The oracle is gone. The walls and floor have stopped trembling. The air, once heavy and suffocating, feels lighter.
And Thea stands in the center of the room, the dagger in her hand normal once more.
“Little bird,” I whisper, taking a step towards her.
She whirls on me, desperation painted across her face, and drops the dagger to the ground. She begins to scratch erratically at her skin, her gaze flicking this way and that.
“We’re out of time,” she whimpers, a pained cry leaving her. “They’re here. The voices…the hallucinations… They’re all here.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
EVERETT
We walk down another narrow passage, the walls damp and slick. I fucking hate it here—how the walls seem to close in on me, how quiet it is, how stiff the air has become. The beast inside of me growls, desperate to break free, even knowing he’s too damn big to fit.
I hate everything about this place, but I’ll endure it a thousand times over if it means saving Thea.
Thea.
Even thinking her name has an emotion gnawing at the edges of my thoughts, crawling in the pit of my stomach.
Protect.
Possess.
She’s walking a little slower than usual, though Zaid and Krystian both easily keep pace with her. Her hands are fidgeting at her sides, twitching, like she’s trying to hold herself together but losing the fight. Or maybe she’s reaching for a dagger that’s no longer there.
We all unanimously agreed that Thea will no longer get any weapons. Not until we can figure out what happened back there with the oracle.
She begins to mutter to herself, barely above a whisper, and my black heart cracks just a little.
“No, please. Don’t…” She places her hands over her ears and rocks slightly. “Stop it. Leave me alone.”
Her gaze flickers from side to side as tears form in her eyes.
“Thea?” Zaid says gently, reaching for her hand the way he has done countless times before.
“DON’T TOUCH ME!” she screams, stumbling away until her back is flush against the cave wall.
Her gaze fixes on something in the shadows ahead, her pupils dilated. Her lips move again, but this time, I can’t detect a word she’s saying.
“Love…” Krystian tries, his features pained.
Her breath quickens with fear, and the sound makes my heart rate spike. My instincts demand I rush towards her, pull her into my arms, and assure her she’s safe, but I hold myself back. If she won’t even let Krystian and Zaid near her, then she sure as fuck isn’t going to allow me to touch her.
Rafe moves beside me, his jaw clenched so tightly I wouldn’t be surprised if he chipped a tooth. His hands curl and uncurl into fists repeatedly by his sides.
“When I find out who did this to her…” He allows the threat to hang unspoken in the air.
Darkness—madness—percolates in his dark-brown eyes.
“They’ll die,” I agree easily.
And I won’t make it a quick death, either.
“Please don’t touch me. Please.” Thea curls into a ball and begins to sob.
And I make a vow right then and there that the person behind this will pay for each and every one of thoseheartbreaking cries. I already planned to torture the fucker, but I’ll take my time. Make it last for weeks, if not months. I am immortal, after all. I have nothing but time.
