Page 16 of The Crownless King
He grit his teeth, battling with urges Amaya prayed he beat, before his face cleared. “Your mother is safe and comfortable.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Stepping from her, Levi held his hand out towards the door. Wary, Amaya took a deep breath and walked past him, closing her eyes as his scent wrapped around her. When she reached the hallway, one of his enforcers was there, standing at a door a few feet away. Instinctively, she knew that was where they were keeping her mother. Taking shaky steps, she closed the distance between her and the wooden door the enforcer stood in front of.
A shuddering breath shook her body as she turned the knob. Her mother was sitting in a chair at the window, her visage peaceful, no hint of distress. Tears crested Amaya’s eyes and while fear was still with her, having her mother safe was her top priority.
Anita turned to her and smiled softly. “There you are.”
She rushed to her mother’s side, kneeling. “Are you okay, mama?”
Anita nodded. “Better than I’ve felt in a while. The Bayi have treated me kindly.” She cupped her daughter’s cheek. “Are we in trouble, Amaya?”
She closed her eyes and swallowed down the sob. “Uncle Paul did put us in a bit of a predicament, but I’ll get us out of this,” she promised.
Her mother hummed. “I tried to keep my brother on the straight and narrow, but you know your uncle,” she sighed. “Itrust you to work something out. In the meantime, this situation doesn’t feel dangerous.”
Reassured by that, Amaya lowered her head. With the riotous thoughts in her mind, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to trust her own instincts. While having her mother lucid comforted her, she wasn’t sure how long that would last. And would it make it better, having Anita aware of what was happening to them?
“How long will we be here?” Anita asked. Her eyes were clear of the madness Amaya was so used to seeing in her gaze.
“I don’t know yet.”
As though a switch flipped, Anita’s eyes clouded over and a sort of blankness overtook her. Amaya noticed that it happened most in high-stress situations and she cursed her uncle all over again. It was the reason she took great pains to keep her mother home safe and resting.
“Mom,” she whispered. Anita didn’t answer and her hand fell from Amaya’s cheek. Sighing, she sucked up her pride and stood. “Can you help me, please?”
She was reluctant to ask, but she didn’t want to risk carrying her mother and causing her injury. She expected the enforcer to come up, but Levi was next to her, gently moving her aside. He lifted Anita and carried her over to the bed. Silent at her side, he waited as Amaya moved the blanket back. Her eyes strayed to the king’s face as he placed Anita on the bed gently and stepped away. There was empathy in his gaze, an understanding that told her he was suffering similarly as her mother.
Well, with the Akachi in his possession, she wasn’t surprised. Still, her own empathy was stoked for him. Furiouslysmashing the emotion down, Amaya tucked Anita in, her heart pinching at the vacant look on her mother’s face.
“Can you…” She swallowed and paused her words.
With every favor she asked, she understood that she would be further in his debt.
His hand landed on her shoulder. “I will have someone with her twenty-four hours.”
She nodded. “Will I be able to see her?”
“You are not a prisoner here, Amaya.”
“That’s funny because it certainly feels like it,” she said, shaking off his hand. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Amaya leaned down and kissed her mother’s forehead.
“You can leave,” she told him, going towards the chair in the corner and dragging it to the bed.
His presence still took up the room…until it didn’t. Moments later, the soft click of the door closing made her flinch. She settled in the chair beside her mother’s bed and laid her head down, releasing the sobs trapped in her chest.
How in the hell would she get them out of this?
Chapter six
Amaya winced as she slid the jeans up her leg. They had been her only wardrobe for the last three days and she would throw them in the trash the moment she got home.
She scoffed. Who was she kidding?
She couldn’t afford to be throwing clothes away. Still, it would be a while before she wore them again. She had a feeling that every time she wore them, she would be reminded of being held hostage by the King of the Bayi.
