Page 74 of These Eternal Bones
A month of waiting.
A month with little sleep.
She’s going to die soon. You can feel it too.
A growl rumbles in my chest, making her stiffen before she shrugs it off. My sweet little Molly isn’t troubled by my weaning mind. At least not outwardly. I can feel the tinge of worry, but it doesn’t last long. I stop paying attention to the canvas, to the brilliant colors and fields of flowers she’s painted outside of our home, ones she’ll never see again in this life. My cheek nuzzles hers, making her laugh.
Such a heavenly sound.
My head snaps to the side, my tendrils snapping out aggressively to the space Tien will soon occupy. He blips by taking a small step back, eyeing them with no little suspicion. They’ve all learned well over the years that my tendrils have a mind of their own. An oftentimes…aggressive mind.
I wait for Tien to speak, but my eyes fall behind him, the uneasy looking golden man crossing the threshold, his eyes lingering on the woman still blissfully painting in my lap. His eyes linger too long.
My tendrils snap toward him as he falls out of sight, one gouging the molding around the door. I nearly cringe, making sure Molly doesn’t notice. She dislikes when I damage our home. Flashing a pointed glare at the damned things, they calm, now content to warily regard Tien and aggregate Molly with their constant tugging and pulling at her limbs and skirts.
“Sorry to–”
Molly startles in my lap, her eyes slamming to Tien. “Oh, good morning, Tien.”
“Good morning, Molly. I did not mean to frighten you.” The older Chimera lowers his head in apology, shifting on his feet. Why is he uncomfortable?
He’s a threat. He wants to hurt her. Kill her, take her away from you.The voice whispers.
“Sir, there is a woman at the door…from town,” he adds carefully.
I don’t need to be told who or why. My entire body hums with rage, a bright burst of fear slapping the bond before I can hide it, making Molly gasp.
“Elric?”
“All is well, my love. I will resume my lessons in a moment, yes?” I capture her soft lips in a kiss before she can argue, something she does often these days. I adore it, watching the timid, quiet girl yield under the strong, confident woman. She is devastatingly stunning as either. Everything in me screams as I step away from her, fighting my tendrils to dismiss them as they cling desperately, accidentally dragging her stool an inch. The morning haze lights her green eyes.
“Nephilim!” I call. I can hear his gasps and curse as he steps out from whatever alcove he’d tucked himself into. Always listening and watching, lurking. It annoys me.
“Master?”
“Stay with her,” I order, glaring at him before adding. “Outsideof the room, with your eyes to yourself.”
Tien speaks next, stepping partly into my field of vision. “Perhaps the selkie–”
“She is tending things elsewhere, yes?”
He simply nods in submission.
I blur, and in seconds, I’m standing in front of the entryway door, the huddled form of the older woman on the other side, somewhat of an elder in the small town. The people listen to her and follow her lead. Go to her for advice. The sticky woman has her fingers in everything. Tien blips beside me as I open the doors, glaring at her. “He is coming.”
She huffs, glaring back at me. Now and then, over the years, I’ve seen it deep in her eyes…a spark of pure hatred. It’s fleeting, but it’s there. I see it now before she blinks, slapping her hands on her hips. “Why else would I show up? You ordered me to rush immediately should I get confirmation of an incoming ship from your human’s territory.” Her mood is sour as it has been lately with our interactions, not that they were ever pleasant. Her wit and jokes have all but subsided, her resentment growing. It seems like usual behavior for small-minded humans who don’t get what they want from me.
But what did she want? Why now?
“How far out are they?” The words take on their otherworldly quality. To her credit, she doesn’t flinch.
“Just left port in Mertigas, when my contact sent the bird. I’d say about a few days into the journey by now.”
He’s coming for her. Get her upstairs. Take her now, before it’s too late.
“We have no clue if it’s the man Captain Faine had been in communication with.” She continues because I’ve gone deathly still. “Ledger simply showed a shipping vessel.”
“You’re dism–”
