ragged and tired. Dark circles painted his eyes, and his lips were turned down in a frown.
“What are you doing here?” Tarek asked, getting to his feet.
“I could ask you the same thing,” Kellin answered dryly.
“This was Ana’s favorite spot at the palace.” Tarek looked around, gesturing sadly.
“I know.”
“I thought if I came here I might be able to feel her or something,” Tarek continued softly. “Maybe she’d be able to communicate with me and tell me where she’s being held or if she’s even OK.”
“We both know she isn’t OK,” Kellin spat, his face reddening. “And it’s your fault. I left her with you. You swore to me that you’d keep her safe. You swore to Soran. And now, she’s fallen into the hands of the enemy, the one thing we’ve been trying to keep her from. How did it happen, Tarek? Did you have a hand in it? Tell me. I know you aren’t who you say you are. I was willing to overlook it since Soran swore you were loyal. Clearly, you aren’t.”
“I swear that I had no hand in Zaros taking her,” Tarek answered heatedly. “I tried to get to her. I tried. There were too many enemies, and then he Fazed her and swept her away. Don’t you know how much it hurts me? It kills me to know he has her.”
“Believe me, I feel it more than you do,” Kellin growled. “She was my fiancée, not yours.”
“Was,” Tarek muttered, looking away.
“What did you say?”
“I said was’ as in not anymore. Did you really think you could love two women, Prince? Did you think it would work out? She isn’t even yours, and yet, you try to lay claims to her.”
“She is mine. Cyrena and I ended long ago when I took my oath to protect Ana. The only love I have now is for my bride-to-be.”
“Then why did you leave Ana to go to Cyrena? Why did you visit Cyrena before your engagement announcement?” Tarek asked in a deadly whisper. “You say you chose Ana, but it was clear that day when you portaled off to Marriot how you really felt.”
“You don’t know what the hell you’re talking about,” Kellin hissed, his eyes darkening. “I’m obligated to keep Cyrena safe. I owe it to her after my father broke off our engagement. It was my way of repaying her.”
“By sacrificing the Oracle?” Tarek shouted. “By sacrificing the one thing that could save us all? Now she’s in Zaros’s hands. You have no idea what sort of creature she’s with. What he will do to her. What he’s probably already done to her. Are you aware that as the Oracle she can control Void? Have you thought about what that means? No? It means, Prince, that our dear princess can open the Void and pull Calixto back into this world. Do you know what kind of world we’d live in if he returns with Analia at his side? She won’t be able to fight him AND Zaros. You fool. I take responsibility for losing her. It kills me. But it’s not all my fault. It’s your fault too. You left her after you swore you’d protect her. You. Had you stayed, you could’ve portaled her home. You could’ve been by her side. I couldn’t fight off Zaros’s men and protect her. Now, she’s probably shackled and being tortured by a creature so evil it would make you vomit. Think about that tonight while you try to sleep.”
“I’m going to save her,” Kellin said through gritted teeth. “And then I’m going to expose you for who and what you are, Tarek. You’ll be hanged, and I have no problem being the one who’ll open the floor to watch you dangle.”
“You’re no match for me, Niall,” Tarek hissed. “You don’t have a clue who you’re dealing with. Ana knows or at least she will. That is, if it isn’t too late. You think you’ll be the one to save her, but you’re wrong. It will be me.”
The vision faded, and I sagged in my chains, my chest and head aching. Both of them missed me. Both of them cared. But I couldn’t reach them. What if no one ever found me? Would Calix and I share the same fate?
My heart thumped painfully in my chest at the idea that Calix would be brought back, and he’d be just as dark as Zaros. There was no way anyone could fight and defeat Zaros. I’d been a fool to