Chapter 175-2
My heart broke for her. Evalina had been her mentor for years. The woman had made mistakes, mistakes Lunessa might not ever forgive, but that wouldn’t stop her pain.
“You know why he did it,” I said hoarsely.
“To save you.” Magic started literally smoking off her. Her magic had never been black before. I steadied myself. She might not be able to hurt me with magic, but she could make the whole house fall around me. “There is nothing he would not do to save you.”
“I’m sorry, Lunessa,” I said softly. “I truly am.”
“You’re not sorry enough, but you will be. She was your family, and you’re here about to take a nice hot shower while showering me with fake platitudes.”
They weren’t fake, but she wouldn’t hear it if I tried to tell her. “What do you need to do to me to feel better?”
Her eyes widened, and the smoke dissipated. Her knees buckled, and when I reached out to help her, she snarled at me. “I don’t need your help, Kiana. I think you’ve done enough. You want to know why Troy can’t stand that baby growing inside of you? Before he killed the head of the cult gunning for you, they gave him a prophecy. The son will kill the mother. Your baby is going to kill you, Kiana, and Troy is dying inside because this time, he can’t figure out who to save.”
She stumbled out of the bathroom, and I stood there, next to the shower, until the water ran cold. I wanted to believe that she was lying, that she was just lashing out in anger, but it made sense. It explained every one of Troy’s actions.
But I also refused to believe that it was the truth. A man about to die would say anything. The compound blew up. It was unlikely there would be anything helpful there, but I needed to get information somehow. I needed to know the truth.
When Saul came, I let him dress my wounds. I asked him where Troy was, and he told me that he was personally visiting the families of all the dead. We’d lost so many people. I should be doing the same. Instead, I was pretending that everything was fine.
I packed one of the special wolf bags. Nothing that would weigh me down. Two changes of clothes. A lot of energy bars and a canteen. A knife and a flare gun.
I waited until I was certain that Troy wasn’t coming back that night. It hurt that he might be avoiding me, but that meant I could put a good bit of distance behind us.
Then, walking right up to one of the patrol units, I gave him a weary smile. “Hey, Jameel. You doing
12
O
<
Chapter 175-2
all right?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, his voice still a little shaky. “Been a tough night.”
“That it has.” I held up my bag. “I’ve got a ritual I’m going to try and perform about a mile out.”
His eyes widened. “You’re going alone?”
Cherr
“No, of course not. Lunessa and Irene already popped out. It’s a three-witch ritual. I should be back
in a few hours.”
Poor thing. He was so young. I hoped Troy would go easy on him when he discovered the truth. He was so trusting as he nodded. “Yes ma’am.”
“Just Kiana,” I said. “Be safe, Jameel.”
I darkened both my pack bond and my mating bond so Troy wouldn’t feel it, and then I walked out of the territory and away from the love of my life.
2
Comments
LUCK DRAW >
H
