Podstrony
|
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
lungs, branded him.
Your kiss. Your surrender. But did he say the words aloud? No.
He wanted to know what kind of bargain she had made with Koldo a bargain that required
her to stay with Zacharel for a month. A bargain that had provided her with the Water of Life. He
also wanted to know why Koldo wanted him out of the heavens for so long.
But again, he held his silence. He liked the outcome, so he would not press Annabelle for an-
swers she wasn t yet ready to give. Not yet, at least. Those would come; he would make sure of it.
Yes, I will have her. Despite his anticipation for the deed, however, anger coiled inside his
bones. He still didn t want to want her, and he blamed her for reducing him to this& a man willing
to forget his duty and forgo his honor simply to learn a woman s taste.
We will discuss the terms once we reach our new location, he said more harshly than he d
intended. The longer we stay here, the more danger my warrior faces.
She studied his features for a moment, searching for& what? All right. We ll shelve our little
negotiation. Reaching up, she linked her fingers behind his neck.
Always she surprised him. When he expected her to protest, she caved. When he expected her
to cave, she fought him. When he expected
thoughts derailing& realigning& She was even closer to him now, as if they were two
halves of a whole. The very idea heated his blood, making his insides burn and his skin sweat.
Zacharel.
The male voice echoed through his mind, neither a memory nor springing from his own mind.
Thane? he asked, instantly concerned.
Yes.
You are well? And the others?
We were not attacked, but we did engage the demons chasing you.
Good. Did you leave one alive?
After the slightest hesitation, he heard, Yes.
As if Zacharel would protest the coming torture, when that was exactly why the demon still
lived. Find out who sent the minions. They came to steal Annabelle.
How is she?
Well. But the only way to keep her safe is to hide her. Therefore, I will be hiding with her.
Contact me when you have an answer. And, Thane, he added before the soldier ended the con-
nection. Check on Koldo when you have the chance.
Why? What s wrong?
Zacharel? Annabelle said. I don t mean to criticize, but you re just standing there, staring
at me.
Not you, but I need a moment, he replied, but the distraction had severed the link. He tried
to open it back up, failed. Moment over.
All right. Though she radiated confusion, she said, So, um, again, how do you propose we
leave this place?
Concentrating on her, he said, The same way we left the institution. My question is, will
you enjoy this ride as much?
He misted both their bodies and flew her through the ceiling, then layer after layer of stone-
laden dirt. He hated leaving Koldo, but already he d skirted the edge of acceptable by placing
the warrior on the bed.
Whatever his reasons, Koldo a warrior given to him because he d beaten his last command-
er into bloody pulp had helped him and thereby Annabelle. Zacharel hadn t thought to ever
come to admire the men and women under his leadership, but he couldn t deny the fissures in
his chest were expanding, making room for more than just Annabelle and desire.
They rose above the surface of grass and flowers, towering trees, and into a midmorning sky,
the sun half-hidden behind a thick shield of clouds. Birds flew in every direction, their calls
shrill yet welcome.
I ll never get used to the beauty, Annabelle gasped, awe and wonder heavy in her tone.
Yes, she was enjoying this ride as much as the other. How would she react to other things
free women could do? Things like shopping, and dancing, and dating.
Don t you think it s beautiful? she asked.
I once believed it was, yes, and assumed the beauty would never wilt.
We were born into this amazing world, Zacharel. We are meant to protect this land and its
people.
All I see is the blood of our parents, sprayed over the grass and oceans.
They died fighting demons. Unable to recover from the extensiveness of their wounds.
There is no greater honor than that. How many times have you said those very words to me?
So why can you not focus on the purity and innocence shining at us and forget the taint of the
past?
Neither he nor his brother had known the events that would unfold mere weeks after that
conversation. Hadrenial s capture, torture, and after a year of searching, Zacharel s rescue of
him. No longer had Hadrenial thought the world a place of splendor and glory to bask in. He d
seen the ugliness, had walked hand in hand with the evil, and he had begun to fear and hate.
Are you okay? Annabelle asked. You tensed up.
For once, Zacharel wanted to lie. To give voice to the thoughts swimming in his
head& would he also erupt? Or worse, cry? He d told Annabelle about his brother s death, but
not about his reasons for rendering that final blow. If he did, would she erupt and cry? Feminine
tears were not something he could handle right now.
Well? Are you?
Shh, he said. I must remain focused. Truth. Otherwise he would do something he would
regret.
Shush me again, I dare you.
His lips twitched in that way he was coming to expect in her presence. He searched ahead
but no demons lurked in the vicinity. Still, he should not risk taking her to a public place. Min-
ions often followed unsuspecting humans. He should take her to a private island in the Pacific,
undiscovered and untouched by humans, as planned, but& he changed course.
For over an hour he glided through the vast expanse of blue, going high, then low, then high
again, maintaining a constant zigzag impossible for anyone to lock on to.
Since you don t want to tell me what s wrong with you, and I can tell that you re still
bothered by something, Annabelle said, why don t you tell me why you no longer believe in
the beauty of the land?
Clouds of the purest white came into view, each surrounding mountains capped with snow.
Fields of green grass, and meadows rich with dewy flowers. Water so blue it seemed to hold a
thousand secrets in every ripple. He no longer pictured pieces of his parents strewn across dif-
ferent parts of the world. He no longer imagined the horror of his brother s last days, but even
so&
A man s surroundings are often tainted by his memories.
Her warm sigh caressed his neck. True. After my trial, my brother sold my parents house,
as well as everything inside it. He wanted no reminders of the horror I d caused.
But you did not cause that horror.
No, but he ll never believe that. Her sadness was a live wire, crackling and dangerous.
Words laced with faith have power, Annabelle, even negative words. If you want him to
change his mind, begin to speak and act as if he has.
What about his free will? And wouldn t a claim that he believes me be considered lying?
Minds can be changed of their own free will. And no, you wouldn t be lying. You speak
it, and because words have power, your faith makes it real.
But I don t have any faith in this matter.
You do, but it s small. You see, faith is measurable. It builds as you think about and medit-
ate on a spiritual truth. And do not shake your head at me. What I say is true. There are natural
laws, like gravity, and there are spiritual laws, like this one. You can have what you say if you
believe that you have it before you actually see that you have it. That is faith.
She thought about that for a moment. All right, so he wants to reconnect with me.
Good. Keep saying that. Keep thinking that. Any time a thought contrary to what you just
spoke tries to enter your mind, force it to leave. One day, you ll actually believe it spirit, soul
and body.
And just like that he ll seek a relationship with me?
Just like that you ll release a spiritual power unlike anything you ve ever known. He only
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pldoc.pisz.plpdf.pisz.plkskarol.keep.pl
|
