“Lumi’s the one—she’ll break the curse,” Serenity says.
I freeze, knowing there’s more. There is always more to these prophecies. The prophecies aren’t set in stone. Just because she sees something doesn’t mean it will actually happen—just that on the current course that everyone is on, it will.
Her blue eyes look deep into mine as she speaks the next part, “But the heartbreak…” She doesn’t finish her sentence before she vanishes.
“Fuck,” I say.
Emeric looks at me. “Fucking witches and their inability to tell you anything useful.”
I stare at the space where Serenity just was. As much as Emeric thinks what she said wasn’t useful, it was. I know so much more than him. And the burden I carry is unlike anything he’ll ever experience. I know what heartbreak she’s talking about.
I look back at the house, and the fear grips hold of every nerve in my body as I think about Lumi locked in my basement.
Emeric studies me closely as his blood drips down his neck. “Where’s Lumi?”
I don’t answer him.
“Where’s Lumi, Ambrose?”
“Leave it alone.”
He frowns as we both walk back into the house. The second he’s inside, I know he knows exactly what happened. He can hear her. He knows exactly where she is.
“She’ll never forgive you.”
“Good,” I snap.
Emeric doesn’t flinch at my word, but I know he can feel the turmoil swirling through me—the pain and fear and loss of control.
“You won’t hurt her,” Emeric says softly.
I close my eyes as the pain overwhelms me. Flashes of thick dark curls, golden eyes, and red lips splatter across my mind’s eye.
I shut the visions out as quickly as they came. I don’t want Emeric to be any more privy to how I’m feeling. But when I look at him, I can see the softness in his eyes. He knows exactly how I feel, but he’ll never truly understand because he doesn’t know the truth of what happened.
“She’s your mate. It’s real this time. Together, you’ll break the curse. But locking her up isn’t the answer.”
It’s the only way to keep her safe,I think, but don’t speak aloud. “Go see Serenai. You’re going to need help healing from that wound,” I command as my heart thumps wildly in my chest, and I know that there is no way to keep her safe.
Lumi’s the one—she’ll break the curse. But the heartbreak…
The brown curls and her infectious laugh through her red lips flash in my mind again before I switch my thoughts to the silver-haired beauty locked in my basement.
Lumi thinks I’m a monster, but she has no idea. It’s going to happen again—the heartbreak—and I have no idea how to stop it.
Chapter 19
Lumi
Anger ripples through me until my muscles begin to spasm uncontrollably. My nerves ignite, begging for an outlet before they combust.
But I sit.
And I wait.
And I wait.
I will wait until Ambrose returns. Then, I will make my move.
