Dark Promise (Darkhaven Saga #3) - Danielle Rose Page 0,54
is cast away. Every second that passes, I see the blanket of sunlight cascading the land, encroaching far too close to my uncovered skin.
Will fights against his restraints as he too watches the sun rise. I still have so many questions for him, not just about what we are and what our magic can do, but also, I want to know about him. What is his story? Was his former coven as messed up as mine is? How long has he been searching for another hybrid to spend his days with? Does he regret meeting me? And as the sun begins to rise in the distance, I fear I will never have answers to the many questions circling my mind.
“What if the spell doesn’t work?” I cry out, hoping someone, anyone will answer me. I don’t understand what’s happening, but I do know vampires can’t survive sunlight. We all know what will happen when that sunlight graces my skin.
“Entonces morirás,” Abuela says, utterly emotionless at the thought of losing her only grandchild.
“Mamá!” I scream. “Stop this! Stop it now!”
But it’s too late. My mother is ignoring me, choosing to focus instead on murdering her daughter.
The witches have closed in on us, and they link hands now. They’re so close. If I weren’t frozen in place, held by invisible, magical restraints, I could save myself. But every time I try to break free, the bindings slice into my flesh. Blood drips in steady streams down my hands, splattering onto the icy ground.
A pool of blood sits at Will’s feet. He stares into the distance, ignoring the witches completely as he watches the sunrise. I can’t see his face, but I’m sure it displays my level of fear. If the witches’ magic fails, we will combust, our lives ending in a blazing inferno. That’s not exactly the way I want to go.
The crunch of frozen snow under steps distracts me from watching Will, and I jerk my head around to see who’s approaching. Mamá is close enough now to touch me, but she does not. Liv is walking closer to Will but at a much more cautionary pace. She doesn’t trust him, but she offers her life up as a link. Does she truly feel such guilt?
I look into the forest, hoping to see the familiar set of crimson irises I so desperately need right now, but I know they will not be there. The vampires will not venture out with the sun rising. That’s certain death. If Will and I plan to escape, we must do so on our own.
“Extiende tus brazos, hija,” Mamá says.
I turn back toward her, confused.
“Hm? What?” I say.
“Hold out your arms,” she repeats.
I frown and glance down. My arms are dangling in front of me, blood dripping down my skin, coating my hands and nails. When I glance up at her, her demeanor has changed. She is angry, aggressive.
“Give me your arms, or die from the sun,” Mamá orders.
Eyes wide with fear, I nod and hold them up to her. I swallow hard and gnaw on my lower lip. I don’t dare look at Will. Either he will comply, or he will die. Either way, I do not want to watch what is about to happen to us.
The witches chant in Latin, and I struggle to understand them. It’s been so long since I’ve even thought about the Latin language, and I’m too rusty to focus on this foreign spell.
The four of us—Mamá, Liv, Will, and I—are the only beings at the center of the witches’ circle. The altar is a few feet away from me, and it is adorned with many things I recognize and some I do not. Relics to represent the elements are placed at the four corners of the altar top, and in the center, a bright, golden sphere represents the sun. In a jar, I see something black, a tarry substance that makes my skin crawl. I’ve never seen it before, so I don’t know its purpose.
Mamá begins to chant as well, but I ignore her too. The blanket of sunlight is close now, and the world is becoming alight. I have only minutes left to live, so with shaky legs and a sputtering heart, I take this time to close my eyes and clear my mind. I try not to cry or beg. I don’t want to be weakened in these final moments.
Ignoring the witches’ banter, I try to be at peace with my life and with my decisions that