Page 96 of Woven Souls

“Ridiculous! Can’t you people watch where you’re going?” she demands as she glares at Viktor while her hands perch on her narrow hips.

Her face appears naturally pinched in an expression of annoyance although it seems more exaggerated now given the run-in. Her nose seems perpetually upturned, and her nearly non-existent lips are pressed together in a hard line of disapproval. There’s something in the way she stands, or maybe it’s her tone, that gives the impression she’s not a fun person to be around.

“Well? Aren’t you going to apologize?” she insists.

My eyes flicker from Viktor to this woman. He says nothing. Neither does Theo. In fact, they both seem frozen in place. What’s going on?

Not sure what else to do, I come up between the two ex-Ghosts, place my hands on their shoulders, and grin at the woman.

“They don’t talk much. Sorry thatyouran intous. We’ll forgive the trespass.” With a nod, I drag the two of them away.

No one around us seems to have noticed the interaction. I hear the woman sputter, but otherwise she doesn’t make a scene. After a few steps, both men seem to snap out of it, and the tension eases out of their shoulders. My hands drop away.

“You guys good? What was that about?” I ask.

Both are silent for a moment. Theo looks at Viktor, although whatever expression he’s trying to see is hidden by Viktor’s hood. Viktor exhales loudly.

“That was my… ex-fiancé.”

Woah,what?

“Youwere engaged?” The words are out before I can stop them.

“She left me to join the Brotherhood as a Temple Hand,” Viktor states softly.

“And a Temple Hand is…?”

“Think of the position as a nun,” Theo explains softly.

Oh… “Well, that sucks. You haven’t spoken to her since? Couldn’t you have—”

“To show my devotion to her, I joined the Brotherhood so that webothwould have given ourselves to a higher purpose,” Viktor continues. “Thirty years ago, a few weeks before Kwil was bitten by a Tangleling, we came back over to this realm for our bicentennial check-in with the Elders. It was then I learned she’d left the Brotherhood, married one of my cousins, and had four children with him. She’d had the family I had envisioned for the both of us while I was gone.”

The breath is knocked out of me. Now I understand the reaction. That would hurt. I can’t imagine how he must have felt.

“Are you alright?” Theo asks softly. “I know just talking about Eleanor can be triggering. Seeing her must have been…” Theo struggles for a moment. “Hard.”

“Actually, I’m fine.” There’s surprise in Viktor’s voice. “I was just taken off guard, but seeing her… I felt nothing.”

Theo slaps him gently on the back. The minute his hand slips away, I chuckle and mimic the gesture.

“You know why that is, don’t you?”

Viktor doesn’t answer, and I let it drop. Maybe this is too touchy a conversation for the guy. Theo leads us down a side street, taking an indirect path to the castle. As we round another corner, the other buildings give way, and there, standing before us is the world’s most magical castle.

“It’s because of Willow,” Viktor whispers as we stand there and look up at the imposing structure. “Now, let’s hurry up and get back to her. They’re going to need our help.”

Chapter24

THEODON

Ican hardly breathe.

My head swims as the blood rushes from it, and my fingers tingle. As I push open the door at the end of the secret tunnel and step through into my father’s old study, my stomach attempts to turn itself inside out. It’s been over a hundred and twenty-seven years since I last stepped foot in the castle I once called home.

It wasn’t long after that the place was abandoned altogether as rumors circulated the place was cursed. The amount of dust sitting on top of everything is astonishing. The rich mahogany banisters I used to slide down with my sisters when we were children are nearly white with it. The wooden floors, which used to shine brightly, are dull and lifeless. The family portraits have been taken down. Anything of value has been stripped. Although some furniture remains, I’m sure these pieces are only still here because the style went out long ago.

Heaven forbid someone in Everlast has furniture out of trend.