28. Raven #3
Kira raised her hand. “They’re here because of Daddy and Daddy’s family.
The lady is owned by them, and for them, she brought the ghosts here with this.
” Kira pointed to the symbol. “Destroy that, and her control over them will be gone. They will hopefully be gone.” Kira frowned, glancing up at me. “She is not a nice person, is she?”
“Probably not,” I replied. “Not after all she has done.”
I glanced from Kira to Myla, then squeezed them both to my sides.
An unexpected yawn rose through my chest.
I stifled it and returned my focus to the collection of images. “Do you know where I can find this symbol? The magic she used? And how do I break the connection once I do?”
Kira pointed to the drawing of the tower.
“It’s in the tower?” I asked, then pointed toward the terrace doors. “This tower?”
The very tower I’d been meaning to investigate.
Both Kira and Myla nodded, then Kira whispered, “It’s under it.”
A door in the outer receiving hall banged, and a commotion in the hall echoed into the room before cutting off abruptly. Among the voices silenced were the protests of Lucas and Neive, both of them yelling about Winter’s wrath.
Whoever had entered appeared to pay them no mind. A fact that could mean nothing good.
“I’m sorry, sir,” Camilla said. “We weren’t expecting you.”
“Is she here?” Valen’s voice carried a strong air of authority.
Yeah… The prince wanted me to avoid him. Winter would not be happy when he found out about this breach.
I placed a finger to my mouth, telling the girls to remain quiet. I quickly gathered the drawings, folded them together, and slid them under the mattress.
“Now,” I mouthed.
The twins instantly sensed my idea, and the three of us linked hands and jumped onto the bed, the girls breaking into giggles. Me gritting against the pain radiating through my ribs and shoulder blades.
The bedchamber door blew open, and Valen stepped into the space, paused at the sight of me and the girls jumping and tumbling on the mattress. Camilla floated forward in his wake, a stark expression on her face and one hand pressed to her collarbone.
“What is the meaning of this?” he barked.
“Just a little juvenile fun.” I grinned and hoped my expression held the illusion I attempted to paint. “You remember how to have fun, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.” He bristled and forced a smile at the twins. “Would you ladies excuse us? I need to have a private word with Ms. Gunn.”
“Sure.” Kira slid off the bed, snagged her sister’s hand, and led her from the room.
They grabbed their mom on the way out, leaving me and Valen alone in my bedchamber.
Okay. Not the man I would ever want to have alone near my bed. He had too many moods and personalities. And that damn nose…
Straightening my attire, I strode past him into the receiving room. I could have sworn I’d heard Lucas and Neive a moment ago. Where had they gone?
I covered my mouth against yet another yawn. “What’s so important that it required interrupting my recoup day?”
Valen followed me, staying several feet back. “If you have the energy to jump on the bed with a couple of children, then I would say you’ve recouped enough.”
“Maybe, but…” I presented my bandaged hands. “Still hurts like a son of the devil.”
Valen frowned. “Beckett’s methods were far from ideal. My apologies. But that experiment of his is the reason I am here.”
I plopped onto the sofa chair, tossing one leg over the side. “Do tell.”
Valen looked like he could barely contain his grin. “The results have been recorded and verified.”
I released a deep from my soul yawn, my entire body stretching with the action.
“Am I boring you?” Valen sounded thoroughly irritated.
I cupped my mouth to hide my smile. “No. Sorry. I’m just tired. Go on, tell me. The results are in…”
Valen regarded me for a moment. “Yes. The results are in, and you cured six afflicted.”
My mouth dropped open, and my muscles liquified. I pulled my leg off the side of the chair, leaned forward in my seat, and clasped my hands in front of me.
I did it? Actually did it? I can cure the afflicted!
I bit my lower lip. The how to heal had finally been determined. Now to stop any more afflicted from being created.
Valen folded his hands behind his back. “The key turned out to be your blood. You must bleed to heal, Ms. Gunn. Bleed to heal.”
I blinked. Double blinked. Thought of the first woman I had healed. Recalled my blood that had vanished from her skin. Still… I can heal the afflicted!
All I had to do was bleed.
Only, with the number of afflicted dwelling in the citadel, they would bleed me dry long before I could complete the task. A likely way for a reaper to die, being emptied of all their blood.
Could it be that was to be my curse?
Maybe instead of stepping into death, a drained reaper would become a wraith or something similar. I didn’t rightly know. All I really knew was that my thoughts were out of control, a chaos of worry and excitement, jumping from one concern to another in a single breath.
I could save the citizens, but at what cost to myself?
Was that the reason the Killian wanted me dead?