~AspenKastriv helped me tend to Kaia wounds, before allowing her to rest upstairs while we came down to talk.I barely get to sit down before Kastriv starts speaking. "You can't go back.""I don't want to make this difficult for everyone...What if he seriously pursues this?" I question.Would Oliver kill me? Absolutely, and he would get away with it as well, once he exposed me for being a Demon.Or worse, he could hurt Kaia again...Kastriv settles into the couch next to me. "He likely will, but that doesn't mean you can go back to him. He was abusive.""I don't want to go back. But what about Kaia?" I sigh, trying to press down the fear rolling around my stomach, although it's impossible. I have to face this, not run away."I'll protect her," Kastriv assures me. "Just like I'll protect you."I turn toward him, feeling the power flowing off him, a consequence of his risking anger. How many spirits are around us now, whispering in his ear? I wonder how they feel about me, if they are t

~Aspen"I can't believe Kastriv is being so nice. I never expected that from a Noble," Kaia says.I stare down at her arm, winding a bandage around it slowly. I've dressed many wounds before, although never on someone else.Seeing the gruesome graze Kaia now sports from being pushed down by Oliver makes my stomach churn.He did this to her because of me..."It's because he wants me to do this job for him. Don't confuse it with anything else," I mumble distractedly."Consider me confused then, because I don't think that's his single motivation."Sighing through my nose, I raise my gaze tentatively. "Don't say it..."It's the last thing I need to hear. The more Kaia talks about it, the more she encourages my own thoughts, which have a tendency to sabotage me."What? I think he may feel bad that you've been abused all this time. But I'm sure he wanted to do more than just save you," Kaia muses, wincing as I accidently press upon a tender area on her arm."He may have wanted to save me, b

~AspenIt's strange, looking at those golden eyes, knowing he just tried to kill me.Ellard once was my escape. The thought of being with a Noble was exciting, fun, and I dreamt of him taking me away from my life, from my abusive relationship.And most nights, that thought kept me company. Especially when he would visit for political talks with Oliver.But never once, back then, would I have thought he was capable of killing..."I'm sorry, Aspen," he breathes, getting to his feet as I stumble back, still clutching his knife. He looks frantic, that he has been caught before he could successfully snuff me out.I brandish the knife in front of me, as he takes a cautious step at me. "Please...please don't."I may have the upper hand with his weapon, but I'm still in danger of being overpowered by him. His magic allows him to touch certain items and have subsequent visions, but he still towers over me with his large stature.If I need to, I will kill him, though.My mouth opens to speak, b

~Aspen"Keep your voice down."I look over my shoulder, back toward the cabin. At any moment, Kastriv could hear, and I doubt he would be very happy with my plan."Is there a change of heart, or did you call me here to insult me some more?" Keo tilts his head, the amused glint to his eyes bothering me already.I better not be making a mistake."I fear Kastriv is using me to find Demon's so he can kill them," I whisper.If Keo thinks that I distrust Kastriv, he will be more willing to divulge his secrets to me. It feels wrong to slander Kastriv's name, especially now that he is my mate, but I know I have to do it.Keo's eyes narrow. "How certain are you?""I'm not. It's just a feeling."His expression sobers, as he considers my claim. I stand stiffly, worried he's going to see through my lie and kill me on the spot. He seems so volatile and impossible to predict."Enough for you to call me, when you obviously don't trust me.""You're like me...I've spent my entire life hiding who I am.

~AspenKeo knows how to keep his word.I thought he may have kept me for an extra day, but I've been in this small apartment in Territory Twelve for a couple days now.And I haven't heard anything from Kastriv. No doubt he's panicking, but I doubt he will find me until Keo wants him too.Which at this point, I'm convinced will be never."Focus," Keo murmurs.I sigh. "I am focusing.""No you're not.""Maybe if you shut up, I could," I snap.I know I probably should be scared of Keo. Yet over these past days of being near him so much, he's been strangely hospitable, even if he's annoying most of the time.But he's been helping me tune into my magic. I haven't complained once about that.I'm meant to be trying to connect to different places across the land. It's been draining, but at points, I actually feel as though I'm close to making a genuine connection to another place.Why that's valuable, I'm not sure. Keo hasn't told me yet.I can feel Keo's grin, even though my eyes are closed.