Chapter 16 #2
I spent the next three hours in the bathtub, refilling the hot water every time it became cold.
Visarous and Viv knocked on the door from time to time to see if I was alright, but I barely heard them.
My mind swam with the devastating news I had just come to learn.
Demir and I were of one soul. How could it be?
Perhaps that was why I had been so broken all along; I was never whole to begin with, but I could never be with him.
I would never want to be with him. The son of the man who killed my family and my people.
Demir himself was responsible for much of my torment at the Academy.
I could never feel anything but disdain for him.
But last night, I had felt something more; he had comforted me.
But as much as my body may have relaxed into his, my mind screamed, No!
When I finally left the bathroom, I felt lightheaded from the hot water and nearly fell to the floor.
Visarous caught me, but I quickly scrambled away.
The idea of him or any man touching me after what I had learnt disgusted me now.
My skin crawled at the thought of any kind of physical touch from another person.
I almost felt guilty for what Visarous and I had done in the temple.
What was wrong with me? I didn’t want Demir, I had never wanted him but knowing what I knew now, something in me began to shift now that I was conscious of the bond.
I was consumed and overwhelmed; I almost wished for the panic to strike me, to ruin me so I could be lost, even for a moment, and not plagued by these thoughts.
I needed a distraction. Acheron and Viv sat on her bed.
She looked at me with concern so I did what I do best and deflected.
‘You seem oddly calm about your sister and Acheron being together. How long have you known?’ I asked Visarous.
He shifted uncomfortably before answering. ‘Always.’
‘Great, so everyone decided to lie to me only. Wonderful. A council full of people who deceive me, who I can’t trust. Just the team I need supporting me through this war. No wonder we haven’t made any fucking headway,’ I said sarcastically.
Acheron came to stand in front of me. ‘I’m sorry, it was my doing. I didn’t dream you would ever accept me, especially given my family,’ he said.
‘Skylar, can you blame us? You have spent years in a bloodlust-filled haze; there was no reasoning with you. We thought it was best. We do understand why you no longer trust us, but we will fix this,’ Viv said.
Visarous spoke next. ‘She’s my sister. I didn’t want to see her die,’ he admitted, looking away.
‘And I am only your queen,’ I sneered. Too exhausted to argue this anymore, I crawled into bed and let sleep take a hold of me, dragging me into a welcome, familiar darkness.
I walked the grounds in the early morning, as Cain was now heading back to Voldina with Jade.
The sun was still hiding and the air was thick with fog.
I went to the stables to check on Vixen and give her a brush.
I had neglected her a touch since we had arrived.
Too much had happened. Hugging her neck, she nuzzled into me. I held on tight, not wanting to let go.
‘What the fuck is wrong with you?!’ a voice boomed in the small space behind me.
I whirled, drawing my sword. The candlelight of the stables cast a glowing yellow light over Demir as his large frame filled the only door in and out. His chest heaved with heavy breaths as anger coiled through his taut muscles.
‘A lot, so you’ll have to be more specific,’ I scoffed, placing my sword back in its sheath. It was a power play, showing him I wasn’t scared and that I didn’t see him as a threat.
Everett stepped in next to him and answered, looking even angrier than his little prince.
‘You fucking mutilated him, chopped him up into tiny little pieces and left some calling card like some deranged sick fuck!’ he spat, about to step further in, but Demir cast him a glance that rooted him to the spot.
‘He deserved it.’ I shrugged, turning my back to them as I picked the brush back up and soothed Vixen. The shouting was riling her up, and like me, she loved a good fight.
‘He had a family, Skylar,’ Demir seethed.
‘So did my general, but that didn’t stop yours from doing the same to him. I was simply returning the favour. You cannot make moves in a war that you aren’t willing to be on the receiving end of. This error in judgement is on you and your people, not me.’
Demir’s eyes shuttered briefly as Everett looked at him confused.
‘What do you mean you were “returning the favour”?’ Everett asked, incredulous now.
‘Your general came into my camp in the dead of night and mutilated one of my generals. Everything he did to my man, I did to yours.’ I turned back to them, dropping the brush to the ground.
‘This is the problem with Morgadians. You poke and you prod and you push and then you’re shocked when we bite the fuck back.
Stay off my lands, stay away from my people and I won’t have the need to touch you and yours.
Now, fuck off.’ I stalked between them, slamming my shoulder into theirs to get them to move.
Everett and Demir began whispering, but I had no care for what they had to say.
Demir ran after me, his eyes almost pleading. Something in my chest clenched at the sight, but I held myself back.
‘We wouldn’t do something like that.’ He shook his head.
‘You may not, but your father did. Take a moment and think about the man he is, and then tell me whether you truly doubt he could order something like this.’
Demir’s head dropped almost immediately before Everett spoke.
‘Before I left for the ball, I had heard some of the other generals talking in passing about how they had left the message of all messages for Maureia. I didn’t think anything of it, but it makes sense now.
I’m sorry, Demir. I think she may be right. ’
Colour me fucking shocked. Scoffing, I turned and continued on, wanting to run as far away from the man whose anguished eyes had just made me feel something I couldn’t quite understand.