His eyes widen at the sight of me, then his lips slowly turn up into a cocky grin. “You must be one of the sisters?”
“Birdie,” I whisper.
His grin widens and he holds out his hand. “I’m Elias, it seems as though I am your brother-in-law.”
Slipping my palm in his, his fingers tighten around my hand and he gently tugs me off of the horse. “Thank you, Arion. I have her safe and sound from here.”
There is a moment where he watches Arion, his eyes widen before he turns to me. “Your husband knows not of your whereabouts?”
Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I turn and look over my shoulder at Arion, narrowing my gaze on him. He neighs, stands, and walks away as if he doesn’t have a single care in the world. Asshole. Just like every other man I know right now.
“He doesn’t. He was under attack. I ran,” I say with a shrug.
“Where were you actually supposed to go?” he asks.
His expression is serious, but I can hear the humor in his voice as if he’s trying to keep from laughing. I shrug a shoulder, looking down at my feet, then let out an annoyed sigh and lift my gaze up to meet his.
“Somewhere not too far, until the battle was over. I demanded Arion bring me here.”
Elias’ brows rise and he lets out a chuckle. “You are indeed my Sybilla’s sister, aren’t you?”
“Damn skippy,” I say firmly, with a nod.
He shakes his head, still laughing at me and I know it’s at me because I’m not laughing, but it doesn’t matter. This is my brother-in-law, and all I want right now is to see my big sister.
“Come on, she will be angry with me if I make her wait much longer.”
I smile, this is what I want. He loves her and I haven’t even seen them together, but I can tell that he does. I hold back my tears of self-pity. I can’t think about Colt anymore. He may love me and I may love him, but there isn’t acceptance or true desire.
There is only what the gods have put inside of us to make us feel a physical pull. Without that, he would turn his back and never look back, because at the end of the day, he doesn’t have room for me in his heart or his head.
The castle, and seriously it’s a freaking castle of epic proportions, comes into view and I tilt my head back to look up at the huge stone walls in awe. My sister is a fucking queen. I’m the equivalent of the first lady, but Sybilla is a queen.
Walking into the foyer, Elias guides me over to a sitting room, and offers the sofa to me. Sinking down on the soft cushion, he tells me to relax and stay there, that he’ll have some refreshments brought to me while he goes and gathers Sybilla.
“Thank you, Elias,” I murmur.
His bright blue eyes find mine and he dips his chin. “You’ll tell me why you ran and if I need to wage a war with this man?”
My heart warms immediately. “I will,” I agree, dipping my chin.
He jerks his own chin up before he turns on his heels and hurries away. A few moments go by and I do nothing but stare at the way my fingers twist in my lap. There is a sound at the door and I turn my head before lifting my eyes as two women walk into the room.
They look much like Florence, older and mystical. I assume they are the witches of this land. I open my mouth to ask them who they are and if they are indeed mystical when there is extreme pain that slices through my middle.
Lifting my hand to my belly, I cry out as I fall forward and land on the hard floor on my knees. “The separation,” one of them says as they rush forward and help me back to my seat.
“What?” I croak.
“I’m Aleida and this is Godiva, we’re women of the crystals or witches. The pain you feel is because you’re away from your match, your other half.”
I shake my head, unbelieving in what they’re saying. I open my mouth to ask them what the hell they’re talking about, but another excruciating wave of pain slices right through my entire midsection, rendering me completely debilitated.
“It will intensify the longer you’re away from him.”
“Why?” I whisper, opening my eyes as I try to take a few calming breaths and look up at them.
My gaze shifts from one woman to the other as I wait for the answer. Aledia shrugs a shoulder, taking a step forward.
“Because the gods have designed you that way. What they bring together, let no man tear apart, not even yourselves.”
“Well, that’s annoying,” I grumble.
I hear something, a door closing, then I shift to look behind the witches and that’s when I see her.
Sybilla.
Sybilla with a baby in her arms. A baby that just at a single quick glance is without a doubt related to Elias.
Standing, I brush past the witches and with tears in my eyes, I open my arms and wrap them around my sister.
Then.
I cry.
I let myself fall apart for just a moment, and I know that Sybilla does too, then we both inhale a big shaky breath and take a step back from one another. I lift my gaze to meet my sister’s and I have to blink, twice, at the sight of her.
She’s stunning.
Sybilla has always been beautiful, but seeing her in all of her fineries, in a dress that is describable in no other way than
