Page 26 of The Immortal’s One (Bound to the Immortals #1)

Thane steps forward. “Our enemies have mistaken Darcie’s identity and are attempting to harm her. It is our duty to protect her.”

“Since when is it your duty to protect humans?” A tall, willowy woman with dark hair snorts, her voice cold and dangerous, like a knife being drawn. “As I recall, you three thrive on their suffering.”

I suck in a sharp breath. What the hell does that mean?

A dark-haired man, one with eyes that could drown a person in their ocean-blue depths, speaks up.

His tone is smooth as honey, distracting me from my inner turmoil.

“Now, Julisanna, be fair. You know our siblings have a soft spot for humans. Can you blame them for opening their home to such a beautiful creature?”

His voice caresses my skin, smooth and seductive, making my body heat. My pulse quickens as he takes my hand in his.

"Charmed to make your acquaintance, Darcie.” He bends at the waist, kissing my hand with a flourish. “I’m Eros.”

The fire inside me grows. I fight to stay upright as every nerve in my body lights up in response to his touch, weakening my knees.

Des growls. “ Enough .”

Eros drops my hand. The fire extinguishes in a flash. His eyes glint with amusement as he straightens. “Forgive me. I didn't mean to overstep.” He shoots me a wink, and I don’t doubt for a second that overstepping is exactly what he meant to do.

I resist the urge to look at Des, though I can feel his angry gaze like a tangible thing. He doesn’t want me here, and neither do Lome and Thane.

I start to put pieces of the puzzle together.

Eshe led me into a meeting of the Original Nine on purpose .

Julisanna and Eros have been identified, but the others… the blond man must be Adir. I guess the auburn-haired woman with flowers woven into her hair is Charmian. That leaves the white-haired woman with the thick braid as Faine.

I want to stay, to listen and learn, to understand the power these Immortals hold and their role in shaping the world. I want to ask them about the Creator and their plans for humanity.

But the air in the room is so thick with tension that it’s suffocating. Common sense tells me I should leave—as soon as possible.

I inch back toward the door, but Adir speaks again, halting my steps.

“Say what you will, Thane, but the resemblance is uncanny.” His words drip with a mix of contempt and calculation as he once again looks me up and down. “Even if you say she is not Desmond’s One , the overwhelming majority of lesser Immortals will believe she is. There’s no way around that.”

I can’t help the shudder that wracks through me.

“That dilemma is one my brothers and I are working to rectify,” Des’s cold voice cuts through Adir’s statement with razor-sharp precision. “It is not something you should concern yourself with.”

Adir lowers his head, but the gesture is more mocking than respectful. “If you and your brothers are searching for a solution, I have no doubt it will be found.”

I scoff. The sound slips out. I immediately press my lips together, but it’s too late. Adir’s eyes narrow. I wilt under his glare.

Thane clears his throat. Adir looks in his direction. My shoulders sag in relief.

Thane looks at each Immortal in the room, exuding authority as he says, “Let us end this conversation for now. We will meet another time to discuss new developments.”

Adir’s nostrils flare. “Soon?” he clarifies.

Thane nods. “Yes, soon.”

“Very well.” Adir tugs on the bottom of his shirt, straightening out invisible wrinkles. “I look forward to it.”

“As do I,” Julisanna says, casting me one last glare.

Without warning, a bright light gathers around Julisanna and Adir. I shield my eyes as the same light forms around the other visiting Immortals, yelping in surprise when they blink out of sight one by one.

It doesn’t matter how many times I see evidence of supernatural powers; I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it.

The moment the last Immortal leaves, the tension in the room snaps. Thane rounds on Eshe with a fierce scowl, snarling as he storms toward her.

“Do you know what you’ve just done?” he hisses, fists clenched at his sides. “You just ruined everything .”

I take a step back on instinct, but Eshe doesn’t even flinch. She examines her cuticles with detached indifference. “Don’t be so dramatic.”

The floor beneath me shakes, and I stumble. My arms swing out to find balance. My hand lands on a covered forearm, and I gasp when I see Des’s blank face inches from mine.

He meets my gaze with a neutral expression before returning his attention to his brother and Eshe, but he doesn’t pull his arm away.

I almost let go, but when the ground gives another jolt, I hold on tighter. I take a deep breath and try to ignore the butterflies fluttering in my stomach when I inhale his bold, woodsy scent .

“How could you be so careless, Eshe?” Thane’s body vibrates with barely contained fury.

“Forgive me,” she snaps. “Perhaps if I had been informed of this meeting, we wouldn’t have accidentally stumbled upon it.”

Thane’s nostrils flare. “You’re no fool. You knew exactly what you were doing.”

Lome steps between his brother and wife. “What’s done is done, Thane. News of Darcie’s existence has already spread to the Nine. Them seeing her doesn’t make a difference.”

“You’re wrong.” Des’s quiet voice is hard as stone. I sneak a peek and see the set of his jaw is just as hard. “It makes all the difference.”

For the first time since we entered the room, a hint of remorse flashes over Eshe’s angular features. But her voice is determined when she says, “This matter affects us all. Bella and I should be included in these discussions.”

The floor stops shaking.

Silence hangs overhead like a dark cloud, ready to unleash a torrent of fresh anger and frustration.

“You are not an Original Nine,” Thane states without a hint of apology.

Now, Eshe’s nostrils flare. “We are your equals.”

“Equals?” he snorts.

The arm under my hand flexes as Des’s fingers curl into a fist.

“You siphon powers from me,” Eshe hisses at Lome before turning to Thane, fury twisting her features. “And you do the same to Bella.”

The vitriol in her voice triggers my fight-or-flight response. Only the sturdy arm under my hand grounds me enough to keep me from running .

“You need us,” she continues. Sparks crackle over her skin, landing on the black floor before fizzling out. “And yet, we are treated as less than because we were once human.”

“Exactly.” Thane doesn’t waver, unaffected by her display of power. “You are not an Original. Therefore, you are not a member of the Original Nine.”

Lome cringes. Des mutters something that sounds a lot like ‘ idiot ’ under his breath.

Eshe’s chest rises and falls with rapid breaths. Sparks continue to drop off her slender frame. Thank goodness the floor is marble. A carpet would’ve caught fire by now.

Then, without warning, the Immortal whirls to face me, her eyes sharp with intent.

I jolt back. Des’s firm hand shifts and rests on top of my shoulder.

Eshe takes in the movement and huffs an unamused laugh while her eyes flash with disdain. “Take care not to fall into their trap, Darcie.”

Her clipped words carry no malice, and her sincerity alarms me more than her display of power.

“No matter what lies Thane or Lome weave to draw you in, resist the urge to fall prey to their selfish plans.” A haunted shadow hovers over Eshe’s dark, knowing eyes. “Eternal life is not worth a lifetime of servitude. Trust me.”