Page 68 of War of Her Heart

Why are you doing this?I said back to him in my mind.

You don’t deserve this. And I could only see two ways out of it: This or I come in there and kill them both. But if I saw them naked, I would have to take away my own eyesight.

I smiled at what he said before I quickly stopped, remembering what was happening in front of me, even if I couldn’t see it. I began to breathe heavier, thinking about the point they were currently at.

What felt like a finger caressed the small of my back. I had forgotten that in letting Sebastian in, he could hear every thought I had.

I had to take my mind elsewhere if I was to make it through this.

What were you doing before this act of chivalry intervened?I asked Sebastian.

Well, I’m currently swimming.

You like to swim?I asked. I’m not sure why, but the thought of the big bad shadow king swimming seemed funny to me.

Yes. Every night. It calms me,he said, still rubbing my back with his shadows.

I haven’t seen any body of water around the castle,I said.

I’m outside the walls. My secret place.

That sounds nice.

I thought about it. A place away from everything and everyone. Away from what was going on right now in front of me.

You’d like it. It’s a place to be alone with your thoughts.

I wish I was there right now, I said back, begging for this to be over.

28

Chapter 28

Violet

When my eyesight came back, Calum and Nathara were lying in my bed under a blanket, both panting.

Calum’s eyes were filled with sorrow as he stared at me.

“Do you get it now, Violet?” Nathara asked as she sat up. “You are nothing.”

I glanced between the two of them and nodded, feeling numb.

“Never forget what you saw. Next time, as his wife, I won’t be so kind with you,” she said.

I couldn’t look at Calum again before I turned around left. I know we weren’t home, and he had no authority here, but how could he allow that to happen?

I had to get far away from there and find some way to take my mind off of what just happened. The reality of it hurt too much.

I slammed shut the door to my room and leaned against it with my back. I didn’t even want to go back into my room after they left. What had become my safe haven had now been destroyed.

Holding my eyes shut, I tried to picture the swimming hole Sebastian was telling me about moments before. Far away from the nightmare I was living.

“Let’s go.”

My eyes shot open to see Sebastian standing in front of me. I knew he could transfer, but he was just at his spot, swimming, and now he was standing in front of me, completely dressed and completely dry.

“Go where?” I asked, standing up straight. I really didn’t care. He could take me to a fiery pit right now, and I would willingly go because anywhere sounded better than where I was right now.

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