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17
Right before it was time to get ready for my date with Branko, I decided to suck it up and go down to the dungeon. I was back to feeling cold inside and in pain after hours of getting too much done and juggling a lot.
Petre asked me to reconsider, but… I needed to.
Joi came down with us and I felt safe at least. The two people locked up were no match for them and would protect me.
“Took you long enough, Viola,” Emil bit out.
“Inez. My name is Inez Garner.” Rage filled me when he gave me a dismissive snort, and before I even realized what I was doing, a gash opened on his chest from my power. I owned it though, smirking at him when he couldn’t hide his shock. “Aether gave me the name and I like it. Viola Velius sounds like a cartoon character or bad Bond girl name.”
“Inez is much prettier,” Petre agreed.
“You will regret this,” Emil growled, clearly in pain.
I frowned. “You get this ends with you dying, right? I might not have my memories, but you confessed to programming me and wanting to rape me to have a daughter you would then program. So yeah, you’re super dead, asshole.”
“Good! He should be for killing my mate,” Josephine yelled.
I snorted. Not for what she did to me or allowed to happen, only for the wrong he committed against her. Emil told her to shove it and she blasted him back. I watched them go back and forth and then blew a raspberry.
What the fuck was I doing there? Why was I bothering?
“Screw this, I have a date with Branko. I’m not wasting time here with this crazy.”
“The Drangas are nuts, Viola. They cannot be trusted and he will—”
“Coming from the guy who manipulated his mother in sick ways and brainwashed his baby sister to be a doll, let me be clear that your opinions go right where they belong. In the trash, asshole.” I shook my head and cut him with my power when he threatened me, Josephine demanding I come back and let her out.
Sure thing, crazy.
Dealing with them made me feel even colder inside. I shivered even if the shower was hot, and it got to the point that my teeth were chattering. I ignored it and dried my hair on hot to warm up, but then I sat down and just stared at my bed. I just wanted to rest. I wanted to curl up and sleep and forget how much I hurt.
“Don’t give up, Inez,” Kristof whispered before kissing my shoulder. “Go have the fun you deserve with Branko. He has a lovely date planned.”
“It’s hard to find the energy,” I whispered. “I feel so cold.”
“Because a part of you is dying,” he muttered as he knelt in front of me. “You’re cold because your family betrayed you. It’s like how shifters get cold when they bleed too much. It’s blood loss in another way.’
And he understood that since he’d experienced the same. Tian. Moon. Branko. That’s why they all understood. Petre and Vitor. I nodded, realizing they also wanted me to know that they’d been through something horrible with their family too and had survived it.
So could I.
“Now go get ready for your date,” he said before turning away.
I grabbed his wrist and pulled on it so he looked at me. “You know how much I love you, right?”
His eyes softened and he leaned down and brushed his lips over mine. “I know, my wife. But if you want to remind me when I need it, there are two things you could do for me.”
“Anything.” My response was immediate and firm.
“Promise me you will keep fighting and not leave me no matter what.”
“I won’t give up,” I swore to him. “I love you too much to leave you behind. When the day comes that our time is up since no one can last forever, we go together. I won’t move on to what comes next without you. I swear it, Kristof.”
He let out a slow breath, clearly that worried about me. “Thank you, Inez.”
“What’s the second thing?”
