Page 103 of Heart of the Cursed
“What about Agnarr?” she asked. “Do you know about him?”
“Of course,” he said. “Who do you think sold you to him? He paid a handsome amount for you, as well.”
Selene had never been so furious in all her life. How dare he stand there speaking as if none of it mattered, as if her health and wellbeing meant nothing! The beatings she had taken, the torture, the rape… it all meant nothing to him.
She closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, trying to contain her anger, but she was fighting a losing battle. She needed to gain control of herself, and soon.
“Leave,” she said through gritted teeth.
“Not until you hand me the book,” he said adamantly.
She opened her eyes and glared at him. He took a step back before catching himself. He looked as if he’d seen a ghost.
“Your eyes,” he whispered.
“What of them?” she demanded.
He swallowed loudly before replying. “They’re just like your mothers.”
“Bullshit,” she spat. “My mother had brown eyes, mine are blue.”
“No, not the eyes she hid behind,” he said, shaking his head. “Her true eye colour.”
She caught movement out of the corners of her eyes. She knew the others were trying to see if he was lying, but she didn’t dare take her eyes off him, just in case he was trying to distract them.
“What was my mother?”
He tutted at her. “You know my offer. If you want to know about your mother, you first have to hand over the book.”
“That’s never going to happen.”
He turned to leave. “Well then, you’ll never know about her.”
If he thought she would go chasing after him for answers, then he was sorely mistaken. Selene didn’t chase after any male, especially one that proclaimed to be her father.
Such a bang-up father he turned out to be,she thought dryly.
What kind of father would watch their daughter go through the things she has been through? A shit one, that’s for sure. So, yeah, he was welcome to leave. In fact, Selene was more than happy to see the back of him.
Unfortunately, he didn’t walk away as he’d threatened just moments ago. Instead, he turned back around and walked straight towards her. His long legs ate up the distance within a couple of strides.
“Back off,” she growled between gritted teeth as he approached the stone slab where the book lay open.
He ignored her and continued walking. She didn’t take her eyes off him, but she could see Taredd and Dain moving in behind him. She felt more than saw Arun step forward, ready to protect her if anything should happen.
Having him so close gave her the courage to stand up against her father. She didn’t know how powerful his magic was, but she knew what his kind were capable of.
Selene raised her hands, ready to protect the book. No matter how much it took out of her, she would use every last drop of magic to keep it out of his hands.
He stopped two steps away and glared at her. “Do you really think you can stop me? Even with your friends backing you up, you are no match for me.”
“Take another step and we’ll find out, won’t we,” she warned him.
It was the last warning he was going to get. Father or not, if he took another step, she would have no choice but to fight him.
“Don’t,” Arun warned. “You will lose.”
Her father tutted at him. “I think you have that the wrong way around.”
