Wicked (Eternal Guardians #9) - Elisabeth Naughton Page 0,104

stepped back once more. “No, this is about you only looking out for yourself, like always. You’re as selfish as everyone said you were. I-I can’t believe I didn’t see it before. I was so wrapped up in wanting to think you weren’t what everyone said that I didn’t pay attention to what was right in front of me. You didn’t care about the nymphs or the silens when you decided to give up during that satyr battle. If those satyrs had gotten through, they would have killed everyone. Including me. And you didn’t give a shit then if your magickal border collapsed. You clearly don’t give a shit now.”

“Talisa…” He dropped his hand and straightened, looking to her left at something she wasn’t about to be distracted by. “Take a breath.”

“Don’t tell me to take a breath,” she snapped. “I’m done listening to you. People have been telling me what to do my whole damn life, and I’m sick of it. I’m not a child, and you don’t get to make decisions for me.”

“Son of a bitch.”

Something whirred through the air. Talisa jerked that direction just in time to see a rock the size of a tree stump fly right toward Zagreus’s head.

He ducked out of the way and threw himself at her.

Her body hit the hard earth with a grunt. He landed on top of her, pushing the air out of her lungs. She struggled but he was too big, and she was having trouble getting air…

“Stop fighting me, dammit.” He wrestled for her hands, finally pinning them both above her head. “I’m not your enemy. And stop using your fucking brain strength to throw things at me because you’re pissed.”

“Get… off… me.” She struggled beneath him, her vision still red but growing dark at the edges the longer he pinned her to the ground. She was losing too much oxygen. Nothing he was saying was even making sense. “I don’t… need you.”

“You do. You’re just too stubborn to admit it right now.” He looked up toward the tree arch. “And you’re going to attract every damn satyr in the area if I don’t do something fast.”

She had no idea what he meant. But before she could even try to get her mind to work, he looked down at her, muttered, “I’m sorry for this,” then pressed his lips against hers in a swift kiss.

He was there and gone before she could scream at him. Then he grasped her wrists in one hand to hold them pinned over her head and held the other in front of her face as he muttered ancient words.

A spell.

She wheezed, “Godsdamm—”

The word wasn’t even out of her mouth before everything went dark.

Chapter Seventeen

It was dark by the time Zagreus reached the castle.

Flashing would have been easier—and faster—but he wasn’t about to give his father any chance to track him. Especially now, when Talisa was dead weight in his arms.

Rhen met him just inside the main gate, torchlight reflecting off his concerned face when he spotted Talisa. “What happened? Did you run into trouble?”

“No.” Zagreus didn’t slow his steps. He crossed the cobblestones and waited while Rhen pulled the heavy wood door open. “She’s just asleep. Find Nysa and have her meet me in the Ivy Spire.”

“The tower?” Rhen stepped into the grand hall behind Zagreus. “But—”

“Yes, the tower,” Zagreus snapped as he carried Talisa across the room, ignoring the nymphs and silens who’d been lounging on couches and chairs around the hearth with their wine, now sitting up, taking notice of him.

He didn’t owe Rhen any explanation, and he had less interest in being tonight’s gossip. “And tell everyone here to go home. What do they think this is, a damn resort?”

Rhen muttered “Yes, My Prince,” and slowed his steps.

As Zagreus reached the grand staircase and began climbing, he heard whispers and low voices but he still didn’t turn to look.

He’d become too lenient. Too complaisant. The nymphs and silens thought they ran this castle, could do whatever they wanted. They weren’t afraid of him anymore.

He reached the third level and headed for the tower stairs, his mood growing darker by the minute.

He was the god, dammit. He made the rules. They were nothing but mere mortals, and if he chose to, he could smite them all with one flick of his wrist.

Shoving the heavy wood door at the top of the curved steps open with his shoulder, he crossed the dark room lit only by moonlight coming through the tall arched