Dark Promise (Darkhaven Saga #3) - Danielle Rose Page 0,53

Mamá. She might refuse to speak to me now, but she can’t avoid me forever. I will keep reminding her that she’s attempting to murder her daughter. She can’t possibly be such a monster.

“Do not speak unless spoken to, child,” Abuela orders.

Ignoring her, I glance at Will, who is still seated on the ground. With hands and feet bound, he looks up at me. My heart breaks for the little boy he’s becoming before me. No longer strong, he’s scared and hurt. He knows he’s on his deathbed, and like me, he’s not ready to die.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper to him. Tears prickle behind my eyes, but I do not release them. I won’t give the witches power over my emotions any longer.

“Ava,” Mamá says, catching my attention.

I jerk my head to look at her. “Mamá…” I whisper, my voice in disbelief. How has it come to this?

“Vas a estar bien,” she says, but I don’t believe her. How will I be okay? How will this be fine?

“Por favor, Mamá, dime qué está pasando,” I beg. I just need to know what’s happening to us. What magic is this? It feels dark and unnatural. My skin itches where it rests against me. And what do the witches plan to do to two hybrids?

“While your grandmother was away, she uncovered the ancient magic of our people,” Mamá explains.

“Yes, apparently it is up to me to correct the errors of this coven,” Abuela says, glaring at Mamá. My mother cowers under the gaze of her high priestess.

A flash of rage erupts within me. Why is this her fault? Why has no one blamed the rogue vampires for this mess? If not for them, no one would be here right now.

“What kind of ancient magic?” I ask. I steal a glance at Will, who seems as utterly confused as I am. The binding on my wrists wraps tighter, and I grind my teeth, groaning. It’s a warning, but I won’t be silenced.

“A cursed prophecy about a creature—half-dark and half-light,” Mamá says. “You cannot remain both, mija, and this dark spell will correct that.”

“We will reverse this abomination,” Abuela says. Her words are laced with anger, and they lash out at me. I too cower beneath her stare, frustrated that she ignites such an instinctual reaction from me.

“We weren’t expecting the other,” Mamá says, glancing at Will, “but we will return him to his destined path too.”

“I don’t understand,” I say. “What magic? What path? What are you going to do to us?”

“We will suppress your vampire halves,” Abuela says. “It will be as if it no longer exists.”

“But…it does exist. The vampire is part of me. Mamá, please don’t do this.”

“Cállate, niña,” Mamá says, silencing me. “This must be done.”

“If you remove our vampire halves, what’s left?” Will asks, finally speaking. He sounds…intrigued, but I must be misreading his emotions. He has to be as frightened as I am right now. The binding on my wrists is making it difficult to think clearly. It digs deeper into my flesh, and soon it will cut through skin.

“La bruja,” Abuela says.

I swallow the knot that forms in my throat and glance at Will. He eyes me curiously, not understanding my grandmother.

“The witch,” I whisper.

“To complete this spell, I must link the unfortunates to another. Sacrifices, step forward,” Abuela orders.

Mamá walks to me, never breaking my gaze when she says, “I will link with my daughter.”

“Y el chico?” Abuela asks.

No one steps forward to save Will, and for a brief moment, I fear what that will mean. I don’t understand this link or its purpose, but I’m certain not having one at all means an untimely death when it comes time to perform the spell.

After several seconds pass, and after I’ve silently pleaded with just about every witch chaining me to this place, someone steps forward. I’m not surprised by her desire to help, because not even a half hour ago, Will risked his life in an attempt to save hers.

“Liv, are you sure?” Mamá asks. “Do you understand what this means?”

Liv nods but doesn’t look at Will or me. Perhaps her shame is getting the best of her. It may be petty, but I hope that feeling haunts her every day for the rest of her life.

“We must hurry,” Abuela says. “The sun is rising.”

I stare at the sky. In the distance, it grows lighter. I watch as the sun begins to rise, the world erupting in a fury of light as the darkness