Journey 'The Chosen One Trilogy: Book Two' by Mireille Chester Page B

“Go stand guard at the top of the stairs. If anyone comes
down, I want to know who it is before this door opens.”
    William nodded and did as he was
told.
    Brice looked back down to me. “I’ve
lived among the Namaels for almost seven years. They aren’t evil.
But how am I supposed to convince them all of that?”
    “You’ve been one of them. Won’t they
believe you just because of that?”
    He shook his head. “I’m not the first
to pretend to be a shifter. The others come back feeling the same
as when they left. That all shifters are possessed.”
    “So why is it different with
you?”
    He shrugged. “I’m not sure. Maybe it’s
because I was so young. I grew up with them and didn’t have quite
as many years of being told otherwise.” He gazed into my eyes and
blinked. “No. It’s you. I don’t have bonds to Braw like Jasper has
to Melana, or Luke has to Damian, but I can still feel a pull to
you.”
    His eyes saddened and he wiped a fresh
tear off of my cheek. “I’m sorry, Hayden.”
    He sounded so sincere that I started to
cry again.
    “Shush, now. I’ll figure something
out.” He kissed me softly and hugged me tightly to his chest. “I
made a promise to you, do you remember? The only reason I brought
you here was because I was told you wouldn’t be hurt.” He frowned.
“I promised to fight for you. Die for you if I must. I’ll get you
out of here, Hayden, if it’s the last thing I do.”
    I completely broke down.
    There was a commotion at the top of the
stairs and Brice tensed, but stayed where he was. The lock slid
back and the door burst opened. Sonia stood in the doorway, her
face flushed with anger. Behind her, William looked in. His eye was
already starting to swell shut.
    “I’m sorry, sir. She took me by
surprise.”
    Brice waved him away. “What do you
want, Sonia.”
    She glared at me. “What did you do to
him?”
    “She didn’t do anything to me.” Brice’s
voice was soft. “Love, this is my decision. I promised to keep her
safe. Whether she is out in Sageden or in a cell here, I will keep
that promise.”
    “She’s a sorceress! She put a spell on
you!” She took a step toward us. “Get away from him you evil
whore!”
    Brice growled low in his throat. He set
me gently on the ground and stood. He didn’t raise his voice, but
the tone of it made both of our eyes widen. “That’s
enough.”
    Sonia seemed to shrink back into
herself. “I told you this would happen.”
    He nodded. “You did.”
    “You can still change it. Come home.
Forget about her.” A tear slid down her face.
    He walked to her and pulled her to his
chest. “I can’t. Sonia, look at me.” He put his finger under her
chin and tilted her head up. “I can’t.”
    “I can’t lose you, Brice.”
    He tried to smile down at her. “Would
it actually make a difference if I was around or not? I’m only home
three or four times a year and it’s never for more than two weeks
at a time.”
    “But once this is done, you would get
to stay home. You wouldn’t have to leave anymore.”
    He swallowed hard. “I know.” He kissed
her softly. “I love you.”
    “Then come home.”
    He kissed her harder this time. “I
can’t.”
    She leaned her head against his chest
and started to cry. “You promised me you would love me
forever.”
    Brice cleared his throat. “And I will,”
he whispered. He wiped the tears from her face and tucked long
blond strands of hair behind her ears. “Go home, Sonia.”
    She stood on her tip toes and kissed
him softly. “I love you.” She glanced around him to me and I was
shocked by the hate in her eyes. Without another word, she
left.
    I heard the lock slide back into place.
Brice leaned against the door and took a deep breath.
    “Don’t pick her over me, Brice.” Sonia
sounded as if she had called it down from the top of the
stairs.
    A growl exploded out of his throat and
he turned, punching the wall with all of his strength. I heard the
bones in his hand break