Page 94 of Her Dark Promise

I shut my eyes, willing myself not to reply to her.

The hunter loathes you. Every night, he thinks of new ways to kill you. Why would you protect him?

“Because he is my responsibility,” I whispered, my voice low and unnoticed. I looked over to find Callum wiping a tear from his face. We both knew what this meant to Emilia.

Emilia’s body started to slow. She moved away from Soren’s shoulder and tried to talk. I knew her throat was paining her when she massaged it, and then brought her hands up and signed,I am sorry for attacking you.

Soren was confused. I realized he didn’t know the hand language that Emilia, Callum, and I knew, so I translated.

“No, please. You have nothing to apologize for.”

If I don’t, then neither do you.Emilia replied, meaning every word.

She gave Soren a half smile. I could tell that she looked at him in a completely different light now. He had proved himself to her. Proved that something good could come from that town. That good could be born from evil.

He nodded and gave her a lopsided grin of his own.

“I’ll leave you all to do whatever it is you do at this time of the day.”

He stood, and Emilia signed,You don’t need to go.She had accepted him so quickly into our group, or whatever this was.

He bowed, smiling to himself.

“Thank you for the invitation, but there is a castle that needs cleaning.”

“The castle will be here tomorrow. Stay.” I didn’t necessarily order him, more like offered.

He nodded at me. “Thank you.”

He took a seat on the couch next to Callum.

Emilia got up as well and situated herself back in the chair.

Callum clapped his hands together once and said, “Does anyone want to play a game?” We all looked at him, knowing how well the last game went. He rubbed the back of his head and said, “A different game, I promise you will all enjoy it.”

They all laughed. I sat back and watched them while Callum went over the rules of his game. The other two were excited to play, finally finding some common ground. They were all laughing, and I absentmindedly brought my hand up and rubbed the side of my mouth. The corners of my mouth had curved slightly, and I could feel my chest wanting to expand into what I could imagine would be laughter, but I refrained.

When was the last time I had laughed? Genuinely laughed?

I wasn’t sure that I could even remember how.

Part of me wished that Bastian would come and join, but he wasn’t ready yet. He would need a little more time. Or rather, maybe a lot of time. I sighed and rested my head on my knees, smiling while watching them.

This could work. My life could be more than mere existence. So much more. With all of them. These humans—people—knew that part of me and didn’t hide. They didn’t fear me.

But, that’s exactly what they are…humans. You will never be one of them.

Circe.

Have you forgotten what you lost? You know your curse means you will lose it all again. That when they are dead and rotting in the earth, I will be all you have left.

She was right. Fuck. She was always right.

They would die and I would be here, all alone.

Isolated. Unloved. Cursed.

I turned my back to them and stared into the fire.

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