Chapter 86
RAINE
âI donât believe you.â And I didnât want to believe that he was my biological father. He was a horrible cruel man.
He shrugged. Moving closer to me I had the urge to move a step back, but I caught myself. Show no fear, Rossâ words rang in my head.
âYou resemble her, you know. Your mother.â He walked around me, observing me from all sides. âShe was beautiful, submissive and sweet natured.â He lifted a strand of my hair.
I shrugged his hand off. âWhat do you want with my child?â My hands went to my belly as if I could keep him safe. He spoke as if he knew what the gender was. How could he possibly know that?
âHe is my blood. He might be even more powerful than myself.â He strutted around the room, picked up an apple from the bowl in the center of the table and took a bite.
It was more than just a dining room I realized as I finally took the time to observe my surroundings. The room had tall windows all around and all I could see were clouds and the blue sky. I walked to where he stood looking out. This was more like a lookout point, a watch tower of sorts. You could see for miles across the mountains and forest.
âBut arenât you curious about your mother?â He snapped his fingers and the halfâeaten apple disappeared.
âYou know nothing about my mother. You are not my father. My father is dead.â
âThat is what Heather told you. I am very much alive. You can deny it all you want, Raine.â He turned towards me, scrutinizing my face as if to ascertain himself of the fact. Maybe he also didnât want me to be his daughter as much as I didnât want him to be my father.
âThe truth was, she was too afraid of me, of what I am. I let her leave.â His lip quirked in a halfâsmile.
âYou just let her go? Itâs hard for me to believe.â There was more to it than he wanted me to believe.
âI donât have to tell you everything that happened between us. Also, there was the prohibition that she feared. She feared that you might be killed if they found out who your father was. So, she ran.â He poured a drink and handed it to me.
âWell, sheâs dead, no thanks to you and I was raised by an abusive drunk.â He abandoned us, me. How different would my life had been had he claimed me after she died? I would never know, but it still made me feel bitter. I threw back the sweet nectar to get rid of the taste in my mouth. It did nothing for it.
âPoor little girl and yet, look at you now, the queen of the werewolves.â His tone mocked me.
âYes, that is what I am, and I am nothing of yours.â I lifted my chin and squared my shoulders. âAmaris will come, and he will kill you.â
âAmaris is having his hands full at this moment, Raine. All the realms have turned against him and are preparing for a war. So, you see this is the safest place for you and the baby.â
I laughed, âThe safest place? The dream or vision I had came to mind, making my skin crawl. Amaris would burn down the entire supernatural world to get to me.
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Chapter 86
âJust answer one more question. You knew about me and yet you never came to get me?â
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The Magus rocked on his slipper clad feet, hands deep into his robeâs pockets. âYes, I kept an eye on you and saw you didnât have the power.â
âSo, you left me to get beaten up and abused and ridiculed without lifting a finger? Because I wasnât good enough for you?â I felt my anger fueling Tashaâs. She snapped and snarled at the back of
my
mind.
âDonât be so dramatic. It made you stronger. You are so much stronger than your mother, Iâll give you that.â
How dare he say that! âDonât speak about my mother! You are havenât earned the right to speak her name.â
He towered over me, peering into my eyes. His scent reminded me of the smell of the air after a thunderstorm. Itâs something you canât quite define. âYouâre getting upset. Itâs not good for the baby. His powers are strongly connected to your emotions. But donât get any ideas into your pretty little head. His powers wonât work on me.â
âIâve managed to destroy a pack of rogue wolves. What makes you so sure I canât do the same to you.â
âBecause weâre blood. Youâll only hurt yourself, Raine. But youâll try anyway, wonât you?â
I tried to reach for that power within me, letting my anger and frustration wash over me. Nothing happened. I just got extremely tired and sank into the chair.
âSee, he doesnât feel threatened by me, and you shouldnât either. I wonât harm you.â He lifted my chin to smile at me, but his eyes remained cold.
Not yet maybe. I would never trust him.
Quindin Thael that was his name, the High Magus. That is what one of the witches told me. I wanted to know his name to curse him when I finally get to kill him. But for the moment I decided to play along, be complacent until I get that opportunity. I was free to wander around the fortress but always with one of the witches to watch over me. For my own protection, according to him.
âI want to walk outside. Get some fresh air.â I told the blueâhaired witch Willa who was often my companion.
âIâm sorry, I canât allow you to do that. Quindin said it wasnât safe.â She sat on the table in my room, swinging her stockinged legs back and forth.
âSafe from what? Breathing?â
She snorted out a laugh. âWeâre not taking any chances. We barely got you out in time when the Shadow Dragons attacked.â
âThat wasnât the coven that attacked Joanna?â I sat up straight on the bed.
âNo, she asked for help, and we helped. She is a sister. As you are.â She ran ringed fingers through her blue tresses, making. them crackle from the static.
A sister. I think not. âAccording to your Magus I am nothing but a vessel.â
âYou are much more than that, believe me, Raine.â Willa smirked at me. âYou are the key to everything.â