A Curse of Shadows - Page 95

Dying isn’t an option. I focus on Asher, my dad, and Estee, knowing that if I don’t come back, Estee’s life would be the next one snuffed out because Asher would never forgive her. Worse, she could never forgive herself.

The glow of warmth comes closer and as I push forward with all my might, there’s a whisper of a voice, taunting me.

“Life was just the way it was supposed to be. You came back and ruined everything, but I can still fix this. I’m going to fix everything.”

“I’m going to fix everything.”

Tension seeps deep within me, reaching my soul and my mind as a memory comes back to me. I’ve heard those exact words before. Except the voice wasn’t clear before, and I was so weak, but not any longer.

“The hell you are,” I reply back, having no clue if he can hear me, but it doesn’t matter.

I know who killed me now.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

ASHER

Seconds pass as I hold Isla in my arms. I’m trying to remain calm, but as more has been revealed this morning, I’ve begun to realize that the number of people who could be responsible for all of this is now narrowed down to just a few.

Thanks to my mother telling me about the vault of dark objects and only the king plus at least one of the advisors having access, I’ve realized that my father is someone I can’t ignore as a person who might have orchestrated my mate’s death. Then there are his top advisors, one of which is still on my council today, and who has never once mentioned this vault to me. Yet I have no doubt that they know of its existence.

My mother could have been right that nobody told me for fear of me losing myself to the dark magic, but regardless of that reason, one of those three men has something to do with this, even if it was unknowingly so.

At some point, one of them revealed the vault’s contents or took it upon themselves to take what they wanted. I’m going to figure out who, then I’m going to kill whoever dared to harm my mate.

Even if that person is my own flesh and blood.

There are a million scenarios in which someone could have thought taking Isla away from me was a good idea, but assuming I know which might be true isn’t going to do me any good.

I know what needs to be done next and I won’t rest until I have the truth.

Summoning a god isn’t done lightly, but I’m going to tempt them with the dark objects and hope that will be enough incentive for them to tell me who killed my mate.

They may not do much with our world that they created any longer, but they somehow always know everything that’s happening. They’ve proven that over the years by randomly appearing, doing as they believe is best when it suits them.

As far as I know, it’s been centuries since that’s happened, so maybe I’m wrong, but something tells me that our creators want to keep an eye on us. They may have decided we no longer need them, but they’re not idiots. They’ve seen our strength. Pretending wolf shifters don’t exist would be ill-minded on their part. Something I’ve rarely known our gods to be.

“She should be awake by now,” Grayson says, concern etched into his face.

I’ve been so preoccupied with my racing thoughts that I haven’t been paying attention to the time that’s passed.

Isla is still within my arms and her heart doesn’t beat, but her body is still warm and her cheeks are flushed. “How long has it been?”

“Twice as long as Estee was out,” he answers, then he looks at her. “What aren’t you telling us?”

Estee is staring hard at her sister, fingers twisting in front of her. “She can do this. Just give her another minute.”

“Do what?” I demand, trying to not get angry so that Isla doesn’t have to feel my discontent when she comes to.

“Just wait,” Estee says, still without tearing her gaze away from my mate.

My chest begins to rattle with the force of the rumble building there, but before I can rip into her, Isla gasps, gaining my full attention.

Her eyes are wide as she blinks rapidly, confusion seeming to weigh heavily on her. “I’m alive.”

“Yes, love.” I hold her closer. “No thanks to your sister.”

“You wouldn’t have let me pull the dagger out if you’d known it would hurt her,” Estee says and she’s not wrong. I would have found another way, if there had been one.