Page 58 of Right Hand Of The Reaper
Thaneranpastuslike death was chasing him, which would have been amusing if it weren’t for the fact that I was concerned about him. He’d barely said anything to us since turning up and saving Atticus and even that he hadn’t gone into much detail over. I’d never seen that kind of magic before. I was worried about what he’d done to Atticus and in turn, what that had done to him. I could still feel Atticus’ soul, but there’d been a moment where I thought I’d lost it and I’d never felt so terrified in all my life. It was fleeting but I felt an emptiness that seemed immeasurable. It made me feel hollow and I couldn’t bare to think about how I’d have felt if I’d truly lost him.
“I’ll be back in a moment,” I said to the twins. I knew they were concerned over Atticus too. I wasn’t sure where that had come from, but I think they moved past the hate when they fought together.
They both responded with grunts, not in the mood for talking. I couldn’t blame them. I was still trying to make sense of everything. I mean, Thane had brought us to the Mansion of Night. How the fuck did he know where it was? And what exactly was this place? It was almost like it was in its own little pocket dimension, hidden by numerous wards and very powerful magic. When Thane had stepped into the forest clearing, I’d been shocked and relieved. I’d been so focussed on Atticus that I hadn’t thought about where the guy had come from but then he’d saved Atticus and brought us here. The Mansion of Night had been in the clearing all along, just hidden. I know that’s where whatever the sensation in my chest was leading me to, I just don’t know why. What was so important about this place?
The mansion was huge. Built from black stone, this massive palace was intimidating. Thane had said some words in a language I didn’t understand and then boom! There it was. Sitting among the trees looking it should be the residence of a dark queen. It looked more like a castle than a mansion and, as I strode down the corridor with patterns of stars along the walls, I wondered who owned this place. Thane hadn’t told me anything yet. I had a feeling I was going to need to drag that information out of him. I didn’t care that he was my boss, me following him out here took us well past those lines. We needed to figure out what was going on and I had a feeling Thane knew more than I thought he did. But I’d think about that later. Right now, I wanted to see Atticus. I needed to see with my own eyes that he was alright. I couldn’t relax or think about anything else until then.
I knocked on the door and I could have cried at the sound of Atticus’ voice when he called out. I practically ran through the door and towards him, not stopping until I’d wrapped my arms around him and placed my head on his chest.
“Oomf, careful there, kitten. I’m still a bit sore,” Atticus said with a small smile.
“I’m sorry,” I said, pulling back but he wouldn’t let me go.
“It’s okay,” he replied. “Don’t go. I don’t mind the pain if I get to hold you.”
I melted into his embrace a little more, lying down beside him in the large bed. “I thought I’d lost you.”
He didn’t say anything and was so quiet for a few moments that I thought he’d gone back to sleep. But when I lifted my head to look at him, he was scowling. “Atticus?”
“I think you did lose me a little.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m dead,” he gritted out, almost struggling to say the words. “Thane wouldn’t even explain what he really did. And then he rushed out of the room when I asked him to explain the intricacies of how he’d bonded my soul. The man is an asshole.”
“He’s… complicated.”
He frowned. “Complicated?”
“He’s old, like old as the beginning of time old. I don’t think he’s ever soul bonded anyone before, I bet he doesn’t even know what that’ll do to you. I wish I’d thought about calling him at death’s point before. Then none of this would have happened to you.”
He rolled to his side, wincing as he did, so that he could face me. “Nothing that happened was your fault, Roux.”
I looked away, unable to hide the guilt I felt. “If I hadn’t followed Thane, you wouldn’t be here.”
“Look at me,” he ordered, and my eyes flicked back towards his. “Itwasn’tyour fault. I chose to come with you. Now, where are we?”
I filled him in on everything that had happened since Thane turned up and on the Mansion of Night. When I finished, he attempted to get out of bed.
“Atticus, what the fuck?”
“We need Thane to start talking. And I’m going to make him.”
“No. You’re going to get back in that bed. You need rest.”
“No. I need answers. And so do you.”
“You need to heal.”
“I’m fine,” he snapped back before his knees wobbled slightly as he looked for a shirt. It was only then he seemed to notice the large bandages wrapped around his chest. He smoothed his hand over the strips of white with an almost puzzled look on his face.
I walked round the bed and curled my fingers around his. “Let me change them, then, only if you feel up to it, we’ll find Thane.”
He nodded and let me guide him back onto the bed. I stood between his open thighs and set to work removing the old bandages and inspected the wound. The skin was pink and puckered but it had healed well. I couldn’t look at it anymore so I quickly wrapped him back in fresh bandages so I wouldn’t have to see it.
My hands trembled, the images of him being shot and falling to his knees running through my mind again.
“Roux?” Atticus’ fingers wrapped around mine. “I’m still here.”
