I had tried once, but she had given me back all my memories. From that very day, her elixirs no longer worked flawlessly on me.I was broken for good.
She held the glass out to me.
“Drink it, or I’ll have tomakeyou!”
I swallowed.
One look in her eyes told me how serious she was. Her ice-blue irises had begun to glow grayish.
With numb fingers, I brought the glass to my lips. And then I drank.
I simply drank, because I was used to the bitter taste by now. I ignored the burning in my throat. Nothing burned more than the pain of my memories. And Gloria had me in the palm of her hand. Every portion of this potion increased her power over me. I was no longer forgetting, but I was losing my feelings, losing them more and more. I was still okay, but I knew it would soon get worse. I also wondered when I would no longer feel anything, when I would have complete control over my powers.
I knew one thing for sure. I would envy Vivienna forever. She thought I was Gloria’s favorite, a role model, Grace’s future protector. But everything had its price.
“Feelings are our greatest enemy!”
Gloria’s words penetrated my clouded consciousness.
For a brief moment, I wished I was Erik, wished I had his carefree human life... Then a second later, the longing feeling faded and I felt a deep inner emptiness.
Chapter 52
Bayla
“And then I gave Finn the middle finger and sat down in his seat with my friends,” Mia laughed aloud and nibbled on the cookie dough that Mady had mixed. Mady immediately came running over to her and slapped her on the fingers. Mia laughed with a grin and pulled herself up onto the kitchen counter.
“It's hard to believe you're Julian's little sister,” Larissa said, the corners of her mouth turning upwards in amusement as she filled the three bowls with all kinds of nachos.
She had been the one to remind me of Mady's offer and now there were the four of us at the Campbells and, to be honest, it was a welcome distraction from all the supernatural crap out there.
I was aware of what Mia was, but we didn't talk about it, and so what we were doing here felt like we were just normal girls enjoying our time together.
“Finn is Emely and Nash's brother, isn't he?” I asked with interest, because Mia had mentioned the name Copeland.
Mia made a waving hand gesture and snorted. “Yeah, but he's really okay when his guys aren't around.”
So, every Copeland was surrounded by a few werewolf guys?
“Maybe all Copelands are like that,” Mady commented, pouring the dough onto a baking pan.
She was wearing one of her dark green summer dresses decorated with white flowers, black tights and the usual black cardigan. I wondered if she wasn't freezing.
I was wearing one of those Vanderwood hoodies and my normal jeans, and the cold was still trying to creep under my clothes. I would probably get sick soon. That was all I needed right now.
“In case you were on the verge of coming up with reasonable excuses for Nash being an asshole to you,don't.” Mia looked at Mady with a serious expression.
The latter put the baking tray in the oven and hurried to the sink, avoiding our scrutinizing glances.
Mia turned to us. “Is it true that he had a fight with Julian?”
Larissa looked at me with a grin, then at Mia. “I even have photos to prove it.”
Mia shook her head in bewilderment, and we all laughed.
“Could you please not be so loud, Mady? I have to study.”
We turned to the doorway where Ezra, Mady's handsome brother, was standing.