Page 119 of The Souls Harvest
Click.
“Put that gun back, Horigean. You’re so insignificant, I wouldn’t even touch you with someone else’s hands,” Roden snaps at Merya, dragging my attention to the source of that noise. Galen’s eyes are so white I can no longer detect any trace of their natural shades. “I’m only here forher.”
Roden confidently starts to move towards me, ignoring Tabitha and Merya, curling a finger towards me. “It’s time to come back home, my dear.”
His words strike something sharp and hot inside me asrevelation sparks. “If you’re in Horigos, that means there is no home to go back to.” Tears sting in my eyes.
Roden grins. “Clever, little July. It’s such a shame your spark of independence and the love for this filthy being carved indents in your otherwise perfect soul. But I can fix that. Now, this was fun, but my time is precious, and yours is…up.”
All of a sudden, Roden raises Galen’s hands, palms out, in front of his face, and Tabitha and Merya fall to their knees, screaming and covering their ears.
In the corner of my eyes, Jyn and Mack sprint towards us, but Roden slides one hand to his right. “You stay there, I’m not planning to waste time killing you. But I can always spare a minute.”
Jyn and Mack are petrified, frozen with only their eyes darting left to right, terror filling them and their nostrils flaring as if struggling to let air in and out.
“And you…” Galen’s head turns to an odd angle as if he’s trying to stop Roden from moving. The tendons in his neck tense like violin strings whenhefinally looks at Kris and hisses, “Step away, and she will be removed from this place with all her lovely limbs still attached. But remember, I don’t need her legs or both arms; her power will be the same even with a bit or two missing.”
Kris swears under his breath but doesn’t let go of my hand.
In the background, Tabs and Merya’s weeping is impossible to ignore. Their shoulders shiver as they try to fight Roden’s oppressive weight, keeping them crouched on the floor.
My chest shrinks to a size too small for my hammering heart.
Galen’s hand, hovering above Merya and Tabs, closes into a fist. He - no, Roden - smirks a second before the women collapse to the ground—and stop moving.
I charge, ignoring the sense of void when I break contact with Kris. The only thing I can see is Roden’s face hiding behind Galen’s familiar features. But instead of dodging me, Roden opens Galen’s arms wide, exposing his chest and laughing.
The impact with Galen’s hard muscles gives me back lucidity, but when it’s already too late to rethink my actions.
One moment Kris’ loving hand is protecting me; the following, I’m in Galen’s arms, Roden spinning me around to press my back against his chest, his heart - Galen’s - galloping with fear. Or excitement.
“Please don’t hurt them,” I whisper, searching the room to check on the others.
Despite Roden having his hands busy with me, Jyn and Mack remain still like statues, still like Tabs and Merya even if their backs slowly rise and fall.
Galen’s stubbly jaw tickles my face when Roden lowers it to my ear and grumbles, “I don’t take orders from my rebel daughter.” He brushes Galen’s lips against my cheek before pressing a kiss that makes my stomach roil.
With a silent call, Kris beckons my eyes onto his. He hasn’t reacted at all, but his fists are white-knuckled by his side.
“Let us go,” I mumble, every word piercing my chest like a hotneedle. All I want to do is to close my eyes and pretend nothing is really happening.
But if I block it all out, I will have to say goodbye to those green eyes. The only presence that matters.The eyes I cannot remember falling in love with…
Tabitha groans, interrupting my thought.
Roden jerks, flinging an arm towards the sound, causing Kris’ low, satisfied growl. “You’re not so close as you wanted us to believe, after all. Your power is flickering.”
Galen’s body twitches against mine. Kris’ words must have struck the right point. But his blow is short-lived.
Roden loops an arm around my neck and forces Galen’s weight onto my back, pushing forward, past Tabitha and Merya. Something gleams in his hand.
“What? Have you lost your voice?” he taunts Kris, slightly pressing a pocket knife, the one I gifted Galen for his eighteenth birthday, against my neck. It stings and draws blood, but Kris’ eyes, turning darker and hopeless, hurt more than anything.
This is how we say goodbye for the very last time.
Chapter 42 - Family Portrait
Kristyon
