Mack (King #4)(16)

“Just for taking a boat?”

“No. Turned out, they didn’t care about the boat. Kan was their king, and óolal was considered sacred because of her gifts. She was thought to be the property of the gods. I apparently defiled that gift.”

Oh shit. Now I was beginning to understand why this story wasn’t going to end in a happy place. No pun intended. “So you took something that wasn’t yours.”

“Kan and I developed a strange but close friendship over the next several months while they waited for the equinox—the day to make sacrifices and atone for one’s sins in their culture. Kan asked questions about the places and people I’d seen while traveling with the Nords. He shared details about his powerful bloodline and his gifts. And every day, I asked to see óolal but was told it wasn’t time yet.”

My skin began to crawl as I envisioned where this was heading.

“Ironically, I caught some sort of illness. My guess: Malaria from the mosquitos. I didn’t live long enough to find out what would’ve happened on the equinox, but on my deathbed, Kan promised to bury me with the Artifact—that stone I carried—and mark the grave. I hoped someday someone would find it and that the gods would do the rest, making sure the stone made it back to Mia.”

“That was very generous of Kan.”

“I threatened to bring his people bad luck if he didn’t help my spirit rest soundly.”

“Did you ever see óolal again?” I asked.

Mack didn’t reply immediately, and I felt the air spike with despair. It was really f*cking weird.

“I did,” he said, sounding solemn. “She must’ve heard I was dying and gotten free. The last thing I saw was her beautiful face hovering over mine. I told her I loved her, and then it happened.”

“What?”

“It was a whirlwind of screams and fighting and blood and…” He let out a breath. “Her father caught us together and slit her throat two feet from my face, screaming that her disobedience and insults to the gods would bring about suffering for their people.”

Oh god. I covered my mouth in horror.

He continued, “I was too weak to do anything but watch the blood pour from her neck. But inside, I wailed in agony. At the same time, Kan screamed violently, cursing me for putting him in the situation to have to kill his own daughter. He said, ‘You will forever walk this earth, living my pain.’ Of course, all I could hear were óolal’s final words burning deep into my soul. I think that’s when I knew that her father’s words weren’t a threat. They were real. And so were hers.”

“What did she say?” I whispered, not aware that I was once again on the edge of my seat.

“She said, ‘I will find you. Whatever it takes, my soul will not rest until I find you and set you free.’ And then she died.” Mack paused for a long moment, perhaps to gather himself before continuing. Meanwhile, I was horrified. “The final irony was that not soon after, more guards from my island—compelled by some mystical homing skills and Mia’s orders to keep me safe—showed up looking for me. They’d been but a few weeks behind the Nords the entire time, following our trail. Had they arrived sooner, óolal would’ve probably lived. I truly think the gods wanted to punish me.”





CHAPTER NINE


TEDDI





I don’t know how long I sat there in silence with Mack, trying to shake off the anguish of the tragedy that had just played out in my mind. It stuck to my skin, permeated my lungs, and rolled around in my stomach with nauseous waves. I literally felt sickened by it.

But why? I’d seen horror movies, read tragic love stories, and I’d played with donor brains in college. I wasn’t thin skinned. Okay, yes, I wasn’t myself today, all filled up with those annoyingly strange emotions, but this story had somehow worked its way inside me like a rotting splinter, tainting my blood.

“I need to take a breather.” I stood and headed for the door, wondering how far I’d get before I vomited. Once outside, I placed my palms against the wall and leaned in. My head was spinning, and my insides twisted with painful cramps.

I suddenly felt someone breathing on the back of my neck—someone tall from the angle of it. I gasped and turned, finding the entire hallway empty.

“Fuck. What’s wrong with me?” I whispered. Suddenly the room began spinning faster and faster, exploding with colors, the walls dripping with blues and reds and…

I can’t breathe. I can’t breathe. Then the space around me turned dark, and I felt myself falling.

~~~

Two Days Later.



I dreamed of running down that hill again. Same as the last time. Only, now there were storm clouds above, and the freezing rain pelted my shivering body.

It’s not him. It’s not him. Dear God, it looks like him, but it’s not. All I could think of was getting away, that I’d made some horrible mistake.

I glanced down at my stomach, pressing my hands over a fresh wound, the blood staining the front of my tattered brown dress that looked more like a potato sack. I was going to die, and I knew it. Yet I kept on running. From him. The man with the blue eyes who apparently wasn’t who he’d seemed.

I tripped on a rock and flew face-first down the muddy embankment. So much pain. So much pain. I tried to get to my feet but kept slipping.