Evangeline
Zedkiel reaches up and switches the shower off before grabbing a towel and lightly towelling my hair. I look up at him, watching his emotionless face. His face is as sharp and cold as always, and his eyes are hard, but… there's so much more to him than he gives away.
I don't miss the way he rubs my hair tenderly, his fingers brushing the stray strands back before he slowly towels my body dry. He pats the towel lightly over my injuries, which are almost gone. Somehow, I'm healing fast.
He brushes his fingers over them, his eyes flashing red before he moves away.
I observe him, and although he hasn't said anything since I confessed, he doesn't need to. That kiss he gave me said far more than words ever could. The way he took care of me… everything he has done for me, openly, vocally, and silently. They all mean so much more.
I step closer, my gaze dipping to the soaking pants that now cling to him and emphasise a certain part of him that makes my stomach flutter.
"Are you in pain?" he asks, his red eyes glaring at my healing wounds.
"I'm fine," I say, knowing what he's thinking.
"Good. Don't let someone so meaningless get to you," he replies, wrapping the towel around me and tugging me closer.
"Yeah, I know. I was just holding out hope for something that was never there. I kept thinking that what happened was something that there was no other solution to. Maybe she didn't want to do what she did," I murmur softly, tracing the ridges of his chest and abs.
"Now you know," he says, threading his fingers into my hair. He tugs my head up until I'm forced to look into those gold-green orbs. "You don't need people like that in your life."
I nod slowly as he lets go of me, leading me to the bedroom and pushing me onto the bed. My eyes rake over him, and I bite my lip. A cold smirk crosses his lips, but he turns away.
"As much as fucking you calls to me, we will have to leave soon," he says quietly, taking out some clothes for the both of us.
"Are we going to the Chamber?" I ask, my heart skipping a beat. A place made for only the royals… but a place I'm going to enter.
Remembering the scriptures, I frown thoughtfully. Am I really the reincarnation of the Moon Goddess’s daughter?
Are you still questioning that?
Of course, it's no small matter. But she had two daughters, right? A-are you the other one?
There's silence, but with it, there's a terrifying anger that seems to burn through me.
No reply.
"Evangeline. Focus," Zedkiel growls, crouching down in front of me.
I take a deep breath, nodding, but something about her reaction tells me something happened. Why else did she get so angry?
Raziel cursed his own offspring. She's the evil inside of me… the curse.
I shake my head. This visit will help us greatly. I'm certain of it. There's something inside of her that she cannot move on from… and I need to figure it out before it's too late.
Tell me what happened?
I blink, staring at Zedkiel and shake my head, trying to clear it.
"What happened?" Zedkiel asks as I slowly pick up the bra from the pile of clothes he placed there for me.
"I tried to ask her a question," I say, sighing softly. "This curse, this entire situation… I asked her if she was the other daughter."
He runs his hands up my thigh, frowning slightly. "We do need to talk, all four of us."
I nod my agreement. "Yes, we do. If the Moon Goddess had twins that she mated to Zerachiel, then does that mean that we somehow became one after that? How does it work? How did she become a part of me?
He stands up, removing his wet pants and putting on some dry ones. "I wonder, too. But the scriptures mean you and your counterpart. Sometimes, they play on words. For a second, I did think that, perhaps somehow, she is your Lycan, but that makes no sense. Your father was a werewolf, and your power isn't one of a werewolf, and on top of that, you both have two different auras."
I frown, listening to him. He has a point, and I don't think I'm a Lycan, that I am certain of.
"In the pool, when I saved you, I saw your eyes. They were milk-white, with a faint white aura wrapped around you. Then when she takes over, it's the opposite… from the black eyes to the aura. You two are totally different entities, somehow fused as one. Maybe Evelyn will have the answer to that," he says.
"Yeah, if she tells me," I respond with a nod.
A sudden thought occurs to me, and I look at him. Does that mean that he isn't only my mate? An odd emotion squeezes at my chest, and he turns sharply, watching me. "What is it?" he asks, pulling on a top that covers those delicious abs.
I shake my head before I quickly busy myself with getting dressed.
"Will we leave for the Chamber soon?" I ask, changing the subject.
He nods at my question and glances at his watch. "Kash and his sister will be covering for us, but we have to move soon."
Kash has a sister?
I nod, not arguing, and quickly run my fingers through my hair before I stand up and pull it into a hair tie.
We leave our room with one of the two guards following us. Although I know it's someone Zedkiel at least approves of, it doesn't mean they will allow us to roam without their presence.
We leave the castle, and I'm beginning to feel extremely curious as to where we are headed, but I'm soon given the answer to my question when we stop outside the entrance to one of the courtyards that lead to one of the many tea gardens. Entering the gate, we head to the bottom of the gardens. Zedkiel opens a second gate, and we are greeted by Kash and a beautiful woman, who I'm certain must be his sister, standing in front of a gorgeous stone pillared area, which has a few lanterns hanging from the ceiling and ivy climbing up the pillars. There is a circular table at the centre laden with items.
"Zed, you made it," Kash says, raising the two bottles he holds.
"I got the chessboard," the woman says with a wink.
Zed glances back at the guard. "We will remain in this garden for a few hours. Stay outside," he commands.
"Yes, Alpha." The guard bows before he walks back out and shuts the gate behind him.
Zedkiel watches him before walking over to the woman and giving her a quick hug, one that she returns rather happily, slinging both arms around his neck, something that sends a flare of jealousy through me.
Who is she? And I don't mean her name.
Her grey eyes are on me, her platinum and purple hair falling in front of her eyes. She's average height, with a slender toned body, breasts that are slightly larger than average, and she has her nose pierced. She's in ripped white jeans and a tank top.
A small smile crosses her lips as Zedkiel lets go of her.
"So, this is the bombshell that captured your attention," she says, walking over to me and holding her hand out. "Hey, I'm Isabella, but please, call me Isa."
Isabella…
"Hi, nice to meet you, Isa, I'm Evangeline," I reply politely, taking her hand. She gives it a firm shake before turning to Zedkiel and Kash, who are quietly exchanging words.
"… too long. Make sure we're covered," Zed says as he pulls off his shirt and takes another that Kash gives him. I can't help but notice Isa watching him. Zed pulls the shirt on and sprays something over himself, and within seconds, his scent begins to fade away.
Kash nods, passing him a moderate-sized backpack just as Isa puts some music on.
"Here's the phone," Kash says quietly.
I watch them, hoping we aren't caught, because if we are and with a phone… we can get into big trouble and get eliminated from the tournament.
"Is that wise?" I ask, glancing between them.
"No one is going to say a word. It'll be fine," Kash says.
He looks a little pale, and I feel uneasy. I know Zedkiel trusts him, but does he also trust Isabella? She's looking at Zedkiel now, her head tilted, and I try not to feel overprotective, refusing to act possessive, although my entire body is urging me to walk over to him and claim him as mine.
Do it. Look at how she's watching him,
We might be misunderstanding; Zedkiel loves me. He married me. I have nothing to worry about,
Keep thinking that because when something happens, you will be the first to cry,He will kill you, just like in that vision. Remember that.
My stomach twists as my nightmare returns to me, one I refuse to believe.
Vision, she said, it's a vision.
The unease within me is growing, and I try to squash it.
"Come on," Zedkiel says to me, and I nod as we walk past the table that is set up with two lanterns and some snacks. I guess if we are really to spend some time here, it can be rather nice.
"Come on, I challenge you to an all-you-can-drink booze race," Isabella says to Kash, dropping into one of the chairs.
"Sure, as long as they aren't spiked, we need to be on watch," he mutters, not seeming to like the idea, a sharp frown on his face as he scans the area. He's serious about this, and it makes me feel a bit better.
Soon, the light of the lanterns fades away, and we are heading down a rather narrow path.
"I didn't know Kash has a sister," I say.
"You didn't even know about Kash until recently," he counters, looking ahead as he scans the area, on alert.
I nod, and he glances back at me. "True. I don't really know much about your life aside from what I've seen. Friends… hobbies, nothing," I whisper, suddenly feeling rather disappointed in myself.
He stops, turns towards me and, taking my elbows, pulls me in front of him as he looks down at me, cocking an eyebrow.
"Then ask whatever you want. Is this about Isa?"
They are on a nickname basis, too…
I shake my head, refusing to admit that I'm being ridiculous. "No, I just wish I knew more about you," I say softly.
He watches me for a moment before smirking slightly, "Sure."
Sure? Is that it?
I furrow my brows, wanting to say more, but I stay quiet.
He takes my hand as he continues down the narrow stone-paved path. It gets tighter until we have to walk sideways to squeeze through the bushes. The only light is from the moon that peeps through the bushes on either side of us.
I pout at his back, unhappy with the fact that he isn't going to say more.
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