From Slave To Queen (Athena and Michael) novel Chapter 134

Chapter 134

Elara

Confusion comes to me in waves. I don’t know which of all the doubts swirling in my mind to express first. All I know is that this place is unfamiliar, it doesn’t resemble my room in Cassian’s castle or his own. Nor is Ciro’s the first face I expected to see when I woke up. I can’t help the slight pang of disappointment. I look straight into his eyes and try more than once to form the words in my mouth. It’s dry and tastes like copper.

“Where is Cassian?”

His disappointment mirrors mine, though I fear for different reasons. He doesn’t answer immediately; instead, he pours water from a pitcher and brings the rim of the glass to my lips. My throat is dry enough to push past my hesitation and accept what he offers. I drink the water in record time and still feel far from satisfied. I’m overwhelmingly thirsty. That thought leads to another and 1 raise my fingertips to my mouth, expecting to find the sharp tips of my fangs, but there’s nothing. They’re gone. For a moment, I wonder if all of this has been a bad dream.

“Cassian is not here,” he says. “Ile won’t hurt you again, Elan”

I pull away to see his face better, while wrinkles form on my brow

“what are you saying?”

You don’t belong to him anymore, and I’m not going to let him hurt you again.

His fingers brush the skin of my hand, but I don’t pull away.

“He says it was an accident, but who does that to someone by mistake! The fact that you’re talking to me right now is a damn miracle.

“What do you mean I don’t belong to him?”

The features on his face soften even more, as if he were looking at a poor lost girl and couldn’t help but feel compassion. He slides his hand from mine to my face and gently strokes my cheek before sighing.

-You need to rest now

He gives me a small smile.

“I’ll come to have dinner with you. Until then, rest so everything can go back to normal.”

Normal. There’s nothing normal about any of this, Unfortunately, I was getting used to Cassian, to the candle, to the people who work and live there. He leans toward me and for a moment I think he’s going to do something as intimate as kiss me, but instead he simply extinguishes the candle’s wick with his fingers and smiles at me before disappearing through the double doors, I’m more than willing to try to close my eyes and rest however, the fear of not waking again keeps me staring at the ceiling.

Two pairs of footsteps echo on the floor, approaching quickly, and then the doors open again. Whoever enters the room moves euphorically and opens the curtains, letting in daylight. I have to cover my eyes with my hands to keep them from tearing up from the sudden brightness.

*idiss. Elara!”

1 recognize Clariva’s voice and, almost disbelieving, remove my hands from my eyes and look up, hoping it’s just my imagination. It’s not. In front of me are her and Naida, both smiling ear to ear. Clarissa sits on the edge of the bed and quickly grabs my hand, while the other woman looks at me closely, her smile never fading for a second.

“You had us worried sick.”

“That wasn’t my intention.”

Clanssa’s warm laughter fills the room.

“Of course not, dr

She strokes her thumb over my hand in a soft, comforting enters.

“Everything that happened to you is a tragedy. Gut it’s not your fault. Lord Draven will be very pleased to know you’ve woken up and that you’re

well

Hearing her sprak of him makes heat run through my veins. There’s a knot of nerves, anticipation, yeaming in my stomach. Part of me thought he’d be here when I woke up, and my body just wants to get out of this bed and run to him. As if we were pulled toward each other by something

-Why am I here?” I ask, hoping they’ll give me the answers I need. “Cino said I no longer belong to Cassian. What does that mean? Am I free!”

12.27 PM c d

Chapter 121

They look at each other, sharing a pained glance. They seem to debate who should respond.

1. Nadila steps forward and, without losing that patiful look. I’m starting to hate, she opens her mouth and starts saying things that further destabilize my world.

“You’ve changed hands. Elara. You’re no longer Cassian’s feeder, liur Caro’s”

“What?”

My body serra

ly serrams in get out of here, but Clarissa presses my shoulder so I lean back against the pillows.

“Apparently, something in the Treaties allows him to claim compensation, one of his feeders. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth–no par

intended

“Cassian allowed this?”

My heart aches and I know the next words could räther shutter it or melt the frost growing inside it.

“He had no other clinice

She shakes her head.

“He’s been coming in see you regularly and has been trying nonstop in bring your back. I’m sure he’ll find a way to get you back; he’s Lord Draven. he always gets what he wants.”

I nod. She’s right. Gaysian always gets what he wants. No matter what it is, there’s nothing he can’t bend in his will. Rules have never stopped him, and this time won’t be differenthough I’m not sure that’s what I want. I want to be free, I don’t want to be passed from one person to another.

“Miss,” Clarissa says to draw my attention. “It’s best if you don’t share too much information with Ciro. About Cassian, the caule, or yourself.

“What do you mean?TM

“Ciro Amery is a very intelligent man. He could use any information you give him against the lord or against you. You must not trust him.”

“What does he know?”

If I don’t want to mess things up, I need to know exactly what story we’re going with. He mentioned carlier that Cassian said my state was due to an accident. We both know that’s not true, so i can only assume he doesn’t want to reveal the truth–and if I think carefully, that’s for the best. What would Ciro do if he discovered I’m half Pure! A shiver runs down my spine at the thought. If he finds out, he might tell the others, and not even Cassian could save me from my fate. They would use me, force me to help reinforce the bloodline, and I don’t know how powerful I really am. I remainly don’s feel capable of faring so many Purebloods, with centuries of experience behind them, while I’ve only just discovered what Lam

“The rebel Diluted attacked you and kidnapped you, Cassian came to rescue you, but he needed so much power he lost control, and you got hurt, He broke you, Elara. No human survives that”

Is that fear I see in her eyes! Is she afraid of me!

“Cassian always gets what he wants, right? Even fixing a broken human”

Iwan for

it for them to contradict me and say they know the truth, but both remain silem, with an expression

“Maybe you’d like to sit by the window,” Naida says, completely changing the subject. “The sun will do you good

quite place whether it’s fear de

When they are no objection from me, they get to work and gently help me to my feet. At first, my legs tremble and the weight of my body

i threatens to buckie my knees. I lean on them as I take my first steps in what feels like forever.

“How long have I been like this?”

“A latile over a nuadh‘

A tuonth. Ter list an entire month of my bfr. And not just that, it’s been a month since I lost my family. The thought hits me like a hammer. When I reach the chair and collapse into it. I’m grateful–1 doulst I could’ve taken another step with this list clenched around my heart. Abigail’s face is vivid an my muad_ir doruni’t matter if I close my eyes–1 car sill see her. I try to imagine her like that afternoon in die castle gardens, with her curls attered down hier back and her hazel eyes shining every time she saw a new Bower. I don’t want to see blood, or her pale skin, or her emply gaze

“Would you mand leaving me alone?” I ask, a bit rushed by emotion

For a few seconds they hesitate, but whatever they see on my face convinces them, and they leave silently I manage to hold back the tears just long enough to hear the soft click of the door closing. The first sob rips through my throat. I press any fist to my mouth, trying to musiffle it, but then another sub rises, and another, and another. The tears flow freely down my cherks, tracing hot lines until they fall from the cliff of my chin. I never allow myself to cry, I always think it makes me look weak–but if there’s ever a moment to show weakness, it’s this one