Page 145 of The Book Reader
But when it’s my time to come back, I’m going to free them all.
“Ari, stay close,” Gaelan whispers to me before turning at the end of the corridor and vanishing from sight. I hurry after him, getting to the end of the corridor, and stepping to follow him, but pause when an odd feeling tingles over my skin. I look to the right and see a massive door covered in chains and locks. “What’s in there?” I whisper to Leah.
“The Blood Bringer.” Leah's hushed voice hits my ears. “They say that Tate keeps her locked up out of fear she will kill him. That’s where they say she is kept.”
I step toward the door, and the need to see what she looks like rushes over me. “Ari, no, my Rose.” Gaelan quickly rushes over to me. “We are not here for her today, another time. When it’s safer.” He pulls me to him, but I can’t take my eyes off the door. If I am meant to be defeating her, too, I want to see what she looks like.
I pull my hand out of Gaelan’s and run toward the cell. There is a little window halfway up the wooden door. I lean forward and look through; it’s completely dark, no sign of any life whatsoever, but I feel such darkness coming from it that I want to break the door open and face her now.
“Rose!” Gaelan whispers harshly before yanking me back. “When we get back to the castle, I am going to punish the shit out of you for not listening to me.” He walks me toward the other end of the corridor. “It’s too risky right now; we can’t fight her, Tate, and Macy. Not yet. We need to make sure you are completely ready, that we both are.”
“I’m sorry, I just wanted to see who she is,” I say regretfully.
“Another time. We will come back and deal with her,” his voice is unmoving as we continue toward another set of doors. “Later.”
I don’t like it down here. I’m not sure what it is about this place that makes me want to run. A dark feeling persists, tapping at my senses.
Gaelan rounds the corner and goes through another massive door. As soon as my feet step over the threshold, Gaelan shoves me back out again. I fall to the floor and watch as he jumps back, and a massive gate falls from above, locking him inside the cell.
Panic and fear rush over me as I stand and move over to it. “Aperta,”I say and wait for the lock to click or for the gate to lift open. Nothing happens. I whisper the words again, and still it doesn’t move.
“Galean, it won’t open. Why won’t it open?” Dread fills me.
Leah comes over and tries to lift the gate; Gaelan joins in; it’s as if some invisible force is keeping it closed.
“My lord, what do you wish me to do?” Leah asks. She is panicking just as much as I am. I step back to see if there is anything on the outside that can help us—the shape of the gate, the locks, the smell…
Then it hits me.
It’s my dream. I’ve been here before. Gaelan brought me here when Macy had him last time. I gasp, move to the bars, and reach my hands through. “Gaelan—my dreams—this was the place Macy had you before?—”
“My Rose, I know,” he says in dismay.
“And you brought us back here? Why?” My voice is full of terror, and tears form in my eyes.
“This is where the training ground is, the only way to get to it,” he says, looking at me through the bars. I hate what I see in his eyes, and I start to shake my head at him.
“I’m not leaving you—don’t ask me to.” Leah and I step back, lifting my arms. Flames spark to life at the tips of my fingers before I send a wave of heat and flames at the door, hoping that my fire power will melt the door open.
It doesn’t.
Pulling my powers back, I can see that the door is still intact, as if I hadn’t even hit it. Panting for breath, my unshed tears start to roll down my cheeks.
“He is in the cells. Why didn't one inform me that he even got into the palace?” Macy’s voice comes toward us down the hallway.
“Go, my Rose, don’t let her see you here.” Gaelan pleads through the bars.
“Shimmer out!” I all but shout at him, trying to shake the gate again. “Leah, help me!” I am frantically trying to get him out. I don’t want that daemon anywhere near my mate.
Not again.
I watch Gaelan’s eyes shift to Leah’s, and something in them makes me want to scream out in anger.
“Don’t,” I warn him, knowing he is asking her to take me, to leave him here.
“My Rose,” Gaelan says, his hand reaching through the bars. I lock eyes with his before taking his hand.
“Don’t ask me to leave you, please. I can get you out.” My words are broken with my sobs, and he pulls my hand through the bars and kisses my palm.
