Page 79 of Detonation
Stepping back from my embrace with Gaia, I fall to the floor like a bag of rocks. A tearing sensation rips through my body, like I’m being yanked apart by two opposing forces. Curling into a ball, I breathe deeply through the pain, praying it fades soon.
Gaia’s hands grip my head, spreading warmth through me, giving me a reprieve for a breath. She drops a kiss to my brow. “Your body has healed enough for now. Your soul wishes to return to your body and I cannot stop it. I promise you that you are not alone in this daughter. Be strong.”
“No. No, I need more answers. I need more time with you,” I plead.
Her heart breaks in front of me and in that moment, I know that I’ve forgiven her for the past. None of us are perfect, not even the gods and goddesses. Her love for me is so strong, I can almost touch it. How can I hold onto the past in the face of that?
We have a chance to form a relationship and I desperately want that.
As I come to that realization, a tether snaps into place between us and she gasps at the teal line swirling with silver that runs between us.
Her soft curls and flowers tickle the sides of my face as she lowers herself to kiss my forehead again. Her tears drop onto my cheeks and run down the sides of my forehead as she whispers, “You’ve accepted the bond.”
Before I can question that, she begins to fade from my vision. I try to yell for her, to beg her to come back, but no sound comes from my mouth. My eyes close, feeling unbearably heavy, and I slip away from her.
* * *
“Shut up, human. You are the biggest nuisance I have ever encountered in both of my lives combined.”
The voice hits my brain before I can process the words. I keep my eyes shut, wanting to understand the severity of the situation from a safe place—meaning when everyone thinks I’m either unconscious or dead. I keep my breathing slow and even, not wanting to alert him that I’m awake.
Anshar is back. Just my fucking luck.
Wait, did he say human?But it sounds like he’s talking to himself.
“I will ask Erebus to help me dispose of you for good. My beloved doesn’t need this distraction.”
Could he be talking to Ash?
Hope flares through my chest and I flip over to face him, jumping from my bed and flying at him. Shock colors Anshar’s face and, before he can react, I’m gripping his face and staring deep into his eyes, searching for my mate. “I knew you were still there, Ash. I love you. I love you.” Anshar growls but I don’t pay him any mind. “Don’t give up on—”
My head snaps to the side with his slap, my cheek burning and throbbing in pain as he seethes down at me. His hot breath fans out across my face, trying to subdue me into submission but I’m not so easily cowed. “You will not say his name,everagain.”
I tip my chin up at him and narrow my gaze, “Ash. Zedd. Hale, Lu—”
His fingers wrap around my throat and squeeze as he pulls me up into the air by neck, slamming my back into the nearest wall, rattling the mirror attached to the vanity with the force of the blow. His eyes glint dangerously as he snarls, “You’ve had one too many chances to comply, Oslana. I am done giving you a choice. You will learn who your master is.”
Yeah, I'm gonna pass on that, bud.
The blood in my face pulsates as the flow to my brain cuts off. I gasp around his grip, distantly noticing that I’ve apparently healed from the earlier fight—just to be abused once more.
But, like I said, I’m not so easily cowed. Gathering my energy within my core, I scramble to get my powers to spark.
A deep and gravelly voice comes from behind us. "Interesting to see how you treat your pet, Anshar."
I'm unable to turn my head to see who it is, too focused on trying to get any oxygen into my lungs, when Anshar drops me to the ground, whirling around to the voice. He leaves me collapsed on the floor in a heap as I gulp down precious oxygen.
When my lungs stop burning, I look up and my heart jumps into overdrive, terror trickling like ice through my veins at the creature in the corner, seemingly made out of shadows. Red eyes snap to mine and I move behind Anshar's leg, not wanting to draw any attention to myself.
I never thought the day would come that I'd settle on Anshar being the lesser of two evils but today’s it. There’s something about this creature that inspires fear and a sickening dread. My fight or flight instincts are kicking in, telling me I cannot win this one.
Using the wall to help me stand, I stay behind Anshar as he greets the creature. "Hello, Erebus. What a pleasure it is to have you in my home. I was not expecting you or I would have had a feast prepared."
Erebus.Oh, fuck. That's who Gaia warned me of.
A dark hood and robe hide his figure as his shadows pour from his face, swirling under the hem of his robes around his feet in a dance with darkness.
Erebus glides across the floor closer to us. "I gave you a task, Anshar. You disobeyed my direct orders."
