Page 40 of Heir of Broken Souls (HOBF #3)

Chapter 40

Delilah

K nox’s fingers draw lazy circles along my back.

Sighing deeply, I nestle further into the cloud of pillows, savoring this rare moment of peace.

“Whatare you keeping from me?”

The peace evaporates immediately. It takes everything within me not to freeze at his words. Phrased so bluntly, but with his voice so calm, it almost lulls me into a false sense of security—almost.

Propping my head up on my chin, I gaze at his naked form lying in bed beside me and the eyes that seem to track my every movement. Along with a shadowy tendril probing my mind.

Quirking a brow, I tease, “Is that necessary?”

“It is if you’re hiding something from me.”

My heart pinches painfully. We never keep things from one another—at least, not anymore. How horrible that this moment of Knox wanting to marry me is tainted with the ugly secret I’m holding close to my chest. But I can’t tell him. I can’t tell anyone.

So I shake off my guilt and the tirade of emotions bombarding me. It will only make him ask more questions.

“Why do you think I’m hiding something from you?”

“The bond—it never lies.” He lowers his head, a predator closing in on his prey. “So when one does, the bond does not enjoy it.”

Keeping my body languid while staring into my mate’s eyes and lying is no small feat. In fact, I’m surprised he hasn’t noticed the beads of sweat rolling down my nape.

“There’s nothing I need to tell you at this moment.”

I hold his gaze, knowing he picked up on my play of words, and yet not caring. All I have to do is not reveal what I know. It never said he couldn’t be suspicious.

It’s Knox, for crying out loud. He’s like a hawk; nothing slips past him.

He opens his mouth, probably to push me further on this, but his eyes glaze over then.

Scrambling up in bed, my heart leaps out of its confines as Knox slumps backwards. I grab him by the shoulders, my fingers gently rubbing back and forth along his smooth skin.

It’s just someone communicating in his mind, but I’ll never get used to this, the lack of utter presence in his gaze. It’s the most terrifying sight. Because it looks exactly like it did in my vision when the demonic dragon tore his head off his shoulders.

I clear the awful memory away just as he comes to. I heave a sigh of relief.

But it doesn’t last long.

Knox’s brows are furrowed.

“What is it? Is it Nolan? Is he all right?”

He shakes his head slowly. “He’s all right, it’s—” Knox stops abruptly, running a shaky hand through his hair.

He’s suddenly pale.

“Knox, you’re frightening me. What is it?”

“It’s the courts.” He swallows thickly. “Eden was almost overthrown today. The queen has decided to evacuate all the courts and move everyone inside her personal estate, near the docks of the Air Court.” His face falls. “Even the witches have fled. They’re taking up residence on the warrior island.”

I frown, a little bewildered. “That’s good news, isn’t it? You said they almost overthrew Eden but they didn’t. It’s better for everyone to be safe, is it not?”

He doesn’t respond.

Leaning forward, I lay my palm on his chest. “Knox, please explain what’s going on. You sent your own people to her court, so there must be a part of you that trusts her to keep everyone safe.”

His mouth opens and closes, struggling to get the words out. It looks like he has to force it out as he says, “It’s a precaution. They’re moving everyone in her estate so they can quickly flee. They’re…they’re planning to abandon Aloriah.”

* * *

Abandon Aloriah.

The two words that sent fire through my heart. The two words that reignited the rage that’s been consuming me since Ace’s death.

How foolish of me to forget what we’re up against.

How stupid and na?ve of me to be lying in bed soaking up a moment of peace when our kind are out on the battlefields dying. As the people of Aloriah are being evacuated from their homes, being told to pack a bag and preparing to abandon the magical lands of Aloriah.

Shame on me.

And most importantly, shame on him.

My teeth snap shut so hard I’m surprised they haven’t cracked. That the grinding of my molars hasn’t filed the teeth down.

I’m burning with hatred. I have never wanted to throttle someone so much with my bare hands.

I hate him.

I despise him.

I wish he were dead.

My chest heaves as thought after thought pelts my mind.

Knox left soon after dropping that bombshell so he could inform the others. And I was left to pace, and pace, and pace.

Knox was upset, and rightfully so, his people are preparing to leave the lands he’s called home, to leave the magic that thrums through the core of Aloriah. And because of the emotional turmoil raging through his heart, he didn’t feel the rage that was bubbling in mine. What perfect timing to feel this before what is coming tomorrow.

My fists clench at my sides.

I have never wanted to hurt another living creature, have truly never wanted to evoke harm on someone, and yet the amount of hatred I have for the man who called himself my father for twenty years is like no other.

I want to tear his limbs from his body, I want to slit his throat, I want to take what he cares about most from him, all the while cackling with manic laughter.

I want to make him suffer.

I want to make him pay for all he has done.

And most importantly, I want him to feel the pain he has inflicted upon me. I want him to curse the day he was born because of how much pain I put him through.

Snapping a silencing shield around the room, I form a dagger made of golden fire beside my head. Spinning with a mighty roar filled with my burning hatred, I throw it with everything I have against the wall.

It isn’t enough, though. Because the wall is not him.

Growling, I make the fire arrow disappear and stalk from the room. I’m surprised fire isn’t biting at my heels at the clipped steps I take to the top deck. And I pray to the forgotten gods that no one is on duty because so help me, I cannot quelch my tongue, not with this burning hatred igniting my entire being.

But of course, I do not get my wish.

I never do.

Harlow leans against the banister, smirking. “What’s got you so riled up, princess?”

The look I give her makes her smirk falter. Considering Harlow laughed in the face of demonic dragons, I fear for what my face looks like now.

“I’m going to take a wild guess here, but something tells me this isn’t just about the news Knox received from Nolan.”

“No.”

One word, one spat word full of fire, but Harlow isn’t afraid of my anger. Concerned, perhaps, but not afraid.

Despite the darkness of the night, it’s currently a full moon, the beautiful silver glow it casts atop the deck illuminating the twinkling in Harlow’s gaze. So much so I spit, “What?”

Shaking her head, she lifts her hands in surrender. “Nothing, just surprised.”

“I’m not in the mood for your games, Harlow.”

“On the contrary, I think you are.” She kicks off from the ledge and before I know what’s happening, she’s smirking as she sends a fireball at my head.