Page 164 of Eternal Surrender

“What a ridiculous way to begin,” Sunaria snapped.

“You do realize Ingrid’s one of your descendants,” I said.

Sunaria sighed and her fingers loosened around the handle of the knife.

I reached for the copy of Time Magazine resting on the coffee table.

“Ah.” I threw it down. “Last month’s.”

Suspicion burned in Sunaria’s eyes. “You’re taking too long to find a way back.”

Seeing them in pain, hollowed me out, but I kept my back straight and my voice steady. They needed strength, so I gave it.

“We’ve been looking for the scrolls.” I glanced over at Lucas. “You do realize he’s the only one who can interpret them.” I grimaced. “Lucas is my only way back.”

Sunaria’s attention slid back to Ingrid. “Why her?”

“She’s helping us.” I gave a shrug. “Simple.”

The knife lifted off Ingrid’s flesh leaving a tiny ooze of blood.

Ingrid was begging me with her eyes to save her.

“Sunaria,” I said, “Lucas really was looking forward to meeting with you.” I rose from the chair and strolled over to him. “He’s obsessed with all things Sumerian.”

“He refused to tell me where you were.” Sunaria sounded bitter. “And then he refused to leave me with her.”

“He was obeying my order,” I said.

Sunaria pressed the knife deeper against Ingrid’s throat. “What is she to you?”

There was no other choice but to look at Ingrid and hope I’d not give anything away. “How was Cornwall?” I asked.

“I never went,” she said.

Sunaria reminded me of an Egyptian goddess, and the memories I’d held at arm’s length flooded in. I shared them with her, using the mind gift so that she too could relive those daring moments of our once brightly burning love; torturing each other with our obsession for each other. . .

“You don’t love me anymore.” It sounded more like a question.

Raising my chin, I persisted to woo her. . .

Recalling our tempestuous relationship, during those never-ending nights when I’d provoked her, shown her nothing but affection.

“I want that again,” Sunaria whispered, her eyelids fluttering in response.

“It was you who left me, remember?” I took a step closer. “I begged you to stay at Belshazzar’s.”

“It was all too much.” Her lips trembled.

It hurt to see her hurting, to see her so broken. I wanted to save everyone, that was the only thing that made sense. Still, anger coiled tight inside me at what she was doing.

“I understand.”

“I lost you,” she said, “lost everything.”

“We’re close to a resolution,” I told her. “I need you to hang on for just a little longer.”

“Orpheus?” she asked desperately.