
Oh, Gwen. This is all my fault.I squeezed my hands into fists.If only I’d used the Stone right away. If only I hadn’t trusted Kole, and I’d returned to Whiteolf alone. If only?—
Prim, stop.Her tone was harsh.Don’t you dare be sorry. None of this is your fault. Like I said last night, we can’t fight them. This would have been the outcome no matter what. And if you want to blame someone, you should blame—She cut herself off.
What? Blame who?
She sighed deeply, then said in a calmer tone,Nothing. I just wish we’d protected you better and this had never happened.
My brow furrowed, and I was about to ask her what she meant by that, but she said in a rush,I have to go. Jamie needs something.
Okay, I’ll contact you soon so you can update me.
Gwenery pulled back, so I ended our connection abruptly.
Alone in my head once more, it suddenly struck me that she hadn’t asked where I’d been taken. But she’d also been busy.
Arms wrapping around myself, I rocked silently as an unsettled and scared feeling swept through me.
My uncle was turning into a fanged creature.
And I was caged in a resplendent chamber.
How is this my life?
Numbly, I got up to dress. Sunlight streamed into the chambers from the high windows, brightening more and more as each minute passed. I wished I had an air element. If I did, I could have levitated to the ceiling by creating higher pressure beneath my soles to peer out the windows and truly see where I was. Even though I was fairly certain I was still in Whiteolf, I had no ideawhereI’d been taken in our capital.
Grumbling, I put the same clothes on that I’d worn yesterday. The sturdy plain trousers and thick top had been ideal for traveling in the Wood while I’d hunted the Stone, but in this chambers’ decadent elegance, I looked entirely out of place.
A knock came on the door just as I finished, and I whirled around, expecting to see Betsee or the mysterious visitor who was said to be coming this morning.
But when the door opened, it was Kole.
My eyes widened that he’d truly returned, and a quick search of his attire revealed that the Stone wasn’t glowing through the material of his pocket anymore.
It felt like a punch to my gut all over again. Kole had truly given the Wishing Stone to the Council, but no one had cast its wish yet. When such an act occurred, according toLegends of Our Realm, a shockwave would occur that was so powerful it would coat the entire planet.Everyonewould know when the Stone’s wish had been cast.
Yet even though that hadn’t happened, I knew it was coming.
The warrior crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him. The second our eyes connected, he stopped.
Power vibrated around him, roiling violently beneath his Shield.
Even though I tried not to notice how appealing he looked, my gaze swept over his freshly shaven face and took in his clean clothes. He wore his usual breeches and tunic. As always, his huge sword rose from behind his back. He’d obviously spent the night wherever it was he went to bathe and change, and with his rugged good looks and startling Solis eyes, he was incredibly attractive. Annoyingly so, and that strangethingin my chest vibrated in his presence.
Kole continued to stand by the door. Unmoving. But he watched me—intensely watched me—and even though not one facial muscle moved, his gaze wasburning.
I abruptly released a breath. I didn’t know what to say or do around him anymore. The light teasing and easy banter that’d begun to sprout between us while we’d been hunting the Stone now seemed so trite and trivial.
The silence stretched. Since it was killing me, I said in a fake cheerful tone, “Looks like you’ve cleaned yourself up for the day.”
