CHAPTER 27
The next morning, I wake early, eager to get back to the children in the warehouse.
My back is killing me from sleeping on the couch in the room.
I refused to sleep in the bed; just because they helped the kids yesterday doesn’t mean I have forgiven everything.
One thing I’m aware of, though, is that halfway through the night.
Silas got up and left the room. The shutting of the bedroom door had woken me and when I got up this morning his scent was only faint, indicating he hasn’t come back since he left.
Getting up, the first thing I do is get dressed and race downstairs to check on Lilith.
I didn’t find her in my old room. Instead, I find her eating breakfast with Dragus in the dining room.
Silas comes in behind me as I approach Lilith. She eyes Silas warily but doesn’t move. She seems to have become quite comfortable around Dragus and is smiling when I walk in.
I sit next to her and steal a piece of toast off Dragus’s plate, making him smirk. “Did you sleep well?” I ask Lilith who nods, taking a giant bite of pancakes.
“Yes, it is warmer here than out there.”
I nod in agreement when Silas comes over, placing his hands on the back of my chair, staring down at me and making me gaze up at his closeness.
“I need to speak to you,” he whispers below my ear, making me shiver. There is something about the way he spoke that makes me worry. Pushing my chair out, I get up and follow him out of the room. Matitus follows, making me wonder what it is he wants to speak to me about.
Matitus sits in the armchair, and I sit at the end of the desk. Silas stands silently, watching me and I can feel his anger through the bond which he is trying to mask. If it weren’t for the bond, I wouldn’t have even been able to read the cold expression on his face.
“What did you want to speak about?” I ask, my heart skipping a beat when I see the corners of his lips tug up, like he is enjoying the fear in me.
Silas steps closer, and my heart rate spikes as he stops in front of me.
“You’re nervous,” he states as he braces his hands on either side of my waist on the desk.
“Should I be?” I ask, wondering what he wants.
“Yes, I don’t like liars, and you lied to me again,” he answers.
I see Matitus out of the corner of my eye giving me a worried look.
I swallow, my mouth suddenly feeling dry.
Silas smiles seeing how nervous I become at his accusation, though it just makes me more curious as to what he is referring to.
“I don’t know what you are talking about,” I answer honestly.
Silas smiles sadistically, his face moving closer to mine.
“I will only ask you once and if you lie to me, I won’t be held responsible for what I do next,” he whispers against my lips before biting down on my bottom lip.
Silas pushes my knees apart and moves between my legs trapping me between him and the desk, giving me no opportunity to get out of this situation.
“What are you talking about?” I ask looking toward Matitus who shrugs clearly not understanding where Silas is going with this, either. Silas grips my chin, forcing me to look back at him.
“I was up all night wondering why Abigail would let her daughter leave without her. Now why would a mother let her daughter go unless she is scared of something happening to her?” Silas says, watching my face carefully. I feel the blood drain right out of me at his words.
“And I gather by your reaction, you know exactly what I am talking about and why Abigail would rather take the risk of her daughter escaping the Kingdom then remain within the safety of the borders.”
I look away. I know exactly why Abigail did what she did. I understand her need to protect her daughter, especially from someone like Silas.
“So, my question is, Elora, why would Abigail tell her mother to take her daughter and run?” I open my mouth to answer when he speaks again. My heart beats erratically in my chest as his hands go to my thighs gripping them tightly.
“Now don’t lie to me, Elora,” he whispers, and I feel my blood run cold.
“What will you do?” I ask worried, yet by the look he is giving me, he is daring me to lie to him because he knows the answer already.
Silas looks to Matitus who is watching intently, no doubt trying to figure out what Silas knows.
“I want you to go get Abigail’s family and bring them here,” he tells Matitus.
“Silas, what is this about?” Matitus asks standing. Silas looks at me and smiles, his sharp teeth gleaming in the light.
“Why would I want Claire, Elora?” he asks, his grip on my thighs tightening makes me whimper.
“Elora?” Matitus asks, looking at me worriedly.
I shake my head when Silas growls, gripping my chin tightly between his fingers. Tears brim in my eyes.
“She is just a child,” I tell him.
“Answer him!” Silas growls, and goosebumps rise all over my body, tears slipping down my cheeks.
“She is the Oracle,” I whisper and Matitus gasps. Silas, however, smiles sadistically, kissing my lips and I pull away. Silas steps away, turning to Matitus.
“Bring her to the castle,” he tells Matitus. Matitus steps back shaking his head. I grip Silas’s arm, and he glances back at me.
“You shouldn’t have lied to me; you knew all along what she is, what Abigail is, and you still chose to lie to me.”
“She is a child, Silas,” I snap.
“I am well aware of that,” he growls. “I want Abigail’s daughter here; you have an hour, or I kill her mother, understand?” he says.
“You’re a monster,” I snarl at him, shoving off the desk. Silas grips my arm tightly tugging me to him.
“You knew that already so don’t act surprised, Elora.”
I go to walk out when Silas points to the armchair.
“Sit, I don’t need you warning Abigail,” he says, and I have no choice but to do as I’m told.
“Abigail’s here?”
Silas nods, refusing to say anything more. Matitus still hasn’t moved, and I can feel his hesitation through the bond. I plead with my eyes for him not to do what Silas asked. However, the next words that leave Silas’s lips, I realize he will do as Silas asked.
“Don’t make me tell you again, Matitus or would you like me to show Elora what I did to you, last time you lied to me.”
Matitus’s fear filled eyes dart to mine, he turns on his heel and leaves. I wonder what Matitus lied to him about, and what Silas did to instill the amount of terror I could see in his eyes.
Silas and I wait in silence. He doesn’t utter a word, yet I know his eyes are fixed on me. Dragus, who obviously realized something is up when I never returned, walks in, stopping and leaning on the doorframe.
“Why are you holding her here?” he asks Silas. Silas looks up at him, his eyes scanning over Dragus.
“You know why,” he simply says. So Dragus knew Silas’s intentions and never warned me.
“Come, Elora,” Dragus says, making Silas growl and stand. Dragus ignores him, holding out his hand. I glance at Silas, but he doesn’t say anything when I stand and creep over to him, grabbing his hand. I know Silas is angry about me keeping it from him, yet I feel something else, uncertainty.
“Bring her back when Matitus returns,” Silas says, running a hand through his hair. Dragus nods and pulls me from the room.
Dragus takes me to the dining room where Abigail is sitting with Lilith, completely unaware of what Silas has planned. She looks up and smiles at me as I walk in, and I try to go to her when Dragus pulls me against him.
“Have some faith in Silas, he may be a monster but that’s because you refuse to see him as anything else,” Dragus whispers.
Dragus grips my hand tightly, refusing to let me go to Abigail.
Abigail is going to be angry if I don’t warn her as it is.
I don’t have to wait long; after about twenty minutes I hear the phone ring.
I look over toward the door when Marian walks in holding it with a worried look on her face.
“Abigail, it’s your mother,” she says, her hands trembling and I know what is about to happen. Hopping up, I get ready for Abigail’s wrath. Abigail answers the call, and I watch as all the blood drains from her face, the phone dropping from her hand when she spins around and glares at Dragus and I.
“Where is my daughter?” she spits at him. Dragus holds up his hand telling her to wait.
“Silas has been scouring that library all night and there is no other way to break the curse, Abigail,” Dragus says, and Abigail takes off running toward the library. Immediately, I chase after her.
“Abbie, wait!” I call out to her, knowing if she ticks off Silas, she will feel his wrath.
Abigail runs to the front door then stops and steps back as she turns to face the library.
Matitus walks toward her. Dragus never said anything to me about Matitus returning home.
Abigail shoves past him into the room and I run toward her, freezing next to her as we enter the library.
Claire looks up when we enter wearing warm winter clothes: a beanie on her head and some very worn black boots.
She is sitting on the floor with Silas in front of the fireplace, his legs crossed as he sits close to Claire.
Silas has my grandmother’s book in his lap.
Abigail’s voice stutters as she calls for Claire.
“Claire, come here.” Claire looks up, unaware of what is going on. Claire goes to get up off the floor when Silas grabs her tiny hand and I see Abigail take a step forward, her hands glowing green.
“Sit, Claire,” Silas says to her. But there is no anger in his voice. He speaks softly, looking up at her. Claire smiles, flopping back down on the rug unaware of the monster she is sitting beside.
Moving into the room, I step next to Silas, Abigail right behind me. Lilith walks in to see Claire waving to her. Silas glances up when Claire waves.
“Claire, go play with Lilith so I can speak to your mother.”
Claire nods, hopping up off the floor and running toward Lilith, both scurrying off. Dragus follows after them to supervise.