Losing and regaining my memories…
The strange pull urging me to close the distance between me and Des…
There’s no ignoring it any longer: something supernatural is going on here… This mystery woman just confirmed it.
But she isn’t done.
Without a hint of hesitation, she delivers a devastating blow, her words heavy with the weight of something irreversible. “…And we believe you are one of us.”
15
Numbness spreads through my body.Disbelief wars with terror in my mind.
Supernatural stuff… I can sort of deal with. I mean, it’s crazy, but I always believed in a higher power. The idea that there are forces beyond my understanding doesn’t seem so far-fetched.
Butme?Animmortal?No… There’s no way. That doesn’t make sense. I’m human. This woman is wrong. She has to be.
I start to spiral, but angry words cut through the air, yanking my focus away from the meltdown looming over me.
“You have no right!” Des’s roar ricochets off the vaulted ceilings.
My heart hammers, each beat pounding in my eardrums. My fingernails dig into the table behind me. The rage radiating off Des’s broad shoulders is palpable. Yet somehow, the ebony-haired woman stands her ground.
“I have every right.” She meets his glare. “This matter affects all of us, Des. Not just you.”
He snarls, lips curling back over his teeth. “You’re dragging an innocent into a situation that has nothing to do with her.”
“She’s already been dragged into this situation.” Her voice sharpens. “That’s the point. The time for secrecy is over. Stop coddling her as you always do and have the decency to be honest!”
Sharp inhales echo around the room.
“Eshe.” Lome rises to his feet, his easygoing demeanor gone. “That was out of line.”
The woman, Eshe, scoffs. “Of course. Forgive me. I forgot that only the three of you have the right to opinions regarding what goes on with this family.”
“That’s not what—” Lome protests, but Eshe moves toward the door.
“I’ll see myself out. Good luck cleaning up your mess.” Her words hang in the air like a curse, and she storms off, leaving the room almost as quickly as she’d entered.
Lome’s gaze lingers on the doorway for a moment, his expression tightening. Then he sighs, running a hand over his face. “You know she’s right, Des.” The weariness in his voice carries more than just fatigue. He looks at the ground for a moment before lifting his gaze again, his tone softer, almost regretful. “Even if you don’t like it, Darcie’s in this now.”
Des’s eyes narrow into slits. “A fact that could’ve been avoided if you and Thane would have minded your own business.”
“You, of all people, know we can’t change the past,” Thane speaks up. “What matters now is how we proceed. Speaking of which, what did you do with Evetta?”
My blood runs cold at the mention of the cruel woman.
Des crosses his arms. “Nothing she didn’t deserve.”
“What happened with Evetta?” Bella interrupts, looking between the men in the room. “How is she involved in this?”
Thane exhales. “She attacked Darcie.”
“What?! Where?”
“In a mortal food market,” Thane answers his wife. Then, he addresses Des. “Were there any witnesses?”
“None.”