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Chapter 176
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Iridian Chapter 177
The sunlight that hit my face had a gentle warmth that chased away the chill of night, and also carried a breeze that was both sweet and earthy.From a grove of trees, the two of us emerged. The air behind us rippled only momentarily before returning to its ordinary state. The longer I stared, the more I realized how advanced Dain’s magic was to have created something so flawless.“How do I do this?” I swallowed, walking around the length of the small body of water, staring down at the little flecks of silver as they swirled deep within.Aidan’s expression was much more relaxed than my own. Coming at a stop beside me he spoke. “Their all connected, each one in each kingdom. All you have to do is take my hand, lead me inside, and follow that connection to where we need to go.”“How will I know how to get there? What if I drown us both—” I began to stammer, my mind conjuring the worst and all without the aid of the White Bull.“You’ll know where to go, Rachel.” His lopsided grin helpe
Iridian Chapter 178
I knew what happened the moment I saw Zack’s face within the pool of star-flecked water, his eyes wide with fear and pain, his mouth open as he inhaled water instead of air.He had followed us all this way.It had been Zack I heard lingering within the halls of the castle, hiding from Aidan and I even though he shouldn’t have been able to see or hear us nearby.The glimmer of magic that had filled the air, materializing seconds before Aidan and I vanished, had been him as well. Its source was wrapped around his little wrist, the bracelet Dain had gifted my mom.He’d swiped it from her the moment she turned her head, I was sure of it.I gripped the edge of the pool with trembling hands. The moment my fingertips broke through the watery surface, Zack’s head whirled in my direction. His eyes widened even further, as though he could see me gaping in horror.“I—I have to help him.” I stammered, feeling my lips move though every other word seemed able to emerge.Aidan’s hands fell on my sho
Iridian Chapter 179
‘He knows which side he fights for, Rachel. Won’t you join him? You have no clue the things I can offer you. Join him, Rachel. Join him and I’ll make him your mate…as it always should have been.’The White Bull’s voice slithered into my head, much louder than it had been in the past. I figured it was because of this place, because of the evil that had lingered within the walls for so long.‘Why do you fight? What is the point of it all?’Aidan held up a single hand when the half a dozen guards went to swarm me, forcing them all to halt in their tracks. The fact that they listened to his command made me want to wretch but was meaningless when I saw the mark on his neck. It was milky white in color and raised from his puckered skin like a brand gone horribly wrong. The bruising that surrounded it reminded me of my own skin when the stranger from the alley way had forced himself on me.Without warning and with speed that jolted me from my stupor, Aidan kicked off the ground and charged.
Iridian Chapter 180
I woke up covered in sweat, ready to write off everything—Iridian, meeting Dain, finding out the truth, killing both Ally and Aidan, absolutely everything as a horrible nightmare, but the pungent scent that clung to my hair and skin, reeking of blood, fire, and burnt flesh, kept me from doing so.There was a part of me that wanted to keep my eyes closed, content to drown in misery, convinced that this was hell.I opened my eyes anyway because that part of mee was an ignorant coward.No matter the agony, no matter the guilt or shame, I knew that this was nothing compared to what it could’ve been, nothing compared to what the White Bull had planned for this world. There had been so much death already, but there would be so much more if I chose to drown in my grief.The first face I saw was Dain’s, but all too quickly I slid back into unconsciousness that lasted for what felt like seconds but had to have been hours. When my eyes opened a second time night had vanished, replaced by sunlig
Iridian Chapter 181
Instantly, I understood.“I’m nothing if not traditional.” Dain murmured, rubbing the back of his neck as he sank onto one knee. His throat worked as he swallowed, his eyes fixated on my own, shimmering with a mixture of hope and worry. “Rachel…you’re the mate I never thought I’d meet, and the one I knew I didn’t deserve. This isn’t how I anticipated things would go, not one bit. I never planned on wanting to keep you, but the second you won Iridian and stepped foot in my castle, I couldn’t imagine letting you go. I told myself I’d win you over by showing you the beauty magic could bring into your life. I hoped that in doing so I’d eventually earn your affection, even though that’s something I’m still not sure I deserve…” The color across his cheeks deepened, his eyes concealing flashes of shame. “I’m not a good man, not entirely. It’s not merely my plan that’s motivating me to do this, but the desire to keep you—to have you at my side for eternity. This thing between us, this game wh
Iridian Chapter 182
“With everything on your plate, I’d be a bit stunned if you didn’t have nightmares.” Dain said soothingly, purposefully leaving out the real reason for my abrupt awakening.The hand he used to draw soothing circles along the dewy skin of my back was more distracting than I’d like to admit and kept my heartrate from calming for obvious reasons. If it wasn’t desire that swarmed my thoughts, it was guilt.More often than not, those two emotions would appear at the same time, chasing one another into a restless oblivion that usually included a headache.It wasn’t just Aidan that evoked that emotion, but his—“Have you decided when you wanted to see them?”With the mention of his twin sisters, I was plunged back into the blood-stained nightmare that had sent me sprinting headfirst into consciousness.It had felt like hours in that throne room, slowly draining the life from Aidan as his sisters watched—as my entire family watched. The only one smiling was Nadia, and though the pale bull at
Iridian Chapter 183
For a second, I’d thought the White Bull had retreated, knowing its days were numbered as they ticked away on the calendar, but I’d been wrong. The closer the wedding and mating ceremony became, the more restless its presence seemed to become. Every couple of hours, I could feel it stirring. Deep within the abyss it carved within the furthest depths of my mind, it’s voice would slither forth.It played on my doubts, fears, and the darkest of thoughts I’d never admit had come from my own mind. Now more than ever, I had to resist.In between the back and forth with the wedding staff and juggling time with my family and with Dain, I found spare moments to sneak into the archive room and the numerous libraries around the castle, all in search of information on the ancient force of evil I’d been battling.What information I found was troublesome and had already been given to me by the bull itself.The few who were tricked or lulled into letting it slither into their minds, they never laste
Iridian Chapter 184
“Well, isn’t this beautiful.” Mom’s hum of appreciation pulled me from my tumultuous thoughts, and my failing search for some fragment of information in regard to the ancient Bulls.With the wedding planned for tomorrow and not a single new idea on how to rid myself of the White Bull, I’d officially run out of options.Speaking to Aidan’s sisters had helped cleared my conscious some but had done nothing to ease the guilt and grief that hovered over me like a looming cloud.Tomorrow, I’d be fighting two battles, one mental and the other physical. It was a disaster waiting to happen, but I’d never utter the words aloud. Instead, I planned to fight—with every fiber of my being, I’d fight.Mom padded over from behind a cluster of stacks, over to the wooden table I stood hunched over. When I felt a tap to the center of my back, I straightened up and met her concerned eyes.She’d been worrying more and more lately, both about Zack and me. It had taken quite some time and a healthy dose of r
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