Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“This power of yours, the one that lets you sense how people feel about each other. Are you able to use it when you’re one of the parties in question?” His smile has fallen away but the warmth is still there. “Do you know how I feel about you?”
“You hate me.” The words are weak. I haven’t tried using my gift when he’s around. I’m too afraid of what I’d find. But I know him well enough to know he feels many things when he’s near me, and hatred isn’t even in the vicinity—hasn’t been since he had me locked in his dungeons.
He lifts his chin. “So that’s a no?”
“You hated me enough to lock me away when you found out the truth. Hated me enough to ignore me when I told you they’d come for me.”
“I’m not a monster, Felicity. You deceived me and had unfettered access to much of my court because you did it so well. I have a kingdom to protect, and I reacted accordingly.”
“Right.”
He studies me for a long time, the way he does when I think he’s trying to see the real me, and I wonder if he wants to. I’ve been so hung up on him wanting the girl he thought he fell in love with, I haven’t let myself consider that maybe he wants me. Or that maybe he could.
He finally sighs and steps back. “It’s been a long day. Get some rest.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Jasalyn
I barely recognize the girl in the mirror—not because of the scar that hooks around my eye but because I never bothered with mirrors after moving into the Midnight Palace. I’m no longer the person I was when Brie brought me here, and I’m no longer the person who ran away to hunt down Mordeus.
I sweep my hair off my neck to tie it back. The undercut Skylar gave me grew out while I was sleeping and is several inches long now. I should have her cut it again. Or maybe I shouldn’t bother. I can’t kill Erith for Kendrick, and when I lost the sword I lost my only way to get to Mordeus. I have six days and a power I don’t understand. A power that’s going to allow Mordeus to steal my body and my life for good.
I’m still staring at my reflection when I hear a soft knock on the door and the sound of it sweeping open.
Kendrick strides into the room, but his steps falter when he spots me. “What are you doing?”
I chew on the inside of my cheek and shrug. “I wondered if I stared at my reflection long enough, if I might see him in there.”
His shoulders sag, and pity etches lines around his mouth. “I don’t think he’s moved in just yet. They said that he won’t fully possess your body until he commands the power of your phoenix. Now that the ring isn’t part of the equation, he doesn’t have the same kind of access to you as he did before. You are you, Jas.”
I bow my head. “Except when I’m not.”
“Look at me.” He pads softly across the room and gently cups my face. “You’re here with me right now. He’s not.”
Kendrick’s eyes are such a pure light blue they remind me of the sky on a perfectly clear summer day. All sunshine. No darkness looming in nearby clouds. “For now,” I answer.
He drops his hand and studies me. “Now is all we can control anyway.”
I swallow. “Did you tell your friends? About Erith? About how I lost the sword?”
He nods, stress tugging on his features.
“I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
“We’ll figure it out.” Kendrick pulls me out of the chair and draws me against his chest.
I let myself melt into him. His breath is warm in my hair and his heartbeat is steady beneath my cheek.
“I still can’t quite believe you’re here,” he says, hands splayed wide across my back. “For months, I couldn’t think about anything but finding you, and then we did and you were barely hanging on. Burning up with fever, delirious. I’d finally found you and was sure I was going to lose you again.”
The knot in my chest pulls tighter, and I bow my head. I swallow the lump in my throat. I won’t remind him what’s coming. Not when we just had this conversation a few hours ago.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he says. When I don’t reply, he tilts my face up until my gaze meets his. “Please?”
“I’m just glad I’m here with you.” It’s true, even if it’s not the whole truth.
His gaze drops to my mouth. Lingers there for so long my heart tugs toward him like a magnetic force.
“You have no idea how much I’ve missed you. How amazing it feels to have you here.”
“Even though I’ve ruined so much?”