Page 112 of Tangled Hearts

“She’s going to get the information no matter what,” he clipped, walking out of the room.

My body slowly stitched itself together, but the thirst was still there. It was making me sweat, distracting me, and I was worried if I didn’t eat soon, I would forget her because my thirst would be the only thing I would be thinking of. I couldn’t forget her.

“You think they are safe?” Gray whispered.

“It’s easier to think they are, but at least we know they don’t have her yet,” Ryder replied.

Our bond felt fractured, but I could still feel her. It wasn’t as strong as it normally was, but she hummed in my chest, and I had to hold onto hope that Max had hidden her. There was also a part of me that knew she wasn’t going to just sit back and hide. Oria was sick of hiding, she was tired of being weak. That made me proud, but also scared me because she could possibly do something stupid.

“I have a sinking feeling she’s going to do something stupid,” Gray whispered. “She’s not one to just sit around.”

“She’s going to be pissed,” I said, still hearing her last pleas with me to not let her go.

“Livid,” Ryder said. “She might stay away just because of that and goddess I hope she does.”

“She might just rescue us just to punish us,” Gray said with amusement.

“I’ll be ok with that, but I also want her safe,” I groaned, adjusting my arms.

“I want her to live,” Ryder whispered.

My heart wrenched in pain that I never fulfilled my promise to her. I had failed her and that hurt more than any stab wound.

The slamming of a door jerked me awake. My eyes were heavy, my thirst was commanding my attention more than ever. The sound of heels was coming closer to us until a woman stood before us.

Laima.

I did not expect her to be so beautiful. In my head she was this ugly old woman. Her outside matching her inside, but I was definitely wrong. She was exactly the kind of woman I would have taken home with me and then creeped me out. I could have taken her home and not known what this woman was doing.

“It seems you are stubborn about my daughter's location,” she said, walking to Ryder, then to me and then Gray. “I know you think you are protecting her, but there is?—

“Cut the bullshit,” Ryder growled. “We all know she isn’t your daughter.”

She looked over at Ryder, unbothered, but magic crackled in the air.

“I knew I should have killed Max. Taylin begged for his life. I should have gone with my first instinct,” she said, walking up to Ryder. “Though I am disappointed that you found her. I was really hoping that the gorge would eat you alive, but it seems you are harder to kill than I thought. Those trolls should have done it, but no you had to jump in the gorge.”

She laid a hand on Ryder's chest, running her hand down his abs.

“I should have killed you myself, but I never would have thought you would have had the necklace that I made for Caston,” she huffed in annoyance. “That was my fault for trusting a boy to do a woman’s job. My sister let him go too far and I’m glad he’s been taken care of, much like your Serena.”

Ryder growled. His eyes flashed yellow and then he screamed.

“Get the fuck away from him,” I snarled.

“Stop it!” Gray yelled.

“Tell me her location,” she said, looking at my brother and I.

Gray and I stayed silent as Ryder thrashed against her palm.

“Tell me!” Her eyes turned black before they quickly changed back.

His screams made me want to tell her a lie, just to get her to stop.

“Fine, if he won’t entice you to speak, maybe this will,” she said, walking away from Ryder who hung limp.

The man who led the attack on the pack walked into the room, going to Gray immediately.

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