AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I know,” he muses, shaking my hand. He doesn’t release me. “We’ve had a very similar version of this conversation a fair number of times now.”
“I think you have me confused with someone else.” Sobbing fills the air behind me.
I glance over my shoulder to see my sister, Aryndia, consoling my younger self.
A shiver runs down my spine.
I think that was the first time I felt true terror in my life—being unable to see her face. I could smell her, feel her warmth as she cradled me in her arms, even hear her soft voice as she promised me it would be okay. But not being able to see her reactions made the adrenaline fade and the cold reality sink in.
It’s been a long time, but it’s nearly impossible to shake the pit that forms in my gut. I wanted to be brave and accept the consequences of my magic, but I was also very young.
“You don’t have to stay here, watching this,” Malice says, running his thumb over my inner wrist.
“I don’t know what’s happening.”
“Tell me where you’d rather be...” he says.
“Anywhere but here,” we say in unison.
“Oh, Ali.” He smirks. “I told you—I know you.” He steps closer, his shadows swirling around us.
The smoky tendrils get so dark, I can no longer see the pale-gray brick of the Northern Castle. I can’t see anything except Malice’s handsome face as he holds me to his front.
My heart races as his white teeth dig into his lower lip.
I look down, and my eyes widen when I see I’m standing on his booted feet. I glance back up, and he chuckles a light melodic sound.
“It appears your body remembers me, even if your mind does not,” he says cryptically.
My confusion level is high as we stop moving. The shadows swirl away, and it becomes easier to see.
“Where are we?” My head swivels from side to side.
“You don’t recognize it?” He nods to the house in front of us.
“I don’t,” I reply truthfully.
“Let’s have a peek inside,” he says, whisking us in.
We end up in someone’s bedroom. It’s dark, but I can make out a queen-size bed with a large window behind it.
I gasp, squinting and trying to figure out what I’m seeing.
My sleeping body lies with my head on the chest of a massive orc. He’s huge, bigger than any other of the species that I’ve seen. He’s got a green hand on my ass, and I struggle to process what I’m seeing.
“Atlas,” I whisper as the memories flood back.
“He always calms you.” Malice coughs.
I turn to face him, and my jaw falls as he clutches at his ribs. “Are you okay?” I carefully reach out a hand.
He grabs mine with one of his. Well-defined lines of muscles flex as he moves. He coughs into his other fist, and my heart races as I check him over for injuries.
He gives me a dangerous sort of smile.
I actually take a step back, but he makes a grab for my hip. He’s touching me in two places. One is covered by my dress, but the skin on my wrist seems to burn at our contact.
“Are you going to answer me? Seriously, did you hurt yourself carrying me?”
