Page 53 of The Discovered
He raised a finger to his lips. “We shouldn’t be here.Youespecially, I’d imagine.”
“Because of him?” I asked, careful not to say his name.
He sighed, turning from me and trailing his fingers along the stone. He hummed something, low enough that I could barely make it out, and the tune was so familiar, so sacred, that it sent a wave of chills over my entire being. It sounded like home.
He turned back to me, a sad smile on his lips. “I think I will see you again soon. Very soon. Leave here quickly.”
In a flash he was gone, as if he had never been there at all. Against my better judgement, I crept toward the stone altar, holding my breath as to avoid its putrid magick. As I focused my gaze, a dark, polluted energy began to shine out from it into the air. It was thick like smoke, as pitch black as the night sky without stars.
When I stood just before the structure, a deep sadness washed over me, like nothing I had ever felt before. I heard screaming, crying, shrieking, from the thick aura, and I knew that this place told a story of utter destruction. It sang of horrors that language could never do justice.
Áine,the voices said again, strong and clear.Remember this.
I recalled what my mothers said during the meditation after Daelon and I fought, and as I did their voices played in my mind as if they were here now:
You will avenge us all, but not as an act of vengeance. As an act of salvation. You are made up of everything good in the world.
You are hope embodied—the hope of thousands—the hope of this world and all the rest. You will deliver us. You will restore this realm to its former state of balance and goodness. Trust your intuition. It will guide you always, sweet girl.
Something rustled from behind the wall of trees, and I wasn’t in the mood to figure out what it was. I closed my eyes, envisioning my physical body in Daelon’s bed.
I snapped back into my body like the flick of a rubber band. A sweat broke out across my forehead. I gasped, reconnecting with the room around me, feeling the weight of Daelon’s arm across my chest as I’d seen from above.
I slipped carefully out from under his arm, admiring his peaceful features as sleep washed away his usual mask of strength and control. I set off to the kitchen to grab some water, still reeling from my astral journey.
Who was calling me to that altar and why? What atrocity had happened there that left that kind of disturbing, mournful energetic imprint? What did it have to do with my purpose or a supposed wrong that needed to be righted, a balance that needed to be restored? What was this Amos character’s role in all of this? Or Lucius’s?
I shook my head as I sipped on water in the dimly lit kitchen. It felt like I was running blindly through a multidimensional, cosmic maze. My mothers wanted me to have faith, but I was only growing more and more restless with my confusion and ignorance.
I stood over the pale purple candle that sat on the marble island, absent-mindedly setting it alight and playing with the flickering flame. I watched as it danced wildly and then stilled, influenced by my every silent command. I felt a sort of comradery with this bit of fire. I knew how it felt to be under someone else’s spell.
I heard footsteps approach, but I stayed mesmerized by the flickering light. I set my water down on the counter.
A hand swept my hair over my shoulders, its gentle trail across my exposed skin sending a shiver down my spine before resting on the back of my neck.
With a whoosh, the candle snuffed out. I frowned, but before I could wonder what caused it, Daelon grabbed my waist and spun me around. I squealed in surprise as he dipped me as if we were dancing, holding me suspended below him and his devilish crooked grin. He leaned down and kissed my neck, and I let out a small sigh.
“You’re coming back to bed,” he said, pulling me back upright.
Breathless and disoriented, I nodded.
“Yes, sir,” I said teasingly.
He narrowed his eyes, but a smirk played at his lips. He kissed my forehead. “Good girl,” he whispered.
In a quick movement he lifted me into his arms bridal style.
“Daelon,” I protested, but he ignored me, of course.
He brought me back to his bed, laying me down slowly before crawling in after me. “No bad dreams or astral projections?” he asked, stroking my cheek.
“Nothing bad,” I said, only half a lie. I didn’t know why, but I had the compulsion to keep all that I saw to myself for now. Maybe because I knew Daelon was doing the same.
Instead, I turned on my side to face him, reaching my fingers to trail across his defined chest.
He inhaled, catching my hand. “You need more rest.”
“What if I don’t want more rest?” I asked, batting my eyelashes.
