Page 67 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

Flicking his gaze between me and Archan, he says. “You’ve just forgiven him for the shit he put you through?” I frown, Zee puffs out an empty laugh. “He stamped all over your trust whilst you were still sweating from sex. He didn’t even stop to question his beliefs, he assumed you were the guilty evil party and refused to listen to you.”

Archan’s grip tightens on my arm, I tug it and he lets me go, his hands skimming my sides as I step back. Duncan stands and stares at me like a disappointed parent. “You didn’t even trust us to tell us about the key. This whole thing was avoidable if you had the decency to offer us the same confidence we gave you,” he runs a hand over his chin, “to be honest, if you can’t trust me after four years of friendship, I don’t see the point.”

“The point to what?” I whisper.

Zee stands, folds his arms, and glances at me with disgust. “You’d rather put your faith in a man you met a few weeks ago. He likes the chase. But he’s not interested in knowing you, he wants to devour your soul.” Zee shakes his head. “You’re not the woman I thought you were. You’re weak; a sucker for a pretty face and with a few words of flattery you melt like butter in his palm.”

The pain in my chest is a sharp physical sensation, I rub my hand over my heart and curse the sting of tears. “I’m not weak,” I whisper.

Archan’s hand snaps forward, he grips my arm, spins me around and plasters himself to my back. His arm bands around my shoulders, holding me in place. “It doesn’t matter, you gave yourself to me.” Tendrils of his power snake into my mind, digging under my shields. The cloying, heavy seductive power calls to me. I lean my head back. They’re right, I’m weak. I don’t deserve their friendship. He bites my ear, too sharp to be pleasurable. “And now I find you’re lacking in everything I need to remain interested.” He shoves me towards Duncan. Who pushes out his hands to stop me bouncing into him, a frosty glare plastered on his face.

I clutch his hand. “Duncan, I’m sorry.” He steps back, breaking contact. Zee leans against the wall, his emotions closed off. My heart cracks. This is how they feel? I can’t blame them, they’ve been dragged into a war because my psychotic ass couldn’t have handled these threats alone. No, I had to bind five people to me, and those ties are shredding before my eyes, it’s no less than I deserve. Misery and desolation claim my battered soul as I sink to the cold stone floor and glance at Zee. What I’ve done to him is worse, it’s a violation. I’ve claimed his soul like a possession. Emotionless flat green eyes stare back at me with distaste.

“What are we fighting for, Natia? If Ty was to offer you a deal to save us in return for yourself, you wouldn’t hesitate, you’d let us die,” Zee says.

“What? No… I-” My words die in my throat. I would give anything to save them, but what if offering myself results in Hell being unleashed on Earth?

Duncan nods as if understanding the dilemma. “See, it forces us to die to protect you. Whilst you would die to protect everybody but us. Perhaps you should just get it over and kill us all now, eliminate your weaknesses.”

The tears overfill and spill down my cheeks. “You aren’t my weakness, you are my strength. I can’t do this alone.”

“If you want to save us, this is how it has to be,” Zee snaps.

I suck in a breath. “What do you mean?”

Zee squats in front of me. “Lawrence offered us a deal. If we leave you to rot with Ty as your master, we get to live.” He tilts his head. “Why wouldn’t you want that for us?”

“It’s a lie,” I sob. They were going to leave me here. I glance at Zee, my heart, and at Duncan, my soul. I look back over my shoulder at the cold creature who set my spirit on fire, played with my demons and tamed them with his own.

Archan shakes his head. “You will never put the ones you love first. Your mission to destroy Ty already consumes your every thought.”

“You’re wrong, I want to save you.”

“Then you’ve missed the point of your entire existence. You are judge, jury and executioner for humanity, Natia. Which means everybody you love comes second. Your love isn’t a gift, it’s a fucking curse.”

My heart beats faster. He’s right, they aren’t safe whilst they are anywhere near me.

“You’ve made your decision?” Lawrence asks, making me flinch.

“We have,” Duncan says, stepping over me, his coat sliding over my head. The edge catches a strand of my hair and tears it out. Zee follows him without a backwards glance as the bars slide open. The cracks in my heart splinter as a crushing pain like I’ve never known settles in. I’ve never felt so small.

“Perhaps they are correct,” Archan’s silken voice says.

“About which part? I’m weak? The worst kind of friend? That their need to protect me comes from a place of unearned loyalty rather than love? That I should give into Ty so I can protect them?”

He chuckles, I glance up as he comes to stand in front of me. “All of it.” The warm depths of gold ice over just like his emotions for me. I drop my head, my hair curtaining my face. I’ve been so stupid.

His hand swipes my hair back from my forehead, he grasps it and jerks my head back. “You are not worthy of their friendship or love. Your place is here in the depths of hell, with me as the master of your world.” Gold eyes bleed to black as the beast stares back at me, lapping up my pain. My world crumbles as Archan abandons me as well. I try to shuffle back. His grip tightens, ripping a few strands of my hair from my scalp. My hands fly to his. My nails dig into his hand, wetness coats my fingertips as I draw blood.

He smirks. “Are you trying to turn me on, little temptress?”

I grit my teeth. “I’m trying to get you to let go!”

He drags my head up, I follow, coming to stand. With his other hand, he swipes at the wetness on my cheek. “I will never let you go. Your protectors have abandoned you, even Archan has retreated. I’m all you have, Natia. The world is full of fickle people who will use you for your power and abuse your trust.”

My head shakes as he bands me to him. “I won’t give in to you.”

“I will never lie to you or abandon you. I plan to use your power to help me rule a new world. One without the fickle creatures you call friends. I don’t want you kneeling; a woman like you could never bow down. No, I want you at my side, forging a world with creatures worthy of the beauty Earth offers.”

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