Chapter Thirty-One
Catarina
Ijust finished prepping one of the gardens for next spring. It isn’t for a few months but some plants need to be trimmed before the frost gets too bad. My goal is to have them all tended to by the end of the month. My clothes feel disgusting against my skin from the sweat and dirt covering me; although, I wasn’t concerned about the dirt caked on my skin last night.
It’s not hot outside but I’m sweating and in need of an outfit change. I make my way to my bedroom and realize my door is unlocked when I grab the knob. I swear I locked it this morning because I always double check it before I start my day. Alarm bells are going off in my head when I push the door open.
“Hello?” I announce my presence as some form of a shield, but I don’t think that helps people who have an intruder in their room. My shoulders drop, the muscles relaxing when I see the back of Zed’s head. “Zed?” I ask. His body language feels like he’s being cautious when he spins around to face me. What’s wrong? What’s going on?
I slowly walk toward him, unsure of what’s happening, when I notice my Grandma’s necklace in his hands. It looks broken. I run over and reach for it. “What the fuck?—”
He cuts me off before I can say anything else. “Why do you have this?” The anger in his eyes sends a shiver through my body, and my brain screams danger, but I don’t back down.
“I think I should be asking you the same thing,” I shout. My heart is pounding in my chest, but before I can move he shoves me against the wall. My breath catches but the sharp pain shooting up my back barely registers through the sudden surge of adrenaline. Our noses are touching and I look at him, like really look at him. The eyes glaring at me aren’t his; I’ve never seen them or this version of him before. My fingers pry at his hands, but they don’t budge. His grip only tightens. Even the voice coming from his mouth doesn’t sound like the Zed I know. The Zed I love. “You don’t understand what you’re messing with, Catarina. Where did you find this?”
Find this? Why is he asking me where I found my grandmother’s necklace? What the fuck is going on? I feel like I should be asking these questions, but the fear I’m discovering of who the true Zed is, is the only thing on my mind now. My words are harsh and I try to push him off, but he doesn’t budge. “It’s my grandmother’s.”
His grip tightens on me. “Don’t fucking lie to me. Just tell me where you found this or who gave it to you!” I don’t say anything, I just narrow my eyes on him. My anger is simmering just under the surface. “If you lie to me again I can’t promise what I won’t do.”
Something inside of me snaps, and I garner every ounce of strength I can before shoving him backwards. “I am not a fucking liar and if you ever threaten me again you better follow through with whatever it is you threaten me with, because if you don’t, then I can’t promisewhat I won’t do.”
There’s nothing in his eyes but pure hatred. “You’re playing with fire, Catarina.”
I close the distance between us, shoving a finger in his chest. “If I’m playing with fire then you better be prepared to get burned because I’ll torch this entire place—with you in it.”
He just stares at me, not even offering a retort. What used to be the dark brown eyes I fell in love with, are now hollow sockets full of rage.
He shoves the necklace in my hand before stepping away from me. The muscles in his jaw flex and we stare at each other. Then without another word he storms out of my room, slamming the door shut so hard it rattles the frame.
I stare at the door then take a step toward it. Why is he so angry? What does my necklace have to do with him? What has changed the man I’ve grown to love in twelve short hours? And what the fuck do I do now? I press the back of my hand to my mouth trying to muffle my cries, but it doesn’t work. I slide down to the floor as sobs rack through my body. Every step I’ve taken toward him, every inch I’ve let him pull me in. I should’ve known better.
Who is he? This man who has been the only thing that’s ever felt like home, is someone I don’t even know. Everything feels so wrong and I can’t make sense of any of it. My fingers curl tighter around my broken necklace as if holding on to it will somehow give me the answers I need. But the more I think, the less I understand.
I let myself cry. It feels like it’s been over an hour when the tears stop. There’s nothing keeping me here. Maybe I just wanted to believe that someone could love me enough to be safe. But if I’m not even safe with Zedediah, then what’s left?
When a loud knock sounds at my door, I push up on my shaky thighs to stand, wiping my eyes. I shove the necklace into my back pocket and make my way over to the door. I’m angrywith the disappointment I feel when I see Luke instead of Zed. “Fenris wants to see you.” That’s all he says before turning and walking away.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Zedediah
Istorm out of her room, slamming the door behind me. I lean against the wall, feeling the cold, jagged surface through my shirt as I try to steady my breathing while I listen to her sobs.
The sound pulls at me, urging me to go back in. I really need answers, but my heart just wants to comfort her. But I can’t. That necklace—Lucy’s necklace—burns in the back of my mind. She never took it off, not once, and now it’s just sitting in Catarina’s drawer?
She just stood there staring at me like I’m the problem. Not even bothering to explain. Did she find it somewhere? Did someone remove it from Lucy’s body? Did Fenris give it to her? My stomach turns with the thought. I don’t know if I’m more pissed that she had it or that she refused to tell me why she had it.
My heavy footsteps echo down the hall as I storm through the building to Fenris’ study. I can’t stop thinking of all the ways that necklace could’ve gotten into her hands, and none of them are good. I’m halfway down the hall when I see Harold step outof my Father’s office. Something about his face, void of emotion as always, lights a fuse in me I can’t put out. I don’t think, I just move.
My eyes land on the fire axe mounted on the wall. Glass shatters across the floor as I rip it from its case. He looks at me confused for a second, but it’s too late. I charge at him and swing the blunt side of the axe into his gut. He stumbles back and crashes into the wall with a loud grunt before toss the axe down and land on top of him. Using the strength from the years of pent up rage, I slam my fist into the side of his face.
I yell and spittle flies out, “Did you give it to her?” My next punch lands harder against his cheek. “Was it you?” I swing again, missing. In a flash his fist smashes into my face before tossing me to the side. Somehow I manage to stand and lean up against the wall. “Answer me!”
“Who gave her Lucy’s necklace? Where the fuck did she get it?!” I stare at him and notice he’s white. His leathered skin, now somehow ghostly pale. All of the blood rushes out of his face and his eyes narrow into tiny slits. When warm blood trickles down my nose, I look at my knuckles and notice several are split open.
“Fuck!” he curses under his breath. Our eyes stay locked, even when the door opens and a flood of bodies rush out. I look at the axe lying on the floor and rush in its direction.
My wrist is grabbed before a burning pain runs through my hand when my finger is pulled back. I hear the snap and scream before trying to pull away. I hear Fenris’ voice say, “Break as many bones as you need to get him to submit!” My knees are knocked out from behind me, causing me to collapse.
