Chapter Forty Five
A healer escorted us to the ward Ethan had been kept in. Thane and I walked in, hand in hand.
All we could do was watch the baby through the incubator glass, but seeing him for the first time brought me to tears. He was so tiny and beautiful.
“That’s our baby.” I whispered.
Thane held me close. “He is. And he’s going to have the best childhood ever,” he promised.
I stepped closer to the glass and placed my hands against it. “Momma’s here, Ethan.
“He looks a lot like you, Thane.” I said when we got back from the ward.
“I disagree; it’s the same hair color, but he got your eyes and your very cute nose.”
Thinking about it, he was right; Ethan got his features from the both of us.
“I have a surprise for you,” Thane says.
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“Where is it?”
“Close your eyes.”
I did, and he swept me off my feet, carrying me bridal style.
“I can walk, you know.” I protested but I secretly liked being carried around by
Thane.
“I wouldn’t want you walking into a pillar, and please, keep your eyes shut.”
“Aren’t we there yet?” I asked, but he only kissed my lips.
Finally he came to a stop. “We are here; you can open your eyes.”
We were in the…dungeons. “Seriously, Thane, is this the surprise?”
“No, that is.” He pointed to the chair, and there sat… Daemon?
Chapter Forty Five
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I could hardly recognize him. “Daemon?”
“Yes, it is the infamous Daemon.
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“How did you… how did you get him here?”
“I didn’t; he fell right into my trap.”
“Is he dead?” I asked because he seemed a little too still.
“I don’t think so; I’m still figuring out a way to kill him.” He said it like he was talking about the weather. Thane studied my face. “You don’t seem very happy.”
“I am; it’s just… I wish it didn’t have to be this way.
He nodded, “You want a few minutes with him?”
“Yes, I do.”
“He can’t escape those chains, but I don’t want you close to him. I’ll be by the door.”
Thane stopped by the door, far enough to give me some false sense of privacy; we both knew he could hear me, but that was okay.
“Daemon.” I began, “I’m sorry it had to come to this. I hoped you would change; I really did, but you… wouldn’t, and I saw this new part of you… You know you don’t deserve my forgiveness, not one bit, but still I forgive you, and I hope you understand that you have to die…”
My words were cut off; I felt the presence in the room.
I turned around and there stood Bruce.
Thane must have sensed my distress because he returned.
Bruce lifted his hand to the air, his eyes sparkled, and just then an invisible barrier was formed, stopping Thane from getting to me. I could see the rage and fury in his
eyes.
“Why are you here?” Thane asked.
“I can’t let him die; he is of use to me.” Bruce said.
This should be the last thought on my mind right now, but still I wondered if he would have done this if it had been me or my mother in trouble; I doubted it.
“If you help him, he is going to come back for me, Bruce.” I said because I couldn’t
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Chapter Forty Five
call him father, he had failed so miserably at owning that title.
“No, he won’t, Riley.”
Despite everything, I still felt the disappointment; he was willing to set Daemon free, even with the knowledge of the threat he posed to me; it made one point clear: he didn’t care.
“You’ve made an enemy out of me, Bruce.” Thane warned.
“That is not my wish, Alpha.”
“And yet you walk into my territory and attempt to take away my captive.”
“I will make sure he doesn’t return here ever again.”
“And how do I know you will keep to your words?” Thane questioned.
“I will, and if I fail. At least you have this.”
Bruce tossed a sapphire pendant to me. “What is this?” I asked.
“A way to free the sorceress, Jade. I’ve made an oath, and if I fail, then the pendant will lead you to her.”
“And so we just what? believe all your bullcrap?” Thane questioned, clearly not convinced.
“I could have taken him and walked away, but I didn’t. I have no reason to lie.”
Bruce walked toward Daemon’s almost lifeless body; with a tug, he broke the chains like they were made of straw. A dark mist encircled them both, and they were gone within a blink of an eye.
