relentless. What would he do when he saw me again? I wanted to think he’d apologize and plead for my help in getting Ainessa out of his head, but the more realistic idea would be that he’d still be trying to figure out a way to claim me.
He’d made it clear he wasn’t giving up. Just like Ainessa. They were of the same mind, so I should have thought of them as the same person, but I couldn’t do that. Not really.
Somewhere inside the beast Luke had become was the vulnerable man that had pleaded with me in a carriage to help him save his people. His intensions had always been honorable, but his approach could have used some work.
Zach came into my periphery, his silhouette a dark shadow against the glow of the room. In a voice more suited to church, he said, “What are you thinking?”
Him having to ask that question gave me some hope I had made progress in controlling my thoughts. I shrugged. “This whole thing is strange, surreal.”
He nodded. “I’ll get us out of here, Rayla. I promise.”
I stared at him, searching his eyes for that tale-tell line of green. It wasn’t there. At least I didn’t think it was. Even if I hadn’t already pledged my devotion to Heath, I couldn’t trust Zach. Not after what had happened.
“It doesn’t really matter,” I said.
His hands shot out and he grabbed my shoulders. He yanked me to face him so fast my head spun. “You don’t think I know what you’re up to? You don’t think I can see where your mind has gone? Where your mind always goes when you have a quiet moment?”
Chapter Four
I bristled under Zach’s touch. “What do you expect from me? I’ve made my choice, but nobody cares. I’m sorry that I’ve hurt you. You have no idea just how sorry, but you’ve hurt me too. You compelled me when I thought you were the one person protecting me. You’ve shown me the only thing that ever really mattered to you was my power. You’re just like everyone else!”
I tried to yank free of his grasp, but his grip was unyielding. “I’ve told you I was sorry for deceiving you. You know why I did what I did.”
“I do,” I said, staring him down. “You wanted my power.”
His face contorted in anger, a red tinge sliding up his neck. “Yes! I wanted your power, but no more than I wanted you. I gave up everything to give you time. I risked my people and my position within the realms for you! What more could I have done?”
I shook my head. “I can’t believe a word you say.”
His grip tightened on my shoulders until I yelped under the pressure. As if snapping out of his rage, he relaxed his hold, but he didn’t release me.
“You want to know what truly happened. Here you go.”
My world tilts. I’m in his head, and I don’t want to be. He’s here too, but I’m the one in the front row. His mind races back to that night on the desert highway, the night he first saw me.
He’s tracking my signal, unsure what to expect. Something is off with this situation, and it’s nagging at his mind. He’s been in the area for days and hasn’t felt anything…not even a twinge of power nearby then bam, just like that, I’m there, lighting the world with my beacon. He’s never felt power like mine, and it’s intoxicating. He wants to soak me up like the rays of the sun.
He races toward me, knowing any moment the others will feel me too. He has to find me first. He has no choice. Ainessa’s made a mess of the council, and he has to bring order to Faeresia. If they sent someone else in his stead, he’d have no recourse to contest the action. He’s been away from court too long.
For one horrifying moment, he remembers her, the love he’s suppressed for hundreds of years. The reason he’s stayed away from court, from everyone. Faine should be a mere memory, but she creeps into his mind more often than he will admit. Her soft smile flashes in his mind. It was the thing he most loved about her.
Then his mind pushes her down were she belongs…in the
He’d made it clear he wasn’t giving up. Just like Ainessa. They were of the same mind, so I should have thought of them as the same person, but I couldn’t do that. Not really.
Somewhere inside the beast Luke had become was the vulnerable man that had pleaded with me in a carriage to help him save his people. His intensions had always been honorable, but his approach could have used some work.
Zach came into my periphery, his silhouette a dark shadow against the glow of the room. In a voice more suited to church, he said, “What are you thinking?”
Him having to ask that question gave me some hope I had made progress in controlling my thoughts. I shrugged. “This whole thing is strange, surreal.”
He nodded. “I’ll get us out of here, Rayla. I promise.”
I stared at him, searching his eyes for that tale-tell line of green. It wasn’t there. At least I didn’t think it was. Even if I hadn’t already pledged my devotion to Heath, I couldn’t trust Zach. Not after what had happened.
“It doesn’t really matter,” I said.
His hands shot out and he grabbed my shoulders. He yanked me to face him so fast my head spun. “You don’t think I know what you’re up to? You don’t think I can see where your mind has gone? Where your mind always goes when you have a quiet moment?”
Chapter Four
I bristled under Zach’s touch. “What do you expect from me? I’ve made my choice, but nobody cares. I’m sorry that I’ve hurt you. You have no idea just how sorry, but you’ve hurt me too. You compelled me when I thought you were the one person protecting me. You’ve shown me the only thing that ever really mattered to you was my power. You’re just like everyone else!”
I tried to yank free of his grasp, but his grip was unyielding. “I’ve told you I was sorry for deceiving you. You know why I did what I did.”
“I do,” I said, staring him down. “You wanted my power.”
His face contorted in anger, a red tinge sliding up his neck. “Yes! I wanted your power, but no more than I wanted you. I gave up everything to give you time. I risked my people and my position within the realms for you! What more could I have done?”
I shook my head. “I can’t believe a word you say.”
His grip tightened on my shoulders until I yelped under the pressure. As if snapping out of his rage, he relaxed his hold, but he didn’t release me.
“You want to know what truly happened. Here you go.”
My world tilts. I’m in his head, and I don’t want to be. He’s here too, but I’m the one in the front row. His mind races back to that night on the desert highway, the night he first saw me.
He’s tracking my signal, unsure what to expect. Something is off with this situation, and it’s nagging at his mind. He’s been in the area for days and hasn’t felt anything…not even a twinge of power nearby then bam, just like that, I’m there, lighting the world with my beacon. He’s never felt power like mine, and it’s intoxicating. He wants to soak me up like the rays of the sun.
He races toward me, knowing any moment the others will feel me too. He has to find me first. He has no choice. Ainessa’s made a mess of the council, and he has to bring order to Faeresia. If they sent someone else in his stead, he’d have no recourse to contest the action. He’s been away from court too long.
For one horrifying moment, he remembers her, the love he’s suppressed for hundreds of years. The reason he’s stayed away from court, from everyone. Faine should be a mere memory, but she creeps into his mind more often than he will admit. Her soft smile flashes in his mind. It was the thing he most loved about her.
Then his mind pushes her down were she belongs…in the
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