Page 341 of The Curse Trilogy

“It’s fine. I suppose you heard the important things on your way to the room.”

“I’ve already contacted my men to build a perimeter around Selma. I was hoping you had some to spare for Hershian.”

“I do.”

“Are you sure he’ll hit Selma first?” I ask shakily.

“Most likely. It was the place Hale took you when he stole you away. It only makes sense he would go there first.”

“How long do we have?” Brazen asks the scared girl.

“Days at most. He was still trying to unlock the part of his brain that allowed him to block gifts, but he’s impatient now. He’s lost me and his chance with Araya. He’ll be furious and illogical.”

And too strong for Hale or Brazen to face. They’ll both try though. I can’t lose either of them. This started with me… it ends with me.

“We should probably speak with Gabe. He requested we fill him in. He has also requested to fight by our side,” Hale murmurs softly, unaware of my inner plotting.

Our need for closeness still in play, his lips begin strolling over my head, his grip tightening on my waist, and I smile lightly to disguise the true anguish growing inside me. Brazen and Hale both seem oblivious to my scheming mind for once, and my hand grazes my stomach as my fear for my child comes to surface. Hale’s hand quickly covers mine, and he kisses me harder on top of the head, his warm breath heating me through my hair.

I exhale softly, desperately hoping my breath doesn’t carry the secrets of my plotting mind with it as they continue their futile planning. No one here can face them… not until I’ve weakened the new hybrids so gravely they can’t fight at full strength. It has to just be me… phase three Araya… and my innocent child I pray stays safe.

I won’t be able to be the savage I was against Symphony. Even if I could somehow exercise such control again, it wouldn’t be strong enough to face Ty - not if what Symphony says is true, and I doubt he showed her all of his strength for fear of losing some power over her. Ty loves power now. He’s addicted, hungry, and he’ll be merciless. I’ll have to just as vicious and unrelenting, never staring morality or regret in the face.

“Araya?” Hale asks as though he’s said my name a thousand times in the past five seconds.

“Yeah… er… huh?” I stumble out.

His eyes rise in confusion while he suspiciously examines my perplexed face, and he tilts his head to the side while slipping his fingers through my hair with concerned strokes.

“Baby, we’ve been asking you what you think about our plan,” he says with a hint of worried bemusement, his eyes studying mine for falter.

It’s pointless. That’s what I think because I’m going to take them down myself… alone.

I steady my breath to hide my rattled composure while placing my hand over my stomach again.

“I’m sorry. I got a little queasy for a moment, and I must have tuned you out,” I half lie.

I tuned you out because I was devising my own plan of attack.

Hale half smirks while scooping me up, and his lips stroll over my forehead while he keeps his shirt I’m wearing firmly placed so as not to show anyone the secrets they’re not supposed to see… in some cases, the secrets they’re not supposed to see again.

“We can leave you two to get some rest. It’s apparent we interrupted a need for closeness, and in Araya’s state, it’s probably a good idea to over compensate on such things,” Clay sympathetically and apologetically murmurs while stroking his love’s hair and staring softly at me.

“Oh I intend to,” Hale breathes into my ear.

It’s loud enough to make the rest of the room squirm uncomfortably though. Brazen’s eyes look up to catch mine, and he gives me a soft wink before walking over to stroke my cheek, his cool touch possibly finding me for the last time ever… if this goes wrong.

“Get some rest. We’ll fill you in tomorrow when you feel better.”

His cool lips refresh the back of my hand as he kisses it to leave a chilly but warm spot behind. Hale’s jaw tenses, but he doesn’t say anything or act callous as he holds me. He doesn’t have to. Brazen is walking back to his empty room, and Hale is holding me to his body - where I’ll spend the rest of his life.

“Thanks. I’ll see you later,” I murmur softly to the pale eyes almost glowing at me.

His eyes shift, and I’m worried he has just read my secrets with his all too knowing mind. My eyes dart away to conceal the plan I have to execute without fail. He’d never understand, and he’d never let me go through with it. He’d also tell Hale, and together they’d lock me away in a tower to keep me from running into the fight alone.

“Araya,” he says softly. “Are you sure you’re just queasy?”

Balls. Damn you, you sweet full blood and you’re overly perceptive eyes staring into the depths of my frigging soul.