who will notice my disappearance. One of the men possesses a sort of mind sight. He’ll find me with his unique vision. And I’ve heard them compare his brother’s fists to bricks. He’ll murder you.”
Xavier arched a brow, seemingly more amused than anything else. “Really?” he asked dubiously. He traced my face with the back of his fingers. I flinched in response.
“You should let me go,” I warned him.
“That’s not going to happen, Oracle.”
I straightened, attempting to present myself as confident and unworried. “Just remember I told you so.”
“Are you trying to frighten me?” he asked.
“You should be frightened.” I paused, wondering where all my courage was coming from. Inwardly, I still trembled. Everything else must be a façade. Nonetheless, I kept going with it. “Gabe will find me with his mind sight. And when he does, his brother is going to crush you.”
Xavier chuckled. “I’m shaking in my boots.”
The door to our room slammed open, startling me. Rex stood there in a furious glory. I’d never been so happy to see anyone in my entire life-and I definitely never thought I’d be happy at the sight of Rex.
“Damned right you should be scared, Dogaru.”
Xavier’s eyes lit up. “Constantin,” he acknowledged in a snarl. “Should’ve known you’d be part of this. Hiding the oracle, eh? How long did you think you could get away with it for?”
Nico stood, preparing to attack, but Gabe came through the doorway a moment later, holding a handgun. He clicked the safety off and pointed it directly at Nico. “Don’t move,” he ordered.
I smiled gleefully.
My smile faded as I felt myself being dragged towards Xavier. He tucked me firmly beneath his arm.
The cold blade of a knife pressed against my throat.
“Back up,” Xavier ordered.
He pressed the tip down firmly to my skin. All coherent thoughts left my head. Every slight movement of Xavier’s hand became more pronounced as I waited in fear of having my throat slit. Tears misted, clouding my eyes, but I managed to keep myself in check. If you’re going to go, go bravely , I told myself. Don’t be a coward.
Rex met my eyes as if he were signaling me. I watched him intently, waiting for his next move. He leaned forward, just slightly, letting me know he was coming for me. All in one quick movement, he grabbed Xavier’s forearm and I ducked, the knife barely scraping my chin. With me out of reach, Rex swung at Xavier, sending him flying into the wall.
Nico moved in reflex, preparing to attack Rex from behind. Gabe cut him off short, and brought his gun to Nico’s temple. “This is a friendly reminder that a gun is being pointed at you. It’s been a while since I’ve shot one of these and I’m feeling trigger-happy. I wouldn’t move again, if I were you.”
Nico scowled at Gabe. But he didn’t move again.
“You won’t get away with this,” Xavier managed between breaths. He wiped at a bloody nose. Rex reached for the knife, which had landed on the floor. He handed it to Gabe, who tucked it into the back of his pants.
“Funny, that’s the same thing I told you.” I couldn’t help pointing it out, feeling bolder without a knife at my throat. “You should’ve listened.”
Xavier ignored me. “You both know she is property of the Royal Court.”
“She isn’t--”
“I’m not property of anyone.”
Rex turned, arching a brow at me. I stepped back, mumbling, “Sorry. Please continue.”
Rex turned back to Xavier. “Who sent you?” he demanded.
“Who do you think? King Salazar.”
“Last I heard, Salazar was no longer allowed to hold that title; decreed by the rest of the courts.”
“He is still more of a King than you ever were.” Xavier hissed this last part, contempt practically oozing from his voice.
Rex rolled his sleeves up. He jerked Xavier up by the collar.
“Rex,” Gabe warned. “He’s not worth it.”
Rex glanced over his shoulder. There was a shared look between the
Xavier arched a brow, seemingly more amused than anything else. “Really?” he asked dubiously. He traced my face with the back of his fingers. I flinched in response.
“You should let me go,” I warned him.
“That’s not going to happen, Oracle.”
I straightened, attempting to present myself as confident and unworried. “Just remember I told you so.”
“Are you trying to frighten me?” he asked.
“You should be frightened.” I paused, wondering where all my courage was coming from. Inwardly, I still trembled. Everything else must be a façade. Nonetheless, I kept going with it. “Gabe will find me with his mind sight. And when he does, his brother is going to crush you.”
Xavier chuckled. “I’m shaking in my boots.”
The door to our room slammed open, startling me. Rex stood there in a furious glory. I’d never been so happy to see anyone in my entire life-and I definitely never thought I’d be happy at the sight of Rex.
“Damned right you should be scared, Dogaru.”
Xavier’s eyes lit up. “Constantin,” he acknowledged in a snarl. “Should’ve known you’d be part of this. Hiding the oracle, eh? How long did you think you could get away with it for?”
Nico stood, preparing to attack, but Gabe came through the doorway a moment later, holding a handgun. He clicked the safety off and pointed it directly at Nico. “Don’t move,” he ordered.
I smiled gleefully.
My smile faded as I felt myself being dragged towards Xavier. He tucked me firmly beneath his arm.
The cold blade of a knife pressed against my throat.
“Back up,” Xavier ordered.
He pressed the tip down firmly to my skin. All coherent thoughts left my head. Every slight movement of Xavier’s hand became more pronounced as I waited in fear of having my throat slit. Tears misted, clouding my eyes, but I managed to keep myself in check. If you’re going to go, go bravely , I told myself. Don’t be a coward.
Rex met my eyes as if he were signaling me. I watched him intently, waiting for his next move. He leaned forward, just slightly, letting me know he was coming for me. All in one quick movement, he grabbed Xavier’s forearm and I ducked, the knife barely scraping my chin. With me out of reach, Rex swung at Xavier, sending him flying into the wall.
Nico moved in reflex, preparing to attack Rex from behind. Gabe cut him off short, and brought his gun to Nico’s temple. “This is a friendly reminder that a gun is being pointed at you. It’s been a while since I’ve shot one of these and I’m feeling trigger-happy. I wouldn’t move again, if I were you.”
Nico scowled at Gabe. But he didn’t move again.
“You won’t get away with this,” Xavier managed between breaths. He wiped at a bloody nose. Rex reached for the knife, which had landed on the floor. He handed it to Gabe, who tucked it into the back of his pants.
“Funny, that’s the same thing I told you.” I couldn’t help pointing it out, feeling bolder without a knife at my throat. “You should’ve listened.”
Xavier ignored me. “You both know she is property of the Royal Court.”
“She isn’t--”
“I’m not property of anyone.”
Rex turned, arching a brow at me. I stepped back, mumbling, “Sorry. Please continue.”
Rex turned back to Xavier. “Who sent you?” he demanded.
“Who do you think? King Salazar.”
“Last I heard, Salazar was no longer allowed to hold that title; decreed by the rest of the courts.”
“He is still more of a King than you ever were.” Xavier hissed this last part, contempt practically oozing from his voice.
Rex rolled his sleeves up. He jerked Xavier up by the collar.
“Rex,” Gabe warned. “He’s not worth it.”
Rex glanced over his shoulder. There was a shared look between the
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