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I smile at how sweet my words about Althia sound, for my thoughts are of the complete opposite. I’m already imagining heading home to undress and fuck her the way we both love.
Taveth’s voice snaps me back to reality. I clear my throat and redirect my mind to the conversation at hand.
“Cheers to you, my brother,” he says. “Not everyone is lucky enough to find true love, especially in this day and age. It all seems to be approved relationships and arranged partners, just for the sake of pleasing the elders.”
“Sometimes tradition isn’t always the way.”
“Precisely.”
I pause, considering how to bring up my next subject.
“Are you alright?” asks Taveth. “You seem troubled like there’s something on your mind.”
“It’s just that Althia is ill at the moment,” I offer, since he provided the opening.
“Is she healing?”
“She is but… That’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. She’s showing the same symptoms as Elvie did.”
“Elvie…” he mutters, looking down at the table. “The same symptoms, you say?”
“Yes, and I am sorry for bringing her up, but I am concerned at the sudden emergence of Althia’s illness. It’s all too familiar.”
Taveth’s eyes fill with a mixture of guilt and anger as he leans forward.
“I never believed that Elvie’s illness was naturally caused.”
“It’s the same with Althia! I’m glad to hear someone else thinks the same thing. No one else in that manor would bat an eye even if I had proof of it. Do you have any theories on what may have been the cause?”
Taveth brings his mug closer, peering at his reflection for a few moments. I couldn’t begin to imagine what pain he is feeling at the mention of Elvie.
I sense that he still often blames himself for her death. Though I feel bad for him, it reminds me that I can not let the same thing happen to Althia. Finally, he looks up.
“You saw yourself just how much our family despised Elvie.”
“Indeed, that’s why I’m so worried because they’re the same with Althia. History is repeating itself, I fear.”
“Well, the thing is… I think Elvie was killed. I don’t know by whom for certain, and there’s no evidence that can prove anything, yet… I can’t help but feel that our mother had a hand in it.”
His revelation shocks me to my core as I recall Mother’s similar hatred of Althia. As far-fetched as it all sounds, there’s no part of me that suspects this to be some dumbfounded conspiracy. It would only match in line with how she has treated our non-elf mates.
“You could be right, Taveth. I think I had better get going. I have a bad feeling about all this,” I say, realizing I’ve left Althia with the enemy.
19
ALTHIA
I CAN’T BREATHE! I CAN’T FUCKING BREATHE!
Panic surges through me and sends my body into fight mode. I struggle as the hands around my throat tighten immeasurably. Hot, stinging tears roll quickly down my cheeks as I cough and splutter, trying to fight off the person attacking me.
I can hear Nexus close by, nudging me and chirruping anxiously as someone hits me across my face.
The hand makes contact with my face with a cracking sound, and my head whips back.
My chest is burning as I gasp for air, but before I can inhale properly, the hand is making contact with my face again.
“Valkus…” I manage to croak his name out, and all I hear is a cruel laugh.
