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I’m actually thinking I’ve got a chance at making the exchange until Vaeront shakes his head and promptly responds, “No. How can I count on you when you’re in love with someone in the Earth realm?”
“In love?” I rear back.
“Yes. You love the girl.”
“I don’t.” It’s a lie. I know it as soon as the words are out of my mouth. If my soul were intact, I’d be doubling over from the pain the untruth would cause.
For a heartless man like me, the realization is startling.
All the admirable characteristics and quirks about Hannah add up to deep adoration. The sexual attraction. The way I feel about myself when I’m around her…
I love her.
“Love makes us loyal,” Vaeront continues, his eyes briefly darting to the cage, and I get the feeling his affection for Gia goes farther than I originally thought.
He’s upholding the peace with Valora because of her. Maybe he’s afraid she’ll be taken away if the treaty were to be dissolved.
Stupid man. How could he be so vulnerable?
After all he’s strived for, to let his decisions be determined by one woman is absurd.
But am I any smarter? No, I’m not.
“If I let Hannah remain in the human realm, that’s where your loyalty will lie,” Vaeront explains smoothly. “But if I have her here, I know you’ll be true to me. If I own her, I own you.”
Frustrated, I spread my arms. “You already own me.”
“And that’s how I want it to stay. I can’t have you trying to go rogue on me.”
Done with the conversation, he leaves the room without another word.
He’s not going to yield.
There’s no persuading him. I’d already known that was a possibility, but I’d actually convinced myself I might be able to change his mind. I’d had hope.
Silly hope.
The disappointment and devastation I’m left with is more than I can bear.
Hannah will die. If I want her to continue existing, I’ll have to drain what’s left of her life, drink her blood. I’ll kill her, then bring her to Vaeront.
But before I fully accept that reality, I need to evaluate all the options.
Unfortunately, I can’t think straight. I’m too tired, too foggy headed.
Fucking Merina. If she weren’t borrowing my power right now, I might actually be able to function well enough to come up with another plan.
The witch always takes from me without asking.
Maybe it’s time I do the same to her.
As I form a sluggish vortex, instead of aiming for the Earth realm, I picture someplace much closer. Just two stories up, in fact.
Once I get spit out onto the stone floor of Merina’s bedchamber, I lie still for a moment to catch my breath. The chandelier above my head is a rusted shell, but it’s filled with lit candles, wasting the wax and wicks. Colorful silk tapestries hang on the walls, and the bed is filled with fluffy, feather-stuffed pillows.
Merina lives like a queen here, and she always keeps her door locked from the inside because she values her privacy. The only reason I’ve seen her room is because I’ve snooped around in here before.
And I know where she stashes her magical supplies.
