Page 43 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

“It’s not fair that you have to feel everything I do, or that I landed you with powers.”

He pulls me in for a hug. The extra affection makes sense. “I’m stronger because of what you did, and I can handle your feelings. Don’t worry about me.”

Zac huffs. “This is touching, but you need to get the rest of what you need and put down Ty for good.”

Chapter Fourteen

Natia

You can’t calm a Taurus down, that must be done on their own time.

The rhythmic sway of the sea crashing against the rocks syncs with my heartbeat. I focus on slowing down the noise. “What are you doing?” Duncan asks. I shuffle my ass on the rocky ground. “Trying to meditate.”

He snorts. I pop one eye open, so I’m still half meditating. Duncan plops beside me and hangs his feet over the side of the cliff. “You got the key?”

I slam my eye closed. “Yup.”

“Anything else happen?”

“Typhon tried to bully me into giving him the Jar, I said no. He’s going to kill everybody I love in three days’ time. Zac is Ares, the god of war and is mega pissed at Emi over some ancient feud. They have a Minotaur in the basement of Reinheart and Hunter, not a cute one like in Harry Potter, one which sucks out every drop of positive emotion in your life. Zee is linked to me through the blood donation I gave him. So now he has some powers, an altered aura, and gets to play therapist to every emotion I have. I found out Nathan gifted me with truth so I can’t lie.” I grin. “Oh, and I have a temple.”

“That’s all?”

I tilt my head as a nasty spike of emotion sets off a crescendo of enthusiastic waves below. “I swore a binding oath to Zac that I will do everything I can to save Archan.”

Duncan sucks in a breath. “Do you understand what that means?”

I give up with my yoga pose, open my eyes and throw my legs over the side, mimicking Duncan. The sunshine glitters like diamonds across the endless crystal water. “If I don’t uphold my end of the oath, he will own my soul.”

“That’s right. But a fulfilled oath holds power too.”

I snap my head towards Duncan. “How so?”

“When you fulfill the oath, his power will bolster your own. God oaths are notorious for being ruthless but also potent.”

“So when I save Archan, I will get a power boost from Zac?”

Duncan nods. “Yes. Did you get anything in return?”

“He promised to protect everyone I love and care for.”

“Something we can do ourselves, Natia. Don’t go selling your soul for us.”

“We needed the key. I had no bargaining power. I was going to do it anyway, so no loss, only gain.”

“Then why are you out here pretending to meditate?”

“Um…”

“Zee?”

I nod. “He’s shackled to me. Who would want that?”

He pushes up and offers me his hand. Grabbing it, I haul myself to my feet and follow him into the bat cave. “Let’s see what we can unpick about the several bombs you’ve stepped on.”

I huff as we dart around the waterfall door. “I didn’t step on anything, somebody threw them at me.” He glances at my paint-stained clothes.

“I can see that.”

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