Though reluctant, Gedeon couldn’t imagine denying Artem.The inhumane repercussions…

Gedeon extended an unsteady hand, the phone wobbling in his palm.I can toss the phone across the room right now. I can smash it, keeping their location a secret.Gedeon’s heartbeat picked up as Artem approached him.Do it. Do it now. Fuck the consequences.

But Gedeon didn’t. He wasn’t courageous enough. He watched as the phone was snatched from his hand.

I just ruined Darius,Gedeon thought, disappointment in himself and fear for his friends surging.

“Thank you for offering your phone. I’ll remember this.” His grin was vile. “Hella, dear. Please come in now,” he called.

The door to Gedeon’s room opened, Hella strutting in.

Artem proudly watched as she approached them, his eyes lighting up at the sight of her. Gedeon would be lying if he didn’t admit that this woman held a massive amount of power. Rumor had it that she wielded three of earth’s elements, manipulating them with nothing but her finger.

It was no wonder Artem didn’t look down on her. In fact, Artem had every reason to fear her. Sure, Artem had the army… but her power was staggering.

“I did need this.” Artem clicked the phone on, the screen illuminating his face. “Ah, I see,” Artem began. “It looks like Pennsylvania.” He looked up to Hella, his smile haunting. “Are you ready to take a trip with me?”

“Am I ever.” They looked at one another as if they were teenagers newly in love. Then, their attention shifted to Gedeon. “What do you suppose we do with him?” She frowned, twirling a finger through her fiery locks.

Anger consumed Gedeon. He did everything Artem asked of him. Darius and his sister werefuckedbecause he did everything asked of him. Did Artem still plan to fuck him? “Do with me?I dideverythingyou asked me to!”

Hella frowned. “But you did think twice about it, didn’t you?”

How the fuck would she know that? She wasn’t even in the room!

“I’m proud of you,” Artem told Gedeon. “I never witnessed such bravery in you before. It’s about time you found it.”

Gedeon ground his teeth together. Artem could pretend he was proud of Gedeon, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t ruin Gedeon’s life the second he said something wrong. “I stood by your side every day of my immortal life,” he reminded Artem.

“You have, haven’t you?” He pressed a finger to his lips. “I believe we should give you a chance to continue proving yourself. We need someone to look over this fortress in our absence. I’m sure you will do a stellar job. Keep everyone in line. We will be back soon.”

“I won’t disappoint you.” Gedeon promised, his fingers crossed behind his back.

Artem wanted Gedeon here to keep him far from Darius, but Gedeon already knew exactly where Darius was hiding. If he built up enough courage, he could warn Darius of the upcoming attack. Unfortunately, if Gedeon chose to do that, he would have to risk everything.

Gedeon was not known to be the valiant sort. Was Gedeon finally daring enough to venture off to Pennsylvania and attempt to save his friends?

He didn’t know.

Chapter Forty-Nine

Eva Maas

Eva desperately wanted to engage in some sort of meaningful dialogue with Darius. In fact, she craved having any sort of communication with him. Sadly, a conversation between the two didn’t seem to be in the cards for them.

Soon after Eva impulsively admitted that she was going to die soon, Darius became consumed with trying to save her despite her numerous attempts at explaining to him that it was impossible. Her predictions were set in stone. They always had been. There was no changing what she saw.

The two of them may not have conversed much over the last several days, but they certainly were never far from each other. In fact, Darius had become so protective over her he had difficulty allowing her to do simple acts on her own, includinggoing to the bathroom,which seriously irritated Eva. But other than watching over her? Nothing.

He became so consumed with creating a plan to keep her alive it was like he forgot she wasn’t dead yet.

She wanted to scream,I’m right here!But what was the point? He was too hyper-focused to listen.

Now she watched as Darius worked on plans to keep her alive with others. They bickered over a kitchen table that was as outdated as everything else was within Castle Brannack. She leaned against one of the kitchen’s walls, her attention wavering.

No one listened to her when she told them how pointless it was to hope. Granted, she didn’t know why anyone here was trying to fight for her life. She didn’t know these people.

Yes, she knew Darius, but how much did shereallyknow Karina, Kelly, and Kelly’s mate, Sebastian?