Page 58

Amias

“Having a celebration, are we?” The woman purrs into Ignatia's ear. “How rude not to invite your future in-laws?”

“Vasilisa!” Ignatia snaps.

I rise from the table, realizing this is the same woman Ignatia told me that tried to kill us in the fire.

Not a second longer, I run to Ignatia's side. “Get off!” I yank Ignatia behind me, away from Vasilisa's grasp. Vasilisa only cackles in response, raising the hairs on my neck and arms. Disgusting.

“Away from my own daughter?” Vasilisa gasps. “Well that's a bit of a cruel jest. Come on now. That's no way to treat the mother of your girlfriend.”

“Don't you fucking dare call me your daughter,” Ignatia hisses from behind me.

“Daughter?” I whirl my head over to Mother, who stands up from the table. Her eyes glow a little but slowly dim out. Her eyes shift between Ignatia and Vasilisa.

She's not going to take this accusation lightly. “Mother, calm down.”

“You don't see the resemblance?” Vasilisa steps towards Mother with that eerie smirk.

I look behind me to Ignatia. She bows her head as she stares back at Mother. I reach a hand out to hers. “Mother, don't freak out.”

Mother keeps looking back and forth and eventually glares at me. “Amias… Let her go and come here…”

I squeeze Ignatia's hand. “Not with her here.” I glare at Vasilisa.

Vasilisa rolls her eyes. “Oh come on. I think she can handle herself, especially if she was able to mark you.”

Mother's glare intensifies. “Marked?”

I snap my head towards her. “How would you know?”

“Your scent is tainted,” she sniggers. “You reek of her. If it weren't for Amarian's shitty sense of smell, everyone would know before you left the bedroom.”

This can't happen. Mother can't know. Not right now and not this way! “Mother, don't listen to her!”

“Piss off! You don't know shit!” Ignatia growls at Vasilisa, her body trembling with every word.

“Oh come on, Amias. What are you? A coward?” Vasilisa keeps snickering from behind. “Show them that bite mark on your neck!”

I breathe heavily, watching Mother tense up and her foot starts tapping. Her eyes start glowing scarlet again as red tutela flowers wrap around my hand holding Ignatia. I try to break the flower by pulling against it, but it drags me forward away from Ignatia.

Mother's eyes start to water. “You fell in love with a dreamscreecher? You let it mark you?”

Before I can say anything, Erasmus and Father come to stand by Mother's side. “Where's the marking, Amias?” Father growls.

I glance over to Ignatia, who's slouched over and breathing heavily, her wide panickedgaze darting between me and Mother. If I show everyone now in the midst of panic, Ignatia could die.

I can't let that happen.

I dash towards Ignatia as Mother's flower weakens, hoping my feet are fast enough before any more flowers grow. Maybe we can escape!

A wall of intertwined tutela flowers blocks my path.

I look over my shoulder to see Erasmus's eyes glowing. He's trying to stop me. “Show us the marking!”

I try to look through the wall to Ignatia, but the barrier is too thick. I turn to my family, my stomach dropping. No. I can't. Not like this.

I should've waited. I should've considered Vasilisa picking up my scent.

Father steps towards me, as Mother stands back, tears spilling from her eyes. “You’re going to show us the marking,” Father demands. “Now!”

“I don't have one…” I whimper. Though it doesn't seem to matter anymore.

They know.

He approaches me and I step back until I'm cornered into the wall of flowers, keeping my fists closed. “Father…”

“If you won't show it, I'll force you to. I’ll give you one more chance.”

I narrow my eyes and look back over my shoulder once more to Ignatia. I can't run to her aid. I can't shield her from my family. I can't make it out of here without showing the mark. Either way, they know the truth.

I don't have a choice.

I pull down the collar of my shirt, my heart dropping with it. It's there now. They can see it.

Mother breaks down in sobs, falling to her knees. Erasmus’s wall comes down as he goes over to embrace her, though the streaks of wetness on his cheeks are unmistakable when he looks back at me. Father steps back, his hardened gaze softening to the point of glossiness.

They're disappointed in me. All of them.

I close my eyes. “They aren't all evil,” I cry before realizing how unsteady my voice is.

I take a deep breath to calm myself but it's no use with the tremble in my throat.

I can't convince them. I'm going to lose everyone.

One way or another. “She's saved my life, multiple times. Remember? This is nothing more than a symbol of love…”

I turn back to Ignatia to see her shaking as she starts to weep. I run towards her only to have something hold me across my arms and chest. I can barely move with the tight grip, but I writhe as much as I can. “Let me go!”

“I can't let her manipulate you,” Erasmus mumbles in my ear. “Not any longer.”

“No!” I push to get out of his grasp, but we end up falling to the ground. For a moment, I'm free from him and I attempt to get up, only for him to put me in a chokehold.

“This is for your own good.” Erasmus's chokehold strengthens and my vision starts to fade in dots.

“I have a proposal that will be to your benefit, I can assure you," I hear Vasilisa snicker faintly.

"If you hand my daughter over to Somnia, we will never come after your son again.

I will get rid of the beast that has ruined your son so that you and your family can stay safe. I'll kill her myself."

My vision starts to blur, the last thing I hear before my body is forced into the abyss, is my weeping Mother. “After I get answers. You can have her in three days.”