Page 122 of The Immortal's One
Again, it’s as if Kaine doesn’t hear me. “How long until you think they’ll be here? Do you think they’ll take me with you? I’m only a lesser deity, but I’ve been locked in here for weeks. Surely, they’ll have mercy and rescue me.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose with my uninjured hand and breathe deeply, trying to trick my mind into forgetting how badly my head aches.
“Darcie? Are you there?”
“I’m here,” I mumble. “Can you not speak so loudly? My head is killing me.”
“Oh, sure. Sorry.” He lowers his voice. “Is this better?”
No.
“Yes.”
The sound of shuffling fills the space. He sounds closer when he says, “So… do you think you can convince the brothers to take me with you?”
“Sure.” I exhale. “If they come to rescue me, I’ll ask them to rescue you, too.”
“What do you mean‘if they come’?” Kaine’s voice rises in pitch. “Last I heard, the brothers would do practically anything for their wives. No way Des doesn’t find you.”
“I am not Des’s wife.” A pang hits my chest. I dismiss it.
“I know that,” Kaine says quickly, almost too quickly. “But you will be.”
“No,” I sigh, exhausted. “I won’t.”
A heavy silence hangs in the darkness.
“What do you mean?” Kaine finally asks, his tone uncertain.
“This is all a big misunderstanding,” I speak out into the air above me with as much conviction as my current pained state will allow. I needsomeoneto believe this to be true.
Ineed it to be true.
Des’s green irises flash. I hear his deep, rugged voice deny that I am hisOneagain and again. The echoing words and the conflicting feelings they elicit within me lend me strength.
“I was mistaken as Des’s soulmate a few weeks ago.” I take a deep breath. “There’s been a target on my back ever since.”
“But…” Kaine’s voice lowers, “You are living in their home.”
“The brothers’ enemies have tried to hurt me more than once. They offered to protect me until we can prove I’m not his soulmate.”
Offeredis a stretch, but Kaine doesn’t need to know Thane locked me in his mansion against my will. Until I made my side deal with Lome to save my dad, that is.
Dad!
Will he know I’m missing?
Will the brothers’ Masking let him worry about me when I don’t call?
What will happen if he does?
What about Kayla? Or Kevin?
An ache pulses through my heart just as painfully as my head.
I blink hard, fighting the tears burning the corners of my eyes. Crying won’t get me out of here. I need to hold it together.
“I don’t understand.” I imagine the faceless man frowning within the shadows. “Why would the brothers protect you if you aren’t Des’sOne?”
