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“No, I’m serious.” Jina insisted, “He’s different.”
Oye really didn’t like the sensation she got at the idea of Castian looking at her in some way that had gained the attention of the others. He was just that good at acting, it had to be a part of his plan. Everyone here needed to think they were lovers, completely absorbed with each other. He was playing his role as he was supposed to; it was their mission. Suddenly, not hungry, she set her plate aside.
“He used to cozy up with Tabitha when he brought his girlfriends to stir hope in her. Every time she’d believe he loved her but then he’d return to them and once again he’d be in bed with them, while she feigned amusement at his behavior. This time he hasn’t left your side once to pander to her needs.”
“Jina enough,” Oye snapped.
Surprised at her tone, Jina looked at her in shock. Oye didn’t shy away from her look either, “I appreciate what you’re saying, truly I do. But you are essentially telling me another woman loves my current boyfriend. I can only hear so much of it. If you don’t mind I’ll be leaving.”
Without another word, Oye left, making her way through the crowd. The sun had lowered and now there was a gentle warm yellow light covering the garden. Little balls hovered overhead, if one looked closer that Fairy’s had been frozen and put within the floating crystal balls.
She felt like them, caught inside a cage of emotions she didn’t understand nor wish to face. She wasn’t some idiot who believed in fairytales, that was for women like Sabina. Who’d greatest desire had been to have a ‘normal’ family.
Oye felt the best in the center of chaos. Another reason she worked in the lower levels of the shade. She needed the controlled chaos to stay sane. She needed to let loose, staying in control was putting her on pins and needles, and where the fuck was Asher?
She couldn’t continue fighting the urge to run, and the little conversation with Jina had raised her hackles. While she wasn’t really in a relationship with Castian, it had unnerved her. The idea of Tabitha touching him, loving him, rubbed her nerves raw.
At this very moment, Oye didn’t want to look at her feelings. Thinking too much made her anxious, and the more anxious she became the more she felt out of control.
She had just entered the sunroom, eager to get a few minutes alone. When a hand grabbed her out of nowhere and pulled her back. She looked around only to meet a familiar face, her skin pricked with goosebumps. It took everything in her to keep her skin from exploding with iron spikes. She had to keep control.
Nathan held her wrist, he looked at her with fondness that didn’t compute to her. Why? How could he look at her like they had ended their relationship on a good note?
“Oye, I knew it was you," he said happily.
She was so stunned by it, she allowed him to close the space between them. “I’ve been looking for you, you know.”
Hearing this pulled out of her stunned silence. She pulled her hand out of his hold. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”
Confusion flicked over his expression, “Wait, no way. You can’t remember me? I’m Nathan, the guy you pledged—”
“I’m sorry I don’t know you.”
She cut him off, quickly walking away. She couldn’t stay here. If she did, she didn’t know what she would do to him. She wasn’t sure what game he was playing, but she wasn’t up for it.
She would never be friendly to her mother’s killer. Never.
Her lips quirked, but then again wasn’t she also her mother’s killer?
Beyond done with the entire situation, she picked up her speed till she was running. Once she arrived at her room she slammed the door open and staggered inside. She walked over the window seat and fell to her knees, closing her eyes she let herself cry.
The silver lining in that moment was that she was alone, and no one would know she’d cried. She’d let herself have this single moment of pity but then she’d wipe away the tears, and get back to work. The world saw her as strong, and she wouldn’t lose the shield she’d built over so many years. Never again.
HIDDEN PAST
CASTIAN
Taking off the ring Tiller had shoved on him, Castian felt his magic dissipate. He stood before the entrance to the underground once more. Taking in the anti-magic stones that reduced the effect of many of his magical items. He used his golem turned staff, to dull the stones’ effect by hitting the flooring right above them. The ripple effect turning off the alarm hexes as it went.
His brother must have paid a dud witch to make them. They were weak, in comparison to some of the Hexes he’d seen in the Shade. Reaching the wall, he lifted his cane and waved it in a half circle, the illusion covering it melted away. His jaw tightened at the sight of multiple obvious marks of force entry, someone had tried and failed to get inside.
“Curious.”
Ashiya appeared at his side, the demon leaned forward, his empty eyes taking in the marks.“It would seem another has attempted to enter, and failed.”
“Indeed,” Castian said, pulling the key from his pocket and inserting the key into the lock. He felt the ripple of magic that left it. “The more I see, the more I grow suspicious of what Tillon’s been up to.”
“While I see your game with this other human tedious, I also wonder at his actions. Your elders never required a key and used their magic alone to remove the tapestry.”Ashiya shook his head as he retreated to Castian’s mind.“Dishonorable.”
