Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
“Give her to me!” He reached for her.
“Fuck you!” I snapped, holding her closer to me. “You’re the reason we’re in this fucked-up bullshit in the first place! You couldn’t leave well enough alone, could you? Now look.” I gestured to her as she came to.
“Onyx, please stop…” she weakly bellowed, trying to get out of my embrace.
I growled, keeping her in place.
We were all at a standstill. The council was even in shock. It felt as if years flew by us in a matter of seconds.
“Oh my God…” Hennessy spoke out, breaking the deafening silence.
I looked down at her. It was only then that I realized what she figured out on her own.
For some reason, I thought back on my prayer when she finally understood the truth without anyone having to utter another word to her.
We locked eyes. Hers were filled with so much agony it was hard to see and experience it with her, but I was thankful someone did. Pain like that needed to be shared. You couldn’t carry it alone. It was as if she reached into my chest and yanked out my heart.
It was now beating in the palm of her hand.
Then she ripped it apart, the moment she realized, “Deja is my father’s daughter, isn’t she?”
I didn’t have to confirm. You could see it written all over my face.
Hennessy
“Isn’t she?” I insisted, needing to hear him say it.
No one spoke until my uncle's pleading gaze landed on the council, who hadn’t stopped looking at Mr. Devereaux. I think they were in as much shock as we were that he just sacrificed himself for his only son.
It was the last thing I ever expected, proving where his loyalty lay, despite his blood oath to his sacred Brotherhood. I knew how much this meant to Onyx, and with the expression on his face, he was dying inside.
Tío didn’t surrender, adding, “She already knows the truth. Don’t you think this has gone on long enough? How many more lives need to die before—”
“As many as we need!” one of the council members yelled.
My gaze fell upon Onyx again. I pushed against him, needing to stand. To my surprise, he let me. Finding my balance, I faced the council.
I stood tall, proud, and with conviction. Not thinking twice about it, I stated, “What if I pledge my oath to the Brotherhood?”
Onyx didn’t just fall back. He stumbled from the impact of my vow. “Hennessy, don’t you fucking dare!”
I whipped around. “Haven’t you been paying attention? I do whatever the fuck I want.” With that, I turned back, facing them once again.
I was tired of all the death, of all of the secrets… it was obvious what happened to Mrs. Devereaux and my father now. I didn’t have to be told to know that they sacrificed themselves for their children, or maybe they were tortured and murdered for their affair.
Regardless, this curse…
It fucking ended with me.
“If I pledge my alliance to the Brotherhood, can you spare Mr. Devereaux’s life?”
I could feel Onyx’s glare and Mr. Devereaux’s surprised gaze burning holes all over my body.
Finally, a council member replied, “You’re a woman.”
I didn’t hesitate. “I’m a legacy, and if it weren’t for my ancestors, none of you would be standing here today, so if you really want to talk about the order of things, let’s start there.”
Onyx softly chuckled from behind me, and out of nowhere, Caspian groaned in pain, rolling onto his side.
Pleading my case, I added, “The truth is out now. There is no need for more killing unless you’re doing it for your own sick pleasure and not for what’s in the best interest of your blood oath, which, let me remind you, needs to come first, right?” Grabbing the dagger that they used to cut down Caspian off the grass, I sliced it into the palm of my hand, vowing, “Speak No Evil, Hear No Promises, See No Temptation.” With that, I threw it on the ground between us, lifting my hand to show them my blood oath.
My uncle didn’t hide his pleased expression. He displayed it just as proudly as I was.
To my complete and utter dismay, Onyx stepped out beside me, in front of me actually. Swiftly, my tío did the same, standing beside him. Within seconds, Mr. Devereaux was standing there also.
What they were doing was a ritual in itself, that much I was aware of. As if on cue, Caspian suddenly stood beside Mr. Devereaux, who grabbed him, trying to hold him steady.
Coughing up a lung, Caspian groaned out, “I’m also a legacy family, from the Hawthorne crest, and I think this is a great fucking idea. Can we bury this shit?”
I resisted the urge to chuckle. In true Caspian form, he was a smart-ass even in pain.
“I stand before the Blood Oath Brotherhood,” Mr. Devereaux announced, bringing our attention back to him. It was only then that I noticed he was holding the dagger.