Standing here in this shadow form, Ella couldn’t command her powers to protect her, and she kept her focus on the woman as she flashed in front of her.
“I’ve tasted your beloved.”
Ella swung her hand out to slap the face of the goddess, but the woman caught her wrist, holding it tight. Realizing she was as strong as the woman, she lashed out and grabbed the Morrigan’s long hair, yanking it with all her force.
“Ahhh!!” the Morrigan yelled.
When the goddess let go of her wrist, she was ready and slapped her hard across the cheek, leaving a red imprint there. A reminder she wouldn’t give up and would always fight back.
“I could kill you for hurting Marcus. You drugged him and put him to sleep.”
“Sleeping? Aw, honey, we did very little of that. We fucked all night.”
Images of the Morrigan riding Marcus entered Ella’s head and as painful as it was, it occurred to her that all the goddess had done so far was taunt and tease her, trying to make her jealous. There was no way she would give her the satisfaction.
“No matter what you say, Marcus believed it was me. You mean nothing to him, and we are fine,” Ella said, keeping her distance.
The Morrigan cocked her head to the side and her eyes narrowed as she examined her. “Tell yourself whatever the hell you like, but he enjoyed himself as much as I did. And you’re lying…I can tell, you know. You’re good, but not good enough.” She waved her pointed finger at her. “I know you’re lying. I bet you see me fucking Marcus every night, and I bet you haven’t had sex since, which I get, but please, don’t let him go to waste. I’ll take him if you’re done.”
Hearing the Morrigan joke about sleeping with her husband twisted Ella’s gut. This woman didn’t care about her actions, and she was trying to dig the knife in. But she had heard enough.
“Well, I’m leaving. You’ve wasted enough of my time if all you wanted was to regurgitate the past, because it won’t work. Honestly, how pathetic and stupid you are. Marcus is my soulmate…he loves me. You are a lonely, bitter, and twisted bitch who cannot get anyone to love her without using magic….how I pity you. You’re such a fool.”
Ella couldn’t stop the words that hurtled out like a runaway train and when she saw the Morrigan’s face inflame and her nostrils flare, she knew she had hit home and backed away, ready to leave.
“A fool? It’s you who has been fooled. While you’ve been here, your brother has disabled the guard and collected Nate. He’s already at the portal to bring him to me, so by the time you get back, it’ll be too late. I’m neither pathetic nor stupid—it’s you, who believed that love was the answer, when in fact love is the weakness. It’s the reason for your downfall.”
Cold dread shivered over Ella as she realized her mistake, playing into the Morrigan’s hand, and she dashed over to the woman. “I’ll kill you if you’ve harmed Nate in any way,” Ella shouted.
The bitch smiled. “Really, is that any way to speak to the person who holds the balance of your child’s life in her hands?”
Ice crept inside Ella’s veins at the Morrigan’s words. Did she speak the truth? Ella shook her head. “I don’t believe you.”
The Morrigan raised her eyebrow. “Hm, I thought you might need convincing. Look…”
The woman waved her hand and a scene appeared, showing Issac knocking out the guard and gathering Nate from the medical center where he lay asleep. A portal opened and he disappeared.
“What do you want?” Ella ground out.
The goddess pressed her finger under Ella’s chin, tilting her head up as she fluttered her eyelashes at her. “Simple. I want you to surrender. I want your life and everything that includes. Meet me at the Temple of Gods, which is a fitting place as it’s where your story with your soulmate started and it’s where it will end. The exchange of power the devil performed isn’t working and I want it corrected.”
For a second, the Morrigan’s features shimmered into the hideous old woman again. Ella froze, not wanting to react, but seeing the goddess for what she truly was gave her insight. Underneath, the queen of war was weak. Gabriel had been right. Staring at the woman who resembled herself, for the first time she sensed her utter desperation for life.
“Don’t look at me like that, damn you. You’ll give your soul to the devil and in return Nate will live. You have until sunset tomorrow. Come alone.”
Imagining Nate with this vile creature had her clenching and unclenching her hands as her stomach twisted in knots. “How can I trust you?”
The woman laughed and strolled away, swirling her dress. “Oh, my dear, you would be foolish to do so, but you have no choice.”
With that, the force that sucked her into this spirit form expelled her and the scenery transformed back to the familiar formal dining room. A gargled scream escaped her mouth as the room spun around like a carousel, making her dizzy.
Marcus charged over, grabbing her as she slumped in his arms, crumbling like a sandcastle.
“Nate…she’s got Nate,” Ella shouted, squeezing his hand as the demands of the Morrigan pulsed through her mind. She had no option but to comply. She would leave for Wales as soon as it could be arranged, because she knew the Morrigan had outmaneuvered her. Staring at her soulmate, she didn’t need to confirm who held Nate; she knew he would understand.
“That’s impossible.” Marcus guided her to the chair
