Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 123779 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 619(@200wpm)___ 495(@250wpm)___ 413(@300wpm)
Ares grinds his teeth, and when I look into his eyes, I know that he sees me.
“Ares!” I wake up crying his name.
I’m slumped over Raighne, my face pressed against his stomach. His hand brushes over my hair, and I wrap my arms tightly around his waist, pressing my whole body as close to him as possible.
Tears spill from my eyes. I can’t believe Adeth did that to Ares, and then she made him torture me. How could she be so sick? How could she do that to her own son?
“Alchera?”
“Yeah,” I whisper, trying to hide the conflicting emotions I’m feeling.
“What did you see?”
“It’s just a nightmare,” I lie.
“Then I should’ve been able to see it.”
Shit. Right.
I let out a heavy breath. “Don’t worry about it.”
His hands take hold of my shoulders, and he pushes me onto my back. He places one hand next to my head and moves his body until he’s leaning half over me. I focus on how good it feels to have his hard body pressing against mine.
His eyes search mine. “Let me see.”
I shake my head, and wanting to distract him, I lift my head and press my mouth to his. “I don’t want to think about it. Just make me forget.”
Raighne tilts his head, his tongue brushing over my lips before slipping into my mouth.
I wrap my arms around his neck and try to pull him down so he’ll lie on top of me, but he resists.
“We’re not alone in the room. Sarah and Sky are sleeping on the other bed, and Doug and Jason are on the floor.”
We stop kissing, and I glance to my left, where the women are fast asleep.
Knowing I won’t be able to sleep more tonight, I look at Raighne. “I’m going outside for fresh air.”
“I’ll come with.”
I shake my head. “Sleep. You don’t have to babysit me.”
“I’m not letting you out of my sight,” he mutters as he climbs off the bed. “Ares is here.”
Right.
I crouch by Jason and shake his shoulder gently. When his eyes snap open, I whisper, “Sleep on the bed.”
He nods and slaps Doug’s back. When he groans, Jason mutters, “Let’s move to the bed.”
“I’m not sharing a single bed with you,” Doug grumbles. “You take it.”
Jason doesn’t argue, and as he climbs onto the bed, I leave the room with Raighne.
We make our way to the sliding doors, careful not to wake the others, and once we’re outside, Raighne says, “You didn’t get much sleep. Only three hours.”
“I’m okay.” I give him a smile so he won't worry.
I sit down on the steps and stare at the small garden as the sun starts to rise.
“You know what would be nice?”
“What?”
I grin at Raighne. “Coffee.” I can see he’s about to tell me he’s not leaving me alone, which has me saying, “I’ll be fine. Besides, everyone’s sleeping.”
He hesitates then climbs to his feet. “Stay right here.”
I nod and watch as he walks into the house before I let out a deep sigh.
Keeping my walls up so Raighne won’t hear my thoughts, I think about the vision I had of Ares. It had to be a vision. Otherwise, Raighne would’ve been able to see it.
Still, it’s the first time I’ve had a vision of the past, though. Is Awo trying to tell me something?
Sympathy trickles into my heart, and I can’t stop it from taking root. How long did Ares suffer at the hands of his mother?
Thinking of our time together in the shack, I remember the moments when it seemed like he was fighting something.
He was trying to fight Adeth so he didn’t have to hurt me, but he wasn’t strong enough.
Just like I wasn’t when I killed Roark.
“Alchera.”
At the sound of Ares’ voice, my head snaps up and I see him standing a few feet away.
“Don’t panic,” he says quickly. “I won’t hurt you.”
Unable to think of what I should do, I can only stare at the man who made me pray for death.
We’re both doomed.
He shakes his head. “No, you’re not. I’ve seen how strong you are. You can fight it.”
Shock shudders through me, and I climb to my feet. “You can hear my thoughts?”
“I can hear everyone’s thoughts. It’s a talent.” He shrugs. “Or curse, depending on how you choose to look at it.”
I’m torn between hating him for what he’s done to me and feeling compassion because he suffered at the hands of his mother.
“I had a vision of you,” I admit. “I saw some of what Adeth did to you.”
He shakes his head, his eyes resting on me with so much guilt it finds an echo in my chest.
Not commenting on what I just said, he asks, “Will you let me help?”
“It’s not up to me.” I sigh, and sounding a little bitter, I mutter, “Awo made the decision, and we just have to abide by it.”