Page 108 of Heir of the Beast

~This could be so much worse,~ I remind myself.

Movement catches my eye as I see a white butterfly. “Mort!” I hiss.

She transforms in front of me and falls onto the bed, looking exhausted. “I was lost. That’s all you need to know.” She takes a breath. “We have much to talk about.”

I sit next to her and nod. “I’m in deep shit, aren’t I?”

Mort looks at me with a frown. “Deep shit? I don’t think so,” she murmurs, then looks at my feet.

I close my eyes. “It’s an expression, Mort. It means I’m in trouble.”

“Oh.” She nods. “Yes, you are in deep shit. So, a few things we must touch base on. Apollo is still in a coma, and he is running out of time. He might die at any point.”

I gasp and squeeze my eyes shut. “What a nightmare.” I can feel the pain in my chest. I don’t want to lose him. I have started to fall in love with him, if I am not already. He can’t die—he just can’t!

“Yes, well, Pierce is freaking out because Siron is someone he was not counting on. Siron is planning on overtaking Eltson’s ship.”

“What?!”

“If that happens, then Laura will not reach the healer in time, and Apollo will die,” she says, and looks down.

We sit in silence. That’s why all the crew members were running around like their heads were cut off. They were preparing for battle.

“Mort, Apollo can’t die. It’s my fault he was bitten.” I will tears back, but a couple escape.

“Can you persuade Siron ~not ~to take over Eltson’s ship? They plan on connecting with them early tomorrow morning.”

I curse. “I am having dinner with the brute tonight.” I glance at Mort. “What do you know about him? It might help when I talk to him tonight. Well, he can’t talk, he is mute. That’s about all I know.”

Mort is typing. “Yes, I saw that. Strange because he was not always like that, from my records. I think he is sick actually, having to sit down from exhaustion, resting a lot.”

“Huh,” I say, deep in thought.

“Pierce is unsure what happened to him, maybe something to do with all of his battles. Voice box removed, maybe? Torture here is bad.”

I cringe.

“I wonder,” Mort says with a frown. “Do you think Siron is overtaking Eltson to gain access to the healer as well? The man seems to be in high demand.”

My eyes brighten, and I sit up straighter. “That would be a blessing in disguise! I can do some digging tonight. If not, maybe I can even convince him he needs to see this man.”

“It’s all we got at this point.” Mort walks over to the wardrobe and opens it up. She whistles and pulls out a golden gown, fit for an Egyptian queen.

“Not as good as Pierce, but this Siron guy does not spare any expense.”

I take a shaky breath as my eyes gaze at the shimmering fabric. Looks like I have to put on my acting face, yet again.

~This is all for you, Apollo.~

Chapter 24

“You look really good, but Pierce is adjusting the ass area,” Mort says as she motions me to spin.

“What!?” I shriek. “I do not want this guy to hump my leg! My boobs are already hanging out, making me very uncomfortable.” I look at my ass, and it looks fine. What is Pierce trying to do, get me raped?!

“There is a method to Pierce’s madness. He does not tell me everything, you know. So sometimes I’m just as clueless as you are. I have just learned to trust him,” Mort says, and shrugs.

I close my eyes for a few seconds and then nod. “If I have to use a lifeline because of this, I will knee him in the balls.”

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