Total pages in book: 161
Estimated words: 153795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 769(@200wpm)___ 615(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 153795 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 769(@200wpm)___ 615(@250wpm)___ 513(@300wpm)
“Zaira, I’m sorry,” he pleads. “I told you this shouldn’t have gotten as deep as it did between us—”
“But it did, and you lied to me, Thane! For days, you’ve been lying to me! I’ve sacrificed so much just to come to this island! You got what you wanted, but now my sister is going to die. Don’t you understand that?”
His head shakes quickly. “I won’t let that happen, Zaira. We have the tome—I can figure something out. I can still help you save her.”
Maliek chuckles behind me, and I want to slap him, but I’m too pissed at the man in front of me. The man I had so much faith in. The man I thought could change.
Thane comes closer, taking my hand in his. “You can still trust me. I can help you.”
I keep my gaze on him a few seconds longer, doing my best to fight the anguish. Then I close my eyes and breathe as evenly as possible. As hurt and devastated as I am, I can’t let this end here. Not like this. I have to find another way to save Analla, and if I can’t, I at least have to get back to her.
I still have time. I can figure something else out with or without Thane.
But first I need to make it off this damn island.
I snatch the dagger from my waist and move past Thane. Sliding the edge of the blade across my uncut palm, I fight a wince as I march to the pedestal and raise my hand above it.
I’m the so-called brave and noble mortal they need.
Okay.
So be it.
Let’s see if it’s true.
Blood drips down rapidly, coating the leather cover and dripping over the edge of the pedestal.
To my surprise, the book drops to the pedestal with a loud smack, and the glittering green aura dissolves. I pick it up. It’s heavier than it looks. My blood is smeared on the cover and the edges of some of the pages.
“Get him,” Maliek orders. “But keep him alive. We still need the Sunderstone.”
The assassins charge at Thane, gripping him by the upper arms. Oddly, he doesn’t fight them off this time. He just stares at me with a lost look in his damp eyes.
I don’t know what he’s thinking.
I wish I didn’t care.
I turn toward Maliek.
“Hand it here.” Maliek sticks out his hand while using the other to point a sword at me.
“Only if you talk to Seferin,” I demand, holding the book back.
Maliek’s head tilts. “What about?”
“My sister. Tell him that he has to break her curse—that he has to set her free and never bother us again.”
He sneers, looking me over. “Is that all?”
“Yes. I’ll travel back with you, and you can tell him that I willingly gave you the tome. Because you work for him, right? You follow his every order, and he trusts your intel?”
Maliek’s smirk slips.
“He’ll have the tome, and he’ll be even more powerful,” I go on.
“Zaira, no,” Thane pleads. One of the assassins forces him to his knees, slamming him down so hard something cracks. He groans in pain.
“I just want her back,” I whisper in a broken voice.
“Fine.” Maliek sticks his hand out farther. “I’ll tell Seferin you cooperated.”
I stare into Maliek’s eyes for a moment, then look at Thane. His head is hung low, lashes fanning across his cheekbones.
He looks…broken.
“Thank you for telling me the truth,” I say loudly, peering up at Maliek again. I rush in to hug him tight, and he freezes, unsure of what to do with the gesture.
Then he roars in agony as I plunge my dagger through his cold, dead heart.
Chapter 56
“Get up, Thane!” I yell as I snatch the dagger out of Maliek’s chest. Maliek’s sword clatters to the ground, and dark-red—nearly black—blood drips out of his mouth. I didn’t think he’d physically react, seeing as he’s already dead. Clearly, he’s not dead enough.
Maliek throws a weak punch at me, and I duck just in time. Grappling for me, he misses and stumbles forward, landing on his face. Blood spills from under him, and the room fills with grunts and clashing swords.
I look over to where Thane is lying on his back, struggling to fend off one of the assassins’ swords with his own blade. The gleaming edge is mere inches from his face, ready to slice through his flesh. He manages to shove the assassin off of him and hop to his feet before it can reach him.
One of the assassins grabs me, and I yell as another tries taking the tome. A blast of gold knocks one of them away. The one holding me loses his footing, slams down on his back, and cracks his skull when Thane gives his wrist a hard twist.
“Go, Zaira! Take the others and get out of here!” Thane shouts as more assassins rush him.