Page 72 of Shattered Heir
“Not what you were expecting?” he said, taking my coat.
“Not exactly,” I responded, still taking everything in. There was an entryway with white walls and bright lights. The floors were a warm brown, and pictures of nature were on every wall: waterfalls, trees, mountains, forests, rivers, and streams. Had I entered an art gallery? The main living area, while huge, hadthree large panel windows, raised with the vaulted ceiling, from which I had a perfect view of the trees in the forest.
“I like nature,” he said as I walked to the window to touch the glass.
“I can see that,” I said, again not looking at him. “What did you want to show me?” I asked, wanting to get out of Cade’s house as quickly as I could. I turned around from the window to see where he had gone. He was near the other end of the room, looking under a counter.
“Just this, my house; it's a good look into who I really am.”
I gulped. I didn't want to know anything more about him than I already did.
“I like the windows, letting the outside in. I spent a lot of my youth indoors, and it is nice to have the views of beauty all around me—for a change.” He shrugged, walking over to me with a water bottle. I took it and thanked him, thoroughly confused. It was not a side that I expected to see of Cade, a softer side.
Don’t let him fool you, Emma. He is only nice right now, and kind, because he has Shad’s soul inside him.
“It is beautiful,” I said, sitting on a chair near the window.
“Thank you.” I noticed that when he started to unshield his soul, I froze, throwing
all sorts of pretend shields up around my melody.
“Emma,” he said in frustration. I turned to look at him.
“What?” I asked.
“I guess, I understand why. I mean I am the bad guy, right? Well, as far as your limited knowledge is concerned, I am the bad guy, but I wonder, Emma, what if I wasn't the actual bad guy in all of this?” He stood up from the couch he was sitting on and walked over to me, kneeling beside me. He moved the water bottle out of my hands as he took my hands in his.
“Cade,” I started, but he moved his mouth to my fingers and kissed the tip of each one, his warm, brown eyes locked onto mine. I tried to ignore the warmth that I felt. This was only the result of him having Shad’s melody. That was all it was. It was from the connection between my melody and Shad’s melody. But there was a feeling of slight peace. It wasn’t the blazing, electric power that Shad’s touch had once brought to me, but there was something in Cade’s touch; it made me feel sick as I came to understand that he could actually touch me tenderly, and that I wouldn’t always shudder when he did.
What does that say about me?
“I want you to know who I am, Emma. I am not the heartless monster that you assume me to be.” He moved my hands from his lips, finally, making my head less pressured with the confused fog of guilt and shame.
“You killed my parents,” I said in a whisper. “I cannot forgive you for that.”
He dropped his head down into his hands, letting mine go as he did. I watched as he pulled at his hair tightly, the blueish, black strands slipping through his fists.
“I swear to you, Emma, I didnotkill them—nor did I want them dead.”
“I don’t believe you.” I stood; I needed to be away from him. He was toxic, and I didn’t want to be close to him. I didn't know where exactly I needed to go, but I needed space between us, space to think.
“Let me show you then. Let me into your melody, and I can show you my soul. A soul cannot lie, Emma.”
I turned to look at him, confused.
“What? Your soul? No, that is Shad’s soul.” I spun around in anger, and the monster was just near the edge, just over the ridge, and the shields which I had put up were crumbling downwithin my hatred and fury. It didn't seem to scare him, though, because he only came closer.
“Does your knight know about this little monster of corruption inside of you, sweet?”
I flinched.
“Don’t,” I warned him as my hands started to fist, and my nails dug into my flesh. I tried not to growl, but a noise came out anyway.
“He fancies you, you know. It's cute, his little infatuation with you. He thinks he can save you, help you, but only I can help you, Emma.” He moved closer to me.
“You don't know anything about Ryker and me.”
He raised his eyebrows in amusement.
