“The council took a vote about casting you out of the kingdom. We believe your presence here is a risk for our people, and without you and August around, the coven won’t have any reason to keep attacking us. The vote concludes that it’s in the kingdom’s best interest that you leave.”
What does he mean I need to leave? Why would they want me to go? I know last night was bad but everyone is okay,and I helped, so why would he kick me out?
‘Because you’re weak. They’re ashamed of you Nevaeh. No one wants a weak little girl to be the next Grim Reaper. They’re happy without you. Safer without you.’
Vishawhispers in my head, and I freeze. But something is different this time. The voice… that’smyvoice.
I thought Visha had somehow found a way to slither inside my head at my weakest moments, but it’s been me all along. I’m the malicious voice inside my head, and as cruel as the words are… they are also true.
I’ve been the one ruining everything.
“They won’t let us vote because we’re too close to you. Not like these traitors here know anything about loyalty,” Grace’s voice trembles with hurt.
Some have the decency to look away, while others don’t hide their disgust. The lump in my throat becomes harder to ignore when my eyes get stuck on Harvey and Hazel sitting at the table.
Pushing off his chair, Harvey stalks toward me, and for a moment, I think he is coming to stand beside me, but to my utter surprise, he brushes past me like I don’t exist. Harvey leaves the room without a second glance, and when tears start streaming down Grace’s cheeks, I don’t know who I’m hurting for more—her or me.
He will come back. Harvey will never leave like this.
The anguish I see on Seiji and Grace keeps me breathing. At least they are still on my side.
When my eyes meet Hazel’s blank ones, I still. She wants me to leave. Averting her gaze from me, she concentrates on the table in front of her. She is back to putting on a facade.
I’m trying hard to figure out what I did for half the people I consider family to want to cast me out, but not a single reason jumps out. I’ve been loyal. I’ve protected them, and picked their safety over my life every day, so why am I still not enough?
“Why?” I ask in a hushed whisper to the man who supposedly loves me.
“I need to protect my people. This isn’t our fight, and I’ve had enough of putting my people in danger foryou,” He says ‘you’ as if the word tastes sour on his tongue.
I thought I was his people, too.
‘He lied. I told you not to trust anyone. They always take what they want and then throw you out.’
Every word out of his mouth, every disgusted look thrown my way, every time he turns his body so I can’t reach him, breaks my soul.
My eyes sting from holding back tears, but I nod my head, accepting that it’s his responsibility to keep everyone safe. He’s right; this was never their fight, and I did put them in danger, but he knew this from the beginning, so why ask me to leavenow?
A movement on my side catches my attention just in time to see the elder demon smirking to himself. His thrill turns into fake pity when he senses my eyes on him, but he’s not fooling anyone.
August pulls away to stand beside the suitcases, his stuffed dinosaur clutched in his arms. The action makes my head spin. Two suitcases.Two.
As if he heard my thoughts, Angel confirms, “August will be leaving with you, considering he’s your responsibility after all, not mine.”
My head snaps to him in disbelief. I wait for him to take the words back. To tell me it’s all a joke, and those bags are a part of this elaborate prank, but Angel doesn’t blink, much less regard me. As my hurt caused by his careless words is making him uncomfortable, Angel goes back to staring at the damn wall behind me and essentially ignores me.
Maybe I shouldn’t have trusted him with my heart after all.
Steeling my spine, I match Angel’s blank look with my own. “Let August stay,” I request. I can’t bear the thought of dragging the boy in my mess and risking us falling right into Visha’s clutches.
“No. Now, get out.” Angel hisses, and the foreign act makes me take a step back.
Where did my Angel go?
“Anxo, stop it! She’ll be out there with no protection and a kid, you asshole!” Seiji fumes and I take another step back, realising how firm his decision is if he doesn’t care about what anyone else thinks.
I don’t understand. I thought I did everything right. Yes, I’m reckless sometimes and say things I should filter in my head first and invite trouble wherever I go, but I always make sure my troubles don’t harm them.
“What about her rights? You can’t kick her out of her own kingdom.” Grace steps forward, standing head-to-head with Anxo.
