Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Sasha nodded as Neil changed and a large snowy white wolf was suddenly in the room.
Neil took off.
Sasha took his wife’s hand.
The chase was on.
Chapter Thirty-One
Zoey
Fear floods my system as I roll toward Devilshea.
I know I should run, but in this moment it’s like my Dev is hurt. It’s pure instinct, and I can’t think straight. All I see is my husband with an arrow in his shoulder and a rasping sound coming from his chest.
“Dev.” I kneel over him.
“Zandra,” he says between gritted teeth. “Run. You must run.”
Now he sounds like my Dev. I glance around and the servants are fleeing, but I don’t see where the archer is.
I reach for a knife. It’s small, but I need some kind of weapon. “We need to get that arrow out of you. If they’re smart, it’s cold iron, and the longer it’s in, the more likelihood it kills you. It’s going to have to go out the back, I think.”
“You have to run.” His hands grip my arms, and I see a bit of desperation there. “Go. Can’t live through your death again.”
“I’m going to kill her,” a deep voice says.
Eoin is walking toward us, and he is not alone. He has several of the king’s guard with him, and he’s dressed for battle.
Confusion sets on the king’s face. “What is going on? Eoin? Why aren’t you chasing whoever shot me?”
I know the reason. “Because he’s the one who shot you.”
“I will admit you are far smarter than the you who lived on this plane,” he says with a smirk my way. “Zandra was an idiot. She truly believed he would come around and marry her one day. He never would have.”
The king tries to push himself up.
Two other guards draw down on him.
“Don’t fight, Dev,” Eoin says with a tsk. “They’re out of your spell now so they’re a little angry about spending the last couple of years as your mindless zombies. Thanks for not doing that to me, by the way. I know. We were childhood friends. The best of friends. But I’m weary of you always chasing after this one woman when you could have had them all. And the wizard pays more.”
“Bastard,” the king hisses.
Eoin shrugs. “Certainly, but at least I’m not so bespelled by a woman I would chase her across planes of existence and ruin my soul for love.”
“No, you did it for money,” I point out. My fear has ramped up, and I have to force myself not to put a hand over my belly where my daughter lies. Them not knowing about Harriet might be the only thing keeping her alive.
Though the wizard knows, and apparently that’s who this asshole is working for.
He nods, no shame at all in his expression. “Yes, a much better reason to sell one’s soul, if you ask me. Now because you have no one to defend you, let’s get you ready to pay your bill to the wizard.”
I stand, putting myself between the king and his guard. I’m pretty damn good at defending myself. Though it’s been a while.
“What are you doing?” The king struggles to get the question out.
I pick up the decorative sword he placed on the blanket when he sat down. “Giving this asshole a hard time.”
“I will go with you if you allow her safe passage.” The king struggles to his feet. “I will do what the wizard wants if you only spare her.”
I’m shocked because I’ve seen nothing but selfishness from this version of Dev. It’s like someone took all the empathy out of him and this is the shell we are left with. But now, facing pain and death, he finds something of the soul I’ve known for years.
He takes the sword from my hand even though he winces at the weight. His left arm is useless and he tosses the sword away with his right. He stands in front of me. “Go. Find your real husband. I’m not a fool. You love him. You were placating me. Find him and be happy.”
Tears pierce my eyes because there is still some measure of good in this man.
“I think she’s about to find him.” Eoin gestures to something behind me, and I realize we’re circled by guards who have no intention of letting me go. “Both of you are needed for this ritual of the wizard’s.”
I have to try logic. “You know what he’s trying to do, right? He’s trying to close the door between the celestial planes and the Earth plane, leaving Hell and Earth alone.”
“Don’t know. Don’t care. It won’t affect us here, so that sounds like an Earth plane problem,” Eoin says with a smirk. “We’ll be fine on this plane. I’ll take over as king, put down that son of yours and his rebels, and we’ll live like kings. Because we’ll be kings. At least I will.”