Dread. Pure dread, seeped into my soul, we had fallen off the cliff playing right into fate’s hands and for the first time in my life…I didn’t know what to do.
"They are still alive, barely," Emon growled.
Then all at once our family crumbled.
First Asher’s wolf fell, a soft whimper escaping his snout before he shifted back into his fae form with Riella clutching at his chest. “No! Papa Asher! Wake up. Wake up!"
Running to Riella, I pulled her into my arms when Bane’s voice barked out.
"Dark.”
I spun back around to see him catching the unconscious Riley in his arms with a grunt, sweat pouring down his face as he blinked at me, fighting whatever was taking them down.
"Make him pay for this girl," he half slurred, half growled before falling, still managing to hold Riley protectively in his embrace, his eyes falling on Penina before they closed.
Looking up at the death god and shielding Riella, I attempted to call the shadows to me, to find a way to stop this…I needed to stop this. But they did not respond, not even when I attempted to pull them from the sky, or the soft shifting sands.
Frustrated, I screamed at the death god. "Why! Why are you doing this? Stop this now…” Heaving with tears of betrayal, I looked past the death god to see the dark anger on my brother’s face directed straight at our father and the sad eyes of my mother watching—just fucking watching. “How can you let him do this?” I whispered brokenly.
It was clear, I did not know them. The mother and brother I once knew would have never allowed this,
Riella sobbed into my chest, her tiny body trembling with fear and the death god shook his head sadly, but I didn’t believe his sympathy for a second. "There is no way to stop what comes next, your mother and brother couldn’t have prevented this."
"Little umbra," Emon gasped, crawling towards me, his chest heavy with panting breaths, his gold eyes shining with a fear I had never seen from him before.
Stumbling with Riella still tightly in my arms, I collapsed next to him, cradling his face with my free hand.
"Father!" Riella sobbed, falling from my hold into his chest.
Purring, his arms wrapped around her. "It's okay my cub. I'll find my way back to you." His blazing gaze burned up at me. "This isn't death. I'll find you my soulmate," he growled before his dark lashes fluttered closed.
I felt the world tilt the moment his eyes shut and I forced myself to look up at the bright emerald gaze of the god of death watching me. “Please,” I whispered brokenly, the cosmos swirling in my vision, a harsh array of neon and moonlight as I fell to the white sands beside my soulmate.
Before I met the ground, strong arms enveloped me. The furious gaze of my brother staring back at the dark looming god.
"Fuck you and your fucking plans! This wasn't the way! She will never trust you or us ever again. Never! Just like I never will," he roared.
I whimpered and his furious face snapped down to me, softening slightly but still full of so much anger—just like the last time I saw him when he disappeared from my life in shadow.
"Don't worry Rem, Rem. I got you. Always."
Chapter 3
"Caretotellmewhere you have gone, Remi darling?"
I shivered at the soft caress of my former lover’s voice and blinked, peering into the sunlight atop the parapets of the City of Light—intact and not riddled with destruction.
I shook my head, this wasn't right.
"Are you quite alright?"
I blinked again and turned to see Deirdre sitting in front of me wearing an elegant gown of silk turquoise, sipping on a cup of tea from a finely crafted, hand painted porcelain cup.
This wasn't right.
I stared at the cup, it was from one of her favorite sets. A set that she had thrown at me in a fit of rage for trading prisoners of war with the shifter king.
I frowned. This wasn't right…and then I knew.
