Page 30 of Twisted Souls (Twisted Souls #1)

Zara

As we approached the village, I couldn’t bring myself to tell Xavier what had truly happened in the cave. Fate. That was what that creature had been, a god, and it had spoken to me. It had invaded my mind and had shown me so many things.

A shiver crawled down my spine at the memory. Another at the image of that Vorrak. Its milky gaze, those jagged teeth. I never wanted to go into a cave again.

I followed Xavier down a narrow street. He had shadowed us here moments ago, and we had found Jaxon waiting outside a rounded black door down a slender alley off the main street. No markings or signs were outside the shop, but I knew Dedra was there; Jaxon wouldn’t have left her alone.

Jaxon looked at me, and relief seemed to enter his eyes as we approached.

“Dedra?” Xavier asked hopefully, walking to his side at the door.

“Alive,” Jaxon seemed to breathe, and he turned, grabbed the bronzed handle of the door behind him, and swung it open.

Xavier placed his hand on the small of my back and led me through the door after Jaxon.

The space felt old and full of unseen magic. The entry space was large, its vaulted ceiling much higher than the building appeared to be from the outside. A broken wooden staircase branched off to our right, leading to a single newly polished door. It was the shade of deep mahogany, and an enormous silver lock hung from the front of it, chains stretching in an X across its surface. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I stared at it, and I knew whatever was inside was evil.

A long hallway stretched ahead of us, littered with various-shaped doors. Each a different color, and all had strange symbols carved onto its surface, like scratches on wood, messy and unclean.

Various trinkets hung from nails in place of each handle. A doll with sewn in buttons for eyes, a rabbit foot, chicken feet tied to a string, and the one at the far end of the hall had no trinkets. Only a large golden mirror attached to its front.

“What is this place?” I said, shivering at the eerie sight.

“She was the first healer I could find when I made it back,” Jaxon said. “She was just waiting for me on the street when we appeared back in the village.” Jaxon seemed to shiver. “Creepy, I know.”

“She is an Agur healer,” Xavier explained, and I turned to him in question.

“Agur healer? What is the difference?” I whispered.

“They are healers, but they are more spiritual. Rumors claim they can communicate with the dead.” His gaze darted around the house, lingering on the locked door at the top of the stairs. “They are also rumored to be oracles for the gods.”

At those words, I froze. Nausea coursed through me as quick visions the creature showed me flashed in my head.

Xavier's voice cut through my haze. “Are you okay?”

He and Jaxon exchanged anxious looks, both watching me carefully.

“You just went white as a ghost.”

“I'm fine,” I lied, trying to smile to cover up my fear, but Xavier didn’t look convinced.

Jaxon walked down the hall, stopping in front of an arched, green-colored door, and knocked. It swung open almost immediately, and silver hair flashed as Jaxon was pulled into the room, the door slamming shut behind him.

Xavier and I ran forward, but we didn’t dare touch the creepy doll hanging in place of the handle. Xavier started to pound on the door, and it swung open again. Wrinkled, withering hands reached toward us and pulled us in as Jaxon had been. The hand was skeleton-like, the gray skin sagging off the bone. As the hand pulled me forward, I swore I saw a flash of large blue eyes under silver hair.

We now stood in a large, spacious room. A large bed sat in the middle, surrounded by various tables that held various bloody and sharp instruments that I wished I hadn’t noticed.

Dedra’s strawberry blonde hair peeked out from the covers on the bed, and I lunged forward to go near her but was stopped by another withered hand on my shoulder.

My gaze locked with the witch’s, and I was shocked to see that her eyes were a vivid yellow instead of the blue I had expected. They looked almost exactly like Morgana’s, and I had to bite my tongue from reacting.

That was where the comparison ended. To be blunt, the woman was grotesque. Like her hand, the rest of her seemed to be withered gray skin on bone. Her silver hair fell over her face, obscuring most of it, and tumbled down to her waist. It was unkept and knotted, and I cringed away as her yellow crooked teeth shone through her hair at me. She wore a simple black dress that went down to her ankles, and her back was hunched, making her appear animalistic.

“Warning next time, brother,” Xavier growled to my left.

“Where is the fun in that?” Jaxon smirked.

“How is she?” Xavier addressed the hunched woman before me, but she continued to hold my gaze, her yellow teeth still gleaming in the firelight as she smiled at me.

Xavier pulled me behind him and stepped in front of the old woman, who now seemed to register that he spoke.

“She will live,” she croaked, her voice just as frail as her body. It scratched like nails on stone, and I cringed at the sound. I realized my hand was in Xavier’s, and he squeezed it lightly in reassurance.

I turned to Jaxon, and he looked at our entwined hands with a tight expression. His gaze raised to mine, and I quickly looked back at the woman, pulling my hand from Xavier’s with difficulty.

“She is resting,” the woman continued, and her gaze fell on me again.

“When can she travel?” Xavier asked, pulling me further behind him. At least I wasn’t the only one concerned about this woman.

Her gaze shot back to Xavier’s. “Another day, Your Majesty, maybe two. But that’s up to her.”

Xavier cursed under his breath, and Jaxon walked to the other side of Xavier, also positioning himself in front of me. The space between them was my only view of the old woman now, but she still peered at me through her long silver hair.

“Thank you for your help. I will make sure the proper payment is sent for your work. Your kindness won't be forgotten,” Xavier said, and it was the first time I had ever heard him sound even remotely king-like since I had met him.

“Her.” The woman raised a sickly hand toward me and smiled that creepy way again. “I would like to speak with her.” She hobbled slightly closer as she spoke. “She has spoken to a fate.” Her smile widened. “Tell me, child, what did they show you?”

My pulse quickened and Xavier and Jaxon spun around to face me. Their eyes were wide with surprise and also fear. Jaxon’s face paled and Xavier looked like the vein in his neck might burst.

“I- I- I- don’t know,” I said, looking between them all in a panic. I hadn’t planned on telling them, at least not here, not like this. How had she known?

“Don’t be afraid, dear; it is a blessing indeed,” she crooned, and Xavier stepped forward, his emerald eyes blazing as he took my face in his hands.

“You saw a Fate?” he breathed, and I nodded slightly in his hands. His eyes hardened, and he dropped his hands from my face and stepped back. His face became an emotionless mask again as he turned to the old woman. Jaxon still stared at me, surprise and worry lining his expression.

“You will not speak of this to anyone,” Xavier commanded. “If I hear even a rumor about this, I will banish you to the prison lands. Do you understand me?” Xaviers' voice was deadly and commanding. It held so much authority that the room buzzed with energy. The old woman flinched at his threatening words.

“Yes, my King. I apologize. Please spare an old woman’s curiosity,” she said, bowing deeply and backing away.

Xavier grabbed my hand and practically dragged me to the door. He turned, and his gaze landed on Dedra and then Jaxon.

“Handle it,” Xavier growled, and the door flew open behind us, letting us exit. Xavier dragged me back down the hall and back out into the small alley.

He practically threw me forward, and I stumbled, catching myself before I could fall. I quickly regained my balance and spun toward him, my fists clenched at my sides, ready to fight. But the moment my eyes locked on his, the sharp retort on my tongue died instantly.

Xavier’s eyes were almost wholly black, and his breath came out fast and labored. I looked at him in surprise and unclenched my fists, worry flooding me as I watched him start to pace. He seemed to be wincing as wisps of smoke evaporated off his shoulders.

“Xavier…” I started to say cautiously, but he cut me off.

“A fucking Fate?” he barked, stopping his pacing and narrowing his eyes at me. I blinked in confusion. Was he mad at me? I took a step away from him in shock.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he demanded, and I narrowed my eyes right back at him.

“If you don’t remember, we were a little busy running for our lives,” I shot back, “Not exactly the ideal time for a heart-to-heart, now was it?” I retorted, my temper rising.

Xavier let out a low growl, his voice rumbling with the sound. “What did it show you?” he commanded.

Like hell was I telling him now. I scoffed, crossed my arms over my chest, and turned away from him. His shadow fell over me a second later, and I resisted flinching at his approach.

“Zara, what did it show you?” His voice softened, and visions of us flashed in my mind, making me squeeze my eyes shut.

“Like I would tell you anything after this reaction,” I spat, “I was the one trapped with that thing; I had to endure it, not you.”

He let out a frustrated sigh. “I am not angry with you; I just need to know if they showed you… if they told you…” He cut himself off, not finishing his sentence.

“If they what?” I hissed, turning around and almost hitting his chest. My cheeks reddened as more visions of him flashed in my mind, and my stomach tightened, my toes curling as the scent of him washed over me.

Xavier stiffened, looking down at me. I tried to turn away again, but he stopped me, his hands gripping my shoulders. I turned my head toward the ground, but could feel his gaze on me.

“They showed me too many things,” I whispered, shaking my head as the vision played in my mind, as if they were burned there so I wouldn’t forget. “Nothing I fully understood.”

The air seemed too thin, and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to push away the images again. Xavier was quiet, his hands still gripping my shoulders. I opened my eyes, glancing up at him.

His eyes were wild, swirling with emotion, and he grabbed my chin, lowering his face toward mine so that there was only a breath between us. “And what, little stalker, did they show you of us?” he breathed, his eyes smoldering. “Because I have a pretty good idea.”

I swallowed, my mouth going dry at his words as my body became heated. His mouth inched closer, and I didn’t dare move as his gaze dipped to my lips.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement and instinctively jerked away from Xavier, whose grip tightened briefly before I broke free. Jaxon emerged from the healer’s house, and Xavier growled in disapproval at my sudden shift in focus. My attention snapped to the bundle of blankets cradled in Jaxon’s arms.

Dedra.

“We should go,” Jaxon called out toward us, and my eyes flitted back to Xavier’s, who still stared at me with a wild glint in his eyes.

“This conversation isn’t over,” he growled, and he stalked off down the alley.