Page 73 of The Immortal's One
“You siphon powers from me,” Eshe hisses at Lome before turning to Thane, fury twisting her features. “Andyoudo the same to Bella.”
The vitriol in her voice triggers my fight-or-flight response. Only the sturdy arm under my hand grounds me enough to keep me from running.
“You need us,” she continues. Sparks crackle over her skin, landing on the black floor before fizzling out. “And yet, we are treated as less than because we were once human.”
“Exactly.” Thane doesn’t waver, unaffected by her display of power. “You are not an Original. Therefore, you are not a member of the Original Nine.”
Lome cringes. Des mutters something that sounds a lot like ‘idiot’ under his breath.
Eshe’s chest rises and falls with rapid breaths. Sparks continue to drop off her slender frame. Thank goodness the floor is marble. A carpet would’ve caught fire by now.
Then, without warning, the Immortal whirls to face me, her eyes sharp with intent.
I jolt back. Des’s firm hand shifts and rests on top of my shoulder.
Eshe takes in the movement and huffs an unamused laugh while her eyes flash with disdain. “Take care not to fall into their trap, Darcie.”
Her clipped words carry no malice, and her sincerity alarms me more than her display of power.
“No matter what lies Thane or Lome weave to draw you in, resist the urge to fall prey to their selfish plans.” A haunted shadow hovers over Eshe’s dark, knowing eyes. “Eternal life is not worth a lifetime of servitude. Trust me.”
21
I refuseLome’s offer to walk me back to my room. After a week here, I know the way. Besides, the last place I want to be is anywhere near an Immortal.
“Eternal life is not worth a lifetime of servitude…”
Sympathy grips my chest.
How long has Eshe felt that way? She joined the family centuries before Bella; has she regretted her decision to be with Lome this whole time? Was it even her decision?
Sunlight streams through the massive windows, brightening the space around me in a way that’s almost mocking. My pace slows as I continue to replay Eshe’s parting words. Anger and resentment had laced her tone, but it was the pain and disappointment that really stuck.
Does she believe I’m Des’sOne, or is she just playing along with whatever Lome and Thane say?
Either way, I vow to take her warning to heart. I’ll be on guard around Thane and Lome.
Do I believe they want to keep me safe from theirenemies? Yeah. But does that mean I’ll get to go home once they deal with them? I’m starting to think not.
If I can’t trust Lome, then I can’t trust him to honor our deal. I need to find another way to get out of Greece, but I can’t do it alone. I need an ally.
Eshe is the logical choice, but asking her to help me betray her family? That feels like a stretch. She may be angry with Thane and Lome, but my gut tells me she’s loyal.
That leaves one other Immortal who could help me, but asking him will be next to impossible.
Today was the first day I’ve seen Des face-to-face since I got here. Bella let it slip that his recent absence from the mansion isn’t usual. He’s avoiding me. Des doesn’t want me here, but I’m confident he doesn’t want me to leave and get hurt, either…
My forehead furrows, deep in thought, as I reach the hall leading to my guest bedroom. A lemony scent tickles my nostrils. The wood on the accent table by the door gleams, freshly polished.
There has to be a way I can convince Des to help me leave. And maybe he’ll even be willing to help my dad.
If Lome has the power to cure cancer, why wouldn’t Des?
But first, I need to find him. A task that will be easier said than done.
With a sigh, I turn the bronze handle and step inside, closing the bedroom door behind me. The bed is made, and the dirty clothes I’d piled in the corner are gone. If I walk into the bathroom, I know I’d find fresh towels and an organized, spotless counter.
It’s unsettling that someone enters daily to tidy up, but I never see them. But I guess it’s not a huge deal. It’s not like I have anything personal here. The clothes in the closet aren’teven mine. Still, it would be nice to know who is handling my underwear…
