Page 146 of The Book Reader
“She can’t see you, my Rose, not until you are ready. I don’t want you in here with me,” he says softly.
I shake my head again.
“Rose, go!” his shout comes out with so much force that it breaks my heart.
Leah places her hands on my shoulder. “My lady, we need to hide.”
Gaelan lets go of my hand as Leah pulls me back to a dark corner of the corridor. My eyes stay locked on Gaelan’s pleading with him to let me stay and help him.
Macy and two lady daemons—one with orange hair and one with grey hair—move to stand in front of the gate. Gaelan steps back and growls low at them.
“Don’t tell me she has died already?” Macy starts, her voice thick with dark humor. “I was looking forward to killing her.”
Gaelan says nothing; he just stares at her, making her laugh. “Or have you come back for some fucking only I can give you?” she taunts.
The two other daemons next to her burst out laughing and then hit the bars of the gate.
“Do you like it? It was made special,” the one with the orange hair says.
“Yes. Daddy gave us a special gate when we told him all about that little bitch you call a mate,” the grey-haired one says.
Macy steps forward, silencing them both. “Thank you, Gaelan, for making what I must do so much easier. With you here, the Book Reader isallmine. But first, let’s have some fun.” She lifts her hand, and the gate lifts from the floor. Gaelan steps back as Macy walks in, the gate shutting behind her.
Why isn’t he fighting her?
“You can do whatever you want to me, but know that when Arianna comes for you, she is going to make you pay.” His voice is filled with so much venom that it makes me want to stand and make her pay now.
Macy laughs. “Arianna, is that her name? Pretty for someone’s face, I am going to rip off, I might even leave her body in that moat of yours. See how she stands up to that deadly liquid. Daddy wanted me to keep her, but I enjoy ending both of your lives so much.” She lifts her hand, and I watch with horror as she shimmers, Gaelan naked, my hands fist, and I go to stand again, but Leah holds me down.
“You know, Gaelan, you really do have the most delicious body I’ve ever seen. This time I am going to keep you.” A small bottle of clear liquid appears in her hand. Gaelan’s eyes lock with mine. In that one look, I see all the love he has for me, all our hopes and dreams. I can also see his trust that I am to end this bitch.
His eyes then flicker to Leah’s; something crosses his face. I go to stand, reaching my hand out to him as he slowly fades, and I appear in the living room of his castle, stunned. A strangled cry leaves my lips before I turn to Leah.
“What did you do?” I scream, dropping to the floor with a sob.
Chapter 52
GAELAN
Ilock eyes with my Rose as Leah does what I ask, the pain and shock in her amber eyes are enough to stop my heart.
All my guards know to save Arianna over me.
My Rose will come back for me, even if it’s to beat my ass for making her leave me here.
I just need to hold on until then.
My eyes snap to Macy, and I can’t help the laugh that comes from my lips. “How does it feel to know that the only way you are going to get this cock hard is by drugging me?” I cup myself and take a few steps back from her. There are no weapons in this room, and there are wards up, so I can’t shimmer in any of my daggers. This fight is going to be unfairly matched, but I will do anything not to have her touch me again.
Macy shimmers in her whip and cracks it against the floor. It’s a dark black whip with a red tip, featuring a metal claw that rips the flesh from anyone it hits. Trelor growls in my head. He is ready for this bitch, much more than I am, but he will have to wait; I will need him when I can’t take it anymore.
Fisting my hands, I step closer to her and swing as I aim to punch her in the face. She ducks, trying to get out of the way,but my other fist comes up and punches her clean in the nose. It cracks under my knuckles, she cries out and staggers back, clutching her face. A grin spreads over my mouth when she turns to me and hisses.
“You will pay for that dream scum,” she flicks her whip, aiming for my waist, but my hand is quick and grabs the tip. The claws cut into my skin, ripping the palm of my hand open. I wince from the pain, but refuse to show her any more than that; better it rips my hand than the flash on my stomach and back. I pull on the whip, dragging her closer to me as she tries to fight it. When she is close enough, I head butt her, sending her flying back. I step forward and spots blur my vision, making me stumble. Macy laughs as white dust bursts around me, her face a vision of nightmares as blood runs down her skin. I growl as I fall to the floor on my knees.
“You fucking bitch, you drugged me again.” I fall entirely to the floor, my vision blurring in and out.
“You did this to yourself, nothing to do with me,” she saunters over to me. I can’t see her face, but I can hear her shoes clicking on the stone floor. After a moment, she kicks me hard in the stomach.
