Page 162 of Demise

Skyla gives her a weak smile and shrugs her shoulder.

“Maybe the future will change. Or maybe it’s not my death that will be coming.”

Astrid gives her a smile and a nod that is in no way convincing.

“Maybe.”

Jonathan moves to the living room to talk with Astrid, quietly, and I take the opportunity to speak to Giselle.

“Did you ever have feelings for my brother?” I ask, mostly out of curiosity.

She looks at me for a second, before shaking her head.

“Never. There was a time where I thought he might have been a better choice than Henry, a time where he adored me. I was quickly shown what a blessing it was that I was given to the other bond brother.”

I nod.

“Have you ever had love in your heart for him?” she asks.

I open my mouth to ask her what she means when she gives me a look.

“Don’t pretend to act like you’re a faithful servant to the Brethren. We’d all be hanging by our necks by now if you were.”

Fair point.

“I want him gone,” I admit. “He’s caused more hurt than one person should be allowed. The pain he has caused Skyla…the things he allowed to happen to her,” I say with my eyes closed tightly. “They are unforgivable.”

Giselle frowns. “Like what?”

“Has Skyla mentioned Corwin?”

“Nicholas Corwin?” she asks with her nose scrunched.

I nod. Giselle shakes her head, and I lower my voice from prying ears, i.e. Rachel, who is cocking her head just so as she not so subtly eavesdrops.

“He stalked Skyla for months. Slowly lost his mind. Her resemblance to you was so similar for him that he began to confuse the two. It started off innocent enough at first, adoringnotes and gifts. He soon turned violent, almost killed Liam,” I say as I gesture my head to him as he washes the dishes. “And then he took her.”

“He took her?” she asks. “What do you mean?”

“He snuck into her house, spiked her favorite drink and took her in the middle of the night. Drove her up to a warehouse he’d converted into a house in Vermont. Dressed her in your clothes and…”

Her hand covers her mouth as she shakes her head. I don’t feel like it’s my place to discuss the details of what happened, so I don’t continue.

“Where is he now?” she asks, a hardened edge to her voice.

“Dead,” Vincent says as he steps into the kitchen with the remaining dish. “I made sure of it.”

For the first time, the kind, soft woman I’ve come to know vanishes, a lethal anger to her as she tightens her jaw and nods stiffly.

“Good. What does this have to do with Christopher, though?”

I shake my head as I look up at her. “He knew. The whole time. He knew from the beginning and he didn’t do a goddamn thing. We almost lost her. We almost—”

I stop myself, letting out a rough breath as fresh anger runs through my veins.

“I want him gone, and I think I have a plan.”

Giselle cocks her head to the side in intrigue.

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