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Nobody moved. Nobody spoke.
“What?” I pushed. “This is what you all want, right?”
“You’re acting insane, Lyra,” Theia said, taking another step forward. And another.
“Stay where you are,” I yelled. “Don’t come any closer!”
“You’re hurt,” she said. Her voice was so quiet, I almost thought she cared. I almost believed her deceiving look of pity. “You’re important, Lyra. I know your life hasn’t been fair, but I need you. I need you alive.”
I tossed my head back and laughed at the sky. “Quite the sentiment, Mother. Thank you for caring so much about your daughter’s wellbeing.”
Alek rose to his feet and stepped forward, just a pace ahead of my mother. “I don’t care about your blood, Lyra,” he said. “I don’t care about any of it. The veil, my father. I’ll forget them all. I’ll forget about all of it if you put the knife down and come with me.”
My grip on the weapon only tightened. “Why would I believe you?” I asked. “How can I believe anything you say?”
The scene before me swayed. I was losing blood—too much blood.
“Because, Ly,” he said. He took another step toward me. Or was it me moving closer to him? “I love you.”
My mother screamed—a violent, hungry screech of anger and built-up emotions. I lifted the knife once more, but this time, I aimed it directly at my own chest. “Don’t you dare come any closer!” I yelled at her. “Don’t!”
For the first time in my entire life, I saw fear on my mother’s face. She stopped in her tracks, not daring to move any closer.
“Good,” I breathed. “I’m leaving here with Alek. You won’t look for me. You won’t look for us. If you do, I’ll make sure I end up as good as dead. You need me alive so badly? Well, this is the only way.” I surprised even myself with the power that laced each word. “Do you understand?”
Theia clenched her jaw and nodded.
My vision blurred again, and I stumbled sideways.
But Alek was there to catch me. His strong arms tightened around my body and pulled the knife from my grasp.
“You’re losing too much blood,” he said, but I hardly registered the words. Salem and Zac were both nearby, both talking to Alek in a rushed voice.
And then everything went black.
ChapterThirty-Eight
The first thing I noticed when I woke up was the familiar smell of sandalwood.
I blinked my eyes open slowly. The room I was in was dark and cool, and I was on a large bed with silk sheets.
Definitely not my apartment. And definitely not Theia’s basement.
“Alek!” Salem’s voice rang through the room. “Alek, she’s awake!”
I instantly sat up in bed, which caused my head to spin. The walls matched the darkness, and it became very clear that I was somewhere in Alek’s house.
Wait…
I scanned the room again. Aside from a black dresser, a velvet armchair, and a fireplace in the corner, the room was empty. Not to mention it was pristinely clean and tidy.
This had to be Alek’s room.
Alek and Salem switched places, and he closed the door behind him as he entered. “Hey,” he said. He stood by the door for a moment, staring at me with his hands tucked into the front pockets of his black jeans. “How are you feeling?”
I glanced at my arm. Someone had wrapped it in thick bandages. I didn’t even try to move it.
“I feel fine, all things considered.” He gave me a sympathetic smile. Alek had never been one to show sympathy before. “What happened?” I asked.
