Chapter 14 Chapter 14
Sloane
Cold steel grey eyes snapped into mine and a cold sort of dread filled me. I shied backwards. If looks could kill then this Gethin would have me dead on the floor.
Even as I watched , I saw his nostrils flare. And then something new settled into his eyes.
He sighed. “She is the one.” He said simply but it was like his words held the weight of the world on them. In front of me Eirian and Ty stiffened. Shifting their weight they tried to shield me even more. Like he had out and out threatened me. When no such thing had passed his lips.
“The actual one. Which one of you-“ his eyes swept from
Me to pass over them.
Eirian bristled when Gethins eyes landed on his brother. “Me.” He snapped. “You can blame me for this one.”
Gethin shook his head. “I’m surprised Eirian. Surprised and disappointed. I thought you knew better.”
“She is the one-“ Ty began to say.
Half turned towards the door Gethin turned with an angry growl. “You have said that before. You said she was the one to break the curse but does the curse look broken to you.” Wildly he gestured to the dead girl on the floor.
It was like I was seeing her face for the first time. She looked young. My age but no older.
When they were attacking me they had seemed monstrous but now she just looked small and young. Guilt twisted my gut.
She looked innocent.
“Come with me girl,”
I blinked in shock at the hand that was thrust out towards me. He jerked it angrily and I realised he had been talking to me. I just didn’t hear it because I had been too busy looking at the dead girl.
“She’s not going anywhere.” Ty snarled.
“Yes she is. I have called a meeting and both of you will have to explain yourself to the council.”
Ty stepped in front of me. “You don’t need both of us to -“
“You fool. Sometimes I used to think it was your curse that made you the way you are but now?” Gethin shook his head. “Now I know it’s just you. The council needs to know your plan. Because a plan is needed. Your human will be fine. I will put her somewhere safe-“ his eyes widened as Eirian growled.
“Somewhere safe and comfortable. My own guard will stand outside her door. No one get in and out.”
Ty reached behind him to catch my hand. “She goes where we-“
“She cannot. She is not your mate, she hasn’t taken the mark. She can’t be allowed into the meeting chamber.”
“She fed us, she accepted us. The mark is just a formality.” Eirian growled.
I hadn’t done any of that on purpose but it didn’t seem like a good time to say it.
“Fine.” Tys shoulder shook in a sigh. “Fine, we will attend this meeting. But if anything happens to her-“ he left the rest unsaid because he didn’t need to finish. The threat was right there hanging in the air between them.
“Go with Gethin.” They turned to me. Crowding me between them. Eirian hands on my shoulders and Tys on my waist.
“Rest and eat. We won’t be long.” Eirian whispered.
Tys nose nudged my hair. His breath tickled. “If you need us shout. We will hear you but we won’t be long and then-“ his fingers flexed around my hip. “We can continue this properly.”
I blushed.
Gethin rolled his eyes.
“Follow me.” He ordered.
Dutifully I followed after the older man. My arms hugging myself. I tried to look around , to take stock of everything around me but it was impossible.
The corridors were like mazes. Dark cryptic mazes.
“This will be your room.” He flung open a door and stepped back but didn’t enter. “There is everything you need here. Including a lock on the door.” His eyes swept over me. “I suggest you use it. I will have a tray brought up to you but no one is permitted to enter this room but you and your alphas.”
I swallowed hard. “My alphas?”
Dark grey eyes swept over me again. “You have a lot to learn Sloane. I hope they keep you alive long enough to learn some of it. But I doubt it. The others didn’t.”
Two steps into the room I turned to him. “Everyone keeps telling me about the others.” I muttered. “But no one wants to explain it to me. Which others?”
“The other humans.” He shook his head. “There have been five before you. Five human women. The hope of our alphas lying on their shoulders. Each one was meant to be salvation.” He sighed. “Each one of them failed. They couldn’t take it. Sometimes their bodies broke first and sometimes it was their minds. It doesn’t matter. They all broke.” His lined eyes narrowed. “You will break as well.”
He stepped away and pulled the door shut behind him. For several long seconds I stared at the wood. Half tempted to yank it open and demand he tell me everything but at the last minute I remembered what he said and threw the lock instead.
Softly I banged my head against the wood, just enough to give myself a slight headache and that helped me focus.
Turning I surveyed the room.
It was nice, a lot grander than anything I had ever had before. The windows were arched , between them was a bed. Dark wood and towering high above my head.
The mattress and blankets looked like the most inviting thing I had ever seen. I wanted to sink into them and just close my eyes for a few moments.
Sleep sounded wonderful but I couldn’t give into it just yet.
Slowly because I didn’t want to miss a thing I moved around the room. My fingers brushed against warm polished wood, there were trinkets on the chest of drawers.
Little feminine things. A small vial of sweet smelling perfume. I brought the pink glass to nose and sniffed.
It reminded me of something I remembered my mother wearing. Made of forest roses and-
A small stuffed toy balanced on the edge. It’s fur matted.
My frown deepened.
Yanking open the the drawers I stared down at the neatly folded clothes.
Greys and browns. Each one a slightly different size. The stitching was different as well.
Coldness seeped through my bones and I shivered,
All of the things here. Things they expected me to wear had once belonged to one of those five girls.
They expected me to use their things and dress in their clothes.
Slamming the drawer shut I went to the high bed and climbed up. Pulling the thick throws and furs over my shivering body, I sank down into the pillows and closed my eyes against the horror of it all.
This was the room they had lived in. Had they thought they would be safe here? What had Eirian and Ty promised them?
They had brought me here, they expected me to save them wearing dead girls dresses.
Did they expect me to die like them as well?