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I should have died, but instead I was lying here with my husband, who wanted to give me those delicious sensations again and again. I smiled against his skin. Things aren’t perfect, but they are getting better. And I wasn’t going to regret a single minute of it.
I woke pressed against his side in my bed. We ate an early dinner, then I’d fallen asleep soon afterward. He was shirtless and still sleeping when I lifted my head to stare at him. Truett was beautiful. Scarred, war wounded, and gorgeous. What would he have been like, all those years ago when things started?
Slowly, his eyes opened. “They will be back today, but I got to wake up with you alone. It’s a beautiful thing to have moments with you all to myself. It will probably be years until I have time with you alone again like this.”
“Years?” I stroked his hair off his forehead. He looked wonderfully rumpled. “I’m really happy to spend alone time with each of you. We could even make a schedule.”
He blinked. “That’s really a good idea.”
A bell sounded in the house, and he frowned. “I’m not expecting anyone. I don’t think you are. Hold on. Stay here. I don’t like surprises.”
No, and lately, neither did I. The poison had been enough for a while.
You’re mine. The voice sounded in my head as True got up to put on a shirt. I was sort of disappointed to see his beautiful body vanishing behind the fabric. There was something about shirtless True that made everything feel safer. I wasn’t sure I could explain it except that if he was shirtless, then he wasn’t nervous about anything, so I could be completely relaxed. When did I start to feel that way?
Probably last night. My lips curled into a satisfied smirk at the thought.
I stretched and got out of bed. I might be the lady of the house, but I doubted anyone wanted anything from me yet. Where had that voice come from and why wasn’t I bothered by it? Had I heard it before?
So strange that I didn’t know, and I wasn’t the least bit freaked out about the not knowing. Instead of worrying, though, I got dressed. I was weaker than before, but I was up and moving. That is improvement.
I needed to feel positive. My heart rate kicked up, and anxiety I couldn’t define rushed through me. What is wrong with me?
“Never.”
True’s shout sounded all the way into the house followed by other voices, ones I didn’t recognize. On shaking bare feet, I rushed, still slightly unbuttoned in my too-expensive clothing. Something was wrong, if my husband was screaming at the top of his lungs from downstairs.
In the hallway, on my too-shaky legs, I stared down at the entranceway to the manor.
True had unsheathed his sword and he had it pointed right at the heart of another man, one who looked familiar, but I didn’t know him at first. It took me a minute to place him. Only after I focused on the men behind him—younger than Truett, but older than me—did it dawn on me. They are Warriors.
Unmatched at the ceremony, but they had attended.
“Truett?” I called downstairs. “What’s wrong?”
“Go back into your room, Sloane,” he shouted, and two of the men tried to rush past him. The one at the end of True’s blade addressed me.
“Sloane, there was a problem with your ritual. The woman who ran it altered the results so you would match with them, but you’re not their Chosen. You’re our Chosen, so we have come to collect you.”
My heart fell into my stomach. No, that isn’t possible. I was my husbands’ wife. I knew that beyond anything else.
No, you’re mine.
The voice again.
Whatever was happening had to do with that voice. And it wasn’t good. Even though I couldn’t focus on it, I knew that. Terror rushed through me. If I went with those men, it would be wrong. And…and…I’ll never be back here.
“Truett, something is wrong.”
“No one is taking you.” It wasn’t True who answered me but Charlie. He was there. They all were. And everyone had their swords out.
I swallowed. I had to do something, because if I didn’t, people were going to die.
I had to think, or everything would come to an end.
