Page 29 of Eternal

“I don’t understand. Why aren’t you coming back as well?” Farren asked. Already her suspicions were up and her gaze wavered between the three of them.

They knew why Kinsley wasn’t going to come back. He was talking about the Melktree herb in the Forest of Goian. It was heavily guarded by trolls with spears and on the throne was an old witch. The cost of one of her herbs was a man’s life.

Kinsley was going to sacrifice his life for his daughter’s happiness.

“I’m sorry, Farren. This is my way of making it up to you. I ruined your life with my experiments, my obsession with wolf shifters. I thought I would be saving the whole species when I triggered your DNA but I didn’t know that it would come at the expense of your heart.”

“No. Are you saying you have to sacrifice yourself for this herb? That’s why you’re not coming back? That’s why you’re taking a friend with you, so he can bring back the herb?”

“No,” Duncan said. “That’s not what he means.”

“We’re taking you to the forest, getting the herb, and bringing you back.”

“What? What is going on? The forest almost killed you,” she cried. “You can’t go back.”

They knew without a doubt she would never truly be happy. Not knowing that her father had sacrificed his life for her so she could be with them.

“The witch requires the sacrifice of a man’s life. And not any man. But a Kinsley because you see, Isidora stole the herb from her and the old witch had never forgiven her. She wants her justice.”

“This is ridiculous.”

“That’s the only reason we’re taking you with us, Kinsley, to get in. And once we’re in, we’ll get the herb, fight off the trolls and come home. With you.”

“I strongly disagree with this whole plan. You could all three end up dead. Why can’t I go? I have all these powers now, surely I can steal the herb.”

“The instant you step into the Forest of Goian it will never let you go. It will think you are its queen, Farren,” Kinsley.

“Oh my God. What is this? Why can’t we have normal problems,” she sobbed then brushed aside her tears. “No. I have to do it,” she said with serious determination. “I have to go to the vampire’s lair and do what I need to do.”

“Kinsley, will you excuse us? We’ll be upstairs in about an hour and then we’re leaving.”

“No one is going anywhere,” she shouted.

But Kinsley touched her face and left.

“Dad, wait, please. There must be another way,” she called after him.

“I would hate you for the rest of your life if anything happens to you in that forest. You have sons. They’re going to need you. Now, I am going to do this with Jarius. I don’t care what you say. It’s the only way.”

They couldn’t sense her scent anymore and it ruined them. And the fact that they could sense their sons’ scent but not hers destroyed them all the more.

“The fuck you will,” Duncan roared.

“It’s the only way. The most important thing is the war and we won’t stand a chance against the vampires otherwise.”

“We’ll find another way.”

“No,” Farren shouted and stamped her feet. The thin dress she wore silhouetted her perfect soft curves. She was so fucking beautiful they wanted to ravish her, show her that she belonged to them. But she kept increasing the distance between them. Being even one step too close to her felt like daggers were being thrown at them.

“That’s enough.”

“We can’t ever be together. Nothing is going to change that. Nothing. And going to the forest is completely out of the question. Why can’t I do this? Please. Let me.”

“Because we’re not sending you to the viper's lair when we can’t even get within ten feet of you. And if we can’t touch you, we can’t protect you.”

“I can go with other bodyguards. Human ones.”

They charged toward her. Both of them worked with the same thought, the same speed.

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