Chapter 48

Vivian

He pinched my chin using his thumb and raised my head. His thick brown hair hung over his head, some of it falling over his shoulders. His skin was tanned, but his eyes were dark gray with evil brimming within them. Such evil I hadn't seen before. My eyes trailed across his arms. He wore a long sleeve shirt, but that still couldn't cover the blackness that ran through his veins.

His body ought to be covered in tattoos to cover the hideous dark magic that he carried in his veins. The veins on his neck, pulsating were pumping blood that had been filled with nothing but sorcery.

Such great evil...

"I just don't understand one thing," he trailed off while leaning in closer. His eyes were wide, angled from the corner and his jaw was sharp, perfect in some ways. "How could you have possibly, in the right mind, spelled me? Did you really think it would've worked as it worked on Callan and Dion?"

I cracked a smile at him. "It did work since you're here."

I meant—what else could this mean? He was here.

His mouth lined straight at my response and he leaned back but continued to trap me between himself and the wall behind. He inhaled deeply and changed the conversation. "You reek."

"Thank you." I made it past him and he grabbed my arm, forcing me to stop before I went any further.

"Since you're going to stay here for a while, why don't you go take a shower rather than infusing your scent all over this place?"

"It doesn't smell floral either," I rolled my eyes at him and pushed his hand away from my arm. "Where's the washroom?" I asked a moment later.

My skin was itching. I needed to clean myself and all the dry blood over me. The wounds on me had healed as quickly as they came. I followed the giant as he led me upstairs and across the old, torn hallway. The house looked like it had been abandoned and then haunted by some terrible ghosts. There was dust everywhere along with spiders crawling over every inch of the house.

Though, it smelled like nothing. There was nothing in the air.

The silence stretched between us as we entered a locked room. He pulled out a chain of keys that dangled in the air as he unlocked the room. I walked behind him and entered the bedroom. It seemed like it hadn't slept in years and years, but the room was the only place where it had been kept clean.

I swallowed hard and stepped into the washroom.

My gaze dropped and I sighed. This was my only option. I turned around and found Elijah only inches away from my back, waiting for me to undress in front of him and shower.

My brow rose. "Get out."

"As you say so." He slipped back and then left the room.

I sighed in relief at his presence gone. It was killing me, destroying every cell in my body and forcing me to snap after every second. Once he was gone, I managed a few breaths before turning on the water and letting it flow. In the meantime, I stripped out of the cami and tossed it on the side as it had been covered with blood and dirt.

My hair fell over my shoulders and I combed it through using my fingers. The tangles only worsened. I needed a comb, a brush—anything.

The water grew warm in a span of a few seconds and I quickly slipped underneath the shower, waiting to get rid of the dirt. My fingers ran through my hair again. I closed my eyes tight and was enveloped in the silence that eased my nerves and my muscles. After everything that happened, I needed a minute.

My thoughts filled up with the memory of my mother. It had been a while since I had seen her and she was meant to start working. Now she was here, held hostage. My heart broke, but I believed in Callan.

If anyone could find her, it would be him. He knew Alexandria far better than anyone else. He worked with her along with Dion.

After a few long minutes of cleaning myself, I stepped out and sought for a robe, a towel, or anything that I could cover myself up. At the corner of the washroom, there were a few white, pristine towels folded and kept neatly. I grabbed one and wrapped it around myself before taking another one and wrapping it around my tangled hair.

Stepping out, I shivered under the cold. The steam collected inside the washroom came flooding out and creating a cloud in the closed room.

I glanced at the door and then turned my head around. Since Elijah was finally off my back, I walked over to the window and looked outside.

Under the moonlight, I made out a few trees, and a lot of empty land covered in nothing but grass and bushes. A distance away, I could see the treacherous mountains that were north of Vragus.

He bought me near to the north.

A shiver ran down my spine and I turned my head in the other direction. There was nothing else nearby, not even another house or cars.

Nothing.

I grounded my teeth and stepped back from the window. The door opened at the same time and the giant walked in, without even knocking.

I lifted my chin, meeting his eyes. "Do you not know how to knock?"

"I do, I just don't want to," His eyes fell on my face first and then over my body. "Do you need clothes by any chance?"

A frown appeared on my face. "I'd rather die than wear anything of yours."

He chuckled and walked in while closing the door behind. "Well, do you plan on walking naked around the house for the next few days?"

"I wouldn't mind. Would that be a problem for you?"

"Not at all," he stiffened and so did I at the same time. "Callan found the location where your mother is being kept." He continued.

My heart jumped in delight and in relief at the same time. "Where is she?"

"Somewhere you don't need to know. He's going to take her elsewhere and she's going to remain there until this curse has been broken." His eyes snapped at mine as he finished, his posture still rigid while I stood against him, wearing nothing but a towel.

My lips parted in surprise. They weren't going to bring my mother to me, but rather use her as bait to force me to remain here, hidden from Alexandria, and find a way to break the curse I had no clue about.

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I stomped forward, ready to stifle his obnoxious throat and kill him once and for all. "Bring her to me. I want to see her!"

"That's not going to happen," He smiled, playing his wicked tricks on me, knowing well I wasn't going to be fine with him keeping my mother under his protection. I didn't trust him, not even a bit. "And Callan hasn't gotten her yet. It's going to take a while more. He's just heading there right now with Dion."

My nostrils flared. I pressed my eyes shut, thinking, registering.

"Why can't I see her?" I asked.

"Because my wish. Break the curse, like you solemnly promised." He knew it was going to take a fucking while to do that.

Like mother, like son.

There wasn't much difference between them and their actions proved my assumptions right. He was like his mother, cruel and ruthless.

Take it, Vivian. A whisper echoed in my head.

I stumbled forward, repeating the words in my head Arcane Arcanum. My hand wrapped around his arm, quickly seizing. His flesh burned underneath my palm, but before I could take any of it away, he stepped back, realizing.

"You cannot trick the magician," He withdrew his arm away and instead, wrapped his hands around my elbows, grabbing me and holding me tight. My skin burned and fear rushed through my veins.

My heart pounded in my chest as he began to obtain the magic with me.

I looked up, wanting him to leave me. The smile on his face faded and turned into a frown before he let go of me. I tripped back, while his brows furrowed in confusion and horror, "There's no magic within you."

Some steam coming up soon xx

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