Daughter of Kaos (The Daughter Trilogy Book 3) (38 page)

I follow him in and shut the door behind before continuing my deceitful endeavor.

“Actually, I’m just going to take a minute for myself.”

His eyes looked worried, pained, and confused when he glances up from his crouched position.

“Why? Did something happen? Did you see something?” he prompts anxiously.

“No. I didn’t see anything,” I mutter.
At least that’s not a lie.
“I just need a minute to breathe

outside before the next storm hits. Speaking of storms, I still can’t draw in the wind, and it’s starting

to irritate me. I want to take a minute and see if I can’t figure out what’s holding me back.”

“I don’t want you going out alone,” he counters so protectively as his arms wrap around my waist

to pull me to him.

“I know, but you need to stay here and keep running the show. I’ll be fine on my own, and I’ll

stay close. I promise.

“This week has been rather eventful. I had to watch our daughter go into hiding, I spent days in

the belly of a volcano, I came face to face with the bitch who was after our daughter, and we found out

Rhea is waiting for the perfect moment of weakness to claw her way back. Right now I just want to

clear my head. We’re going to need me to be functioning properly,” I mumble, and with the exception

of my lie by omission, I’m telling him the truth; I really am a little overwhelmed.

He sighs a little reluctantly, and then he gives a begrudged nod to assert his hesitant approval.

“I understand. This hasn’t been easy on me either though. I was there to see Aster go into indefinite

hiding. Then I had to search for my abducted wife. I spent days worrying I was too late. You have no

idea how relieved I was when Camara’s eyes were finally on you, and then how terrified I was when

she told me what she was seeing.

“I can live without so many things in my life, but you’re not one of them. You’re my air, my

water, my fire, my world. Now our daughter holds a strong place as well. The two of you are my only

reasons for living, and I lost both of you in the same day,” he chokes out, and now I feel like a selfish,

petty, whiny bitch.

“I’m sorry. I know you’ve been thrown into hell with me. You should get out and take a minute

for yourself as well. I think we both need it,” I whisper softly as my lips caress his.

“I don’t want a minute alone. I want every second I can have with you,” he honestly reveals, and

my tears begin trying to creep out.

I feel so terrible about deceiving him. I really don’t want to be alone either, but I can’t let him

know what I’m doing.

I’ve chastised him so many times for lying to me in order to shield me or protect me. Here I am

being a complete hypocrite by doing the thing I made him promise to never do to me again.

My mind flashes back to our bonding ceremony - our immortal wedding. His words scroll

through my mind with their promising taste.

“I, Devin, vow to be eternally bewitched by you, Adisia Cole, and I swear to always be

forthcoming and honest in our lives no matter what the consequences or the danger. You’re my world,

my life, my breath, and my desire. I will never leave your side, and I’ll never stop loving you with all

my strength. I promise this now, forever, and beyond.”

I sigh as I stare into the smoky eyes looking down into mine, and I force myself to lie yet again,

even though it’s almost excruciating to do.

“Let’s do something together tomorrow, away from the house and the others. I’ll go for a run

right now, and I’ll be back before you have time to miss me,” I murmur encouragingly.

“I doubt that,” he sighs. “I feel as if you’re holding something back, and it’s starting to worry

me. Is there something I’m missing?”

Drat! He knows me too damn well.

“No. Like I said, I’m just a little overwhelmed. I love you,” I quickly interject.

“I love you,” he says warily, and then my lips pull his to mine with over eager propulsion.

The passion sparks and offers an indefinite depth for how far this could lead, but I have to find the

strength to draw back. Slash will be waiting, and it’s time to end this.

Devin’s arms grip me tighter, and his hands dig into my sides. He lifts me slightly, and I finally

force my lips away.

His eyes show their concern, suspicion, and disbelief more profoundly now, and I try to cover the

emotional surge begging to flow out.

“I’ll be back soon,” I shudder out, and his lips claim mine again before I make it out the door.

“I know you’re holding back. You wouldn’t have pulled away from that an hour ago. What’s

wrong?” he insists, but I just shake my head.

“I’m just worried about our future. I don’t want to cry in front of everyone, so please just give me

a minute,” I whimper.

He huffs again, but I can tell he’s not as convinced as I would like him to be.

“Take your phone. Call me if you’re going to be gone longer than a couple of hours, please. I’ll

be worried if you don’t.”

“I promise,” I murmur softly, and my lips graze his once more with a sweet farewell before I

flash out the door.

I give a smiling wave to the others in the room while flashing out of the house before they can

interrogate me on my intentions. I can’t tell them.

I can’t tell them Devin is destined to die at Jace’s hand. That’s the premonition our sweet

dreamer had to endure, and they would all join me in keeping him and Jace safe from Rhea’s grasp.

I can’t risk their lives to save my own. I have to do what I was meant to do. This is why I was

created, and I can’t leave our daughter an orphan. She’s going to need one of us to guide her through

our world when the time comes, and Devin is the best one to do that.

I’d give my life for him and her, and if that’s what it takes… then so be it.

“Adisia,” Slash calls from the
beach bar when he sees my eyes searching for his face.

I jog over to him with mortal speed, and he looks absolutely terrified when I finally approach

him.

“You look like a man full of dread,” I criticize.

“Well, no offense, but when you called to ask me to meet you in secrecy, I knew it had to be

something terrifyingly dangerous or torridly scandalous. I would be a fool to hold out hope for the

latter of the two options, so I can only assume my Emperian is about to ask me to stand in the line of

fire… again. I’ll have to agree to whatever you ask, so you might as well just tell me what to do,” he

huffs.

I feel a little burdened by the inherit power I never wanted and the loyally obedient followers

forced to do my bidding without option.

“You can tell me no, and I won’t persecute you for any reason. Let’s get that on the table first.

This meeting is secret because the task is incredibly dangerous for almost anyone but you. I’ll keep

you safe, and then you can run once I’ve cleared away the first threat,” I murmur in a whispered tone.

His eyes narrow and he looks around to make sure there are no prying ears trying to listen in on

our conversation.

“I’ll do whatever you need me to do. If you feel it necessary, then I trust you’re doing the right

thing,” he devotedly offers, and I still feel like a dictating queen bitch.

Damn Emperian bullshit.

I don’t have time to wallow in the guilt stream though. I have a limited amount of time to put this

plan to work before Devin starts wondering where I am.

“I need you to come with me to Athena’s garden. I know it’s here, and I know it’s close. I tasted,

I saw, and I lived for a moment through Rhea’s eyes. I gained insight on her scheming plot, and I

know what she’s waiting on. I’m going to provoke her out of her entombed grave that can no longer

hold her down,” I mutter, and it’s so quietly delivered, he almost has to read my lips to see rather than

hear my words.

The color washes from his face, and I know he’s fully understood the contents of my muted

request whether spoken or mouthed.

“That’s… so… but… I’m a little confused. You’re saying you want to take on Rhea with just the

two of us? Why?” he asks with complete bewilderment.

“I don’t want
us
to take on Rhea. I’ll be taking on Rhea by myself. I need you to draw her out.

How good are your acting skills?”

“You’ve seen my best, and as I recall, I didn’t do too well to convince you I was Devin,” he

grumbles.

I smirk a little at the memory I’m almost fond of these days.

“I don’t need you to convince someone you’re somebody else, I need you to convince them you’re

dead - that I’m dead,” I murmur very cautiously.

“Who?” he muses.

“Rhea has two spies in our group. I’ve kept it secret because I plan on using it against her. If

Devin and the others knew of about this, they would kill them before we could use the information to

our advantage. It’s how we were constantly being found so easily even after the demise of the

daughters of Athena.

“It’s how Pyrrha knew to find us in Greece, but she couldn’t find me when I was in Phoenix. Our

daughter’s birth was strictly limited our immediate group, keeping Pyrrha from learning about her

birth. The facet I was Emperian was a simple oversight because Pyrrha doesn’t speak with them

regularly. Fortunately, my daughter’s birth and whereabouts were only made known to our most

trusted friends.

“These two spies knew what direction we were going when we took Aster to safety; they just

thought I was going to see my family. They had no idea my daughter was in tow. It’s amazing we’ve

avoided the disasters intended to kill us, and it makes me feel validated with my extreme paranoia for

my daughter’s safety.”

“Wow,” he gasps in a whisper. “Who?”

I dare not say the names out loud, and I scribble on a napkin in front of me while covering it with

my free hand to obstruct stray eyes from catching a peek. I turn it over and slide over face down.

His eyes dart around nervously before peeking under the napkin and then he slams it back down to

the surface of the bar as his face goes ashen.

We have the worst covert operatives in history because we have no subtle finesse. His mouth is

almost gaping open in disbelief and horrified shock.

“You’re sure about this?” he strains in a whisper.

“Positive. I’ve intentionally left them out of the loop on certain things because I had suspicions,

and then earlier the blurred images I received in the volcanic prison became clearer.

“My mind and body are getting stronger by the minute, and now I’m certain. They’re at the house

now with Devin, and they’re listening to every strategy the team is laying out. They’re looking for

their opportunity to launch another ambush, and I’m about to give them one.

“I’ll call Devin in just a minute, and I can assure you they’ll be listening in on our conversation.

I’ll give them the opportunity they’ve been dreaming of, and they will take the bait willingly - so will

Rhea. All you have to do is play dead,” I whisper.

He takes a deep breath, and the bartender walks over to proffer a Slash a new drink. He smirks as

he stares me up and down, and his salacious eyes give me a peek at his disgustingly dirty fantasies.

“You want anything, babe?” he cockily inquires.

“Vodka. I’ll take the whole bottle,” I murmur dismissively.

His eyes almost cross in complete disbelief.

“Sorry, but I’m not allowed to do that,” he snickers out, and now I’m the one smirking as my eyes

flash their controlling green.

“Now,” I order with a chimed tone, and his humor dissipates instantly as he trips over his own

feet to hastily obey.

He almost drops the vodka in my lap, and my hand flashes to catch it while turning it up to guzzle

it down.

“Do you mind getting me the bottle of whiskey?” Slash chuckles out.

I grin a little as my eyes flash green to force the silent command, and Slash’s whiskey is in his

hand promptly. He clanks the side of my bottle with his in a
cheers
motion, and then he shakes his

head before grumbling.

“Here’s to your crazy as hell plan,” he toasts with a trembling tone underlying his defensive

humor.

I laugh a bit nervously before joining the clanking motion, and then we devour the liquid courage

without further reservation.

Chapter 15

Venus Flytrap

I pick the phone up to start the call that will only bring our anxiety to a new level.

“Adisia, is everything okay?” Devin worries, and I can hear the voices in the background

becoming distant.

I have to speak while they’re still in range.

“I just called to tell you I’m on my way to destroy Athena’s garden. I found it, and I’m going to

make sure no one can ever use it against me again,” I quickly spew out.

“What?” he gasps. “I thought you were going out for fucking air,” he growls.

“I was, but then it dawned on me where this wretched thing was. I want our daughter to be safe,

and Athena’s garden will be a threat to her one day. It’s not too far away, and I should be there in