Page 72 of Retaliation
Levi threaded his fingers through mine and squeezed. “The night of the ritual, we gained abilities. One of them is reading minds.”
My eyes nearly bugged out of my head, and my cheeks flushed. “You can read my mind?”
Ty grunted in frustration. “No, pet, we cannot. We think it’s because of your Lumen blood. Daemons and lumens have many abilities and can also block out others more easily. Human minds are weaker.”
I shook my head, absorbing this information. “I’m not exactly a firm believer in all the daemons and lumens shit, but it’s difficult to ignore. So, you needed my family or our lumen blood for your ritual?”
“Not our ritual, Sara,” Dev cut in, his voice soft and his eyes sad.
I stared at him and thought of his father, who was one of them, but then murdered as well.
“So why does the stupid cult want me now?” I huffed.
My four daemons frowned, looking down.
Andras spoke first. “My father is always looking for ways to gain power and while he gained some through that ritual, he thirsts for more. And apparently it’s you who can give him that.”
I crossed my arms. “What about Michaela?”
Andras sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. I wanted to reach out and ease his stress for him.
Ty turned to Andras and spoke first. “Did you see that flash of memory before he died?”
Andras nodded, his concerned gaze meeting mine. “He’s seen your sister. They were at some kind of cabin home.”
My blood heated, and I rushed at Andras, smacking my fists against his chest. “Why did you kill him? He could’ve told us where she is! He could’ve hurt her!” I screamed, imagining the horrible things this sick fuck did to my baby sister.
He let me hit him again and again. He didn’t fight me. Tears burned the backs of my eyes.
Strong arms wrapped around me from behind. Ty hugged me tightly, soothingly. I couldn’t move. Andras stepped close and brushed the tears from my cheeks.
He held my face and forced me to look up at him. “He never touched her, Seraphina. His memories were altered to forget about her. I assume my father used the professor to find her, but that’s it. He never saw her again.”
I whimpered in Ty’s arms, the fight draining from my limbs. I wanted to hate them, to fight. But I believed him. Something deep in my soul trusted his words, and I couldn’t ignore the feeling.
“Belle femme, I swear it.” Andras caressed my cheek, his eyes searching mine. “Our fathers did not tell us about your sister being their prisoner. We only knew about your father. We were under the impression that he still searched for your sister.”
I believed him. Something was shifting among the five of us, and with every secret revealed, my walls cracked further. The Princes were slipping past my defenses, drawing me out.
I nodded, accepting his words. “Alright. Fine. I think that’s all I can handle right now. Let’s go rescue Danielle and get the fuck out of this ugly ass house.”
Andras nodded and turned, his face a mask as always. Ty followed him out of the room. Levi and Dev each clasped one of my hands and refused to let go.
I started to walk, but Dev stopped me.
“We don’t need to go down there. Andras and Ty will bring her out. She’s in rough shape.” He swallowed and turned away from me as he spoke.
Blood pounded in my ears as rage filled my veins. “I wish the fucker was still alive so I could kill him slowly this time.”
Levi squeezed my hand. “Me too.”
We waited for them on the front porch. It only took a matter of minutes, and my heart ached for the broken, passed out girl wrapped in blankets in Ty’s arms. Her straw-colored hair was dull and matted, but her face was unmarred. I imagined the rest of her body was not so lucky.
Andras clenched his jaw as he held the door open for Ty. He pulled out my phone and held it out. “Please let Audrey know her friend will be at St. Elizabeth’s.”
My fingers brushed against his as I took the phone. The connection between us hummed with so many emotions, some I didn’t yet understand or want to acknowledge. I stared into his cold, handsome face. Andras might have worn his mask well, but I could feel the anguish rolling through him. This happened because of his father. I knew now Andras hated The Obscuritas Kings as much as I did.
His dark eyes were filled with unending fury, and in that moment, I loved him for it.
