Chapter 94: The Scent of Him
Nina’s hands slowly curled into fists on the chair.
"I understand," she replied. "But..." she started, her gaze narrowing at Emory. "You have given me no reason why I should believe what you’ve said."
"What do you mean?" she asked.
Nina pointed at her. "Like you said, a lot of people want to get their hands on the Vault of Forbidden Spells. How do I know you’re not one of them?" She raised a brow.
The air between them thickened as they held each other’s gaze for a moment. Then Emory smiled.
"What do you want?" she asked.
Nina smiled. "I need to meet them."
Lady Emory’s brows drew together ever so slightly.
"Who?"
The room fell quiet once more.
Nina held her gaze, her expression unwavering.
"The witches you speak of." The words left her lips slowly. "I want an audience with them."
Lady Emory didn’t answer immediately. She simply watched Nina, her face revealing nothing. Even the faint smile she wore seemed to have faded into something unreadable.
Nina refused to look away.
"If you expect me to bring the Vothraki to you without questioning your intentions, then I believe this is the least you can do."
She leaned back against the couch, never once breaking eye contact.
"I want to speak to the witches myself."
Lady Emory continued studying her for what felt like an eternity.
The silence stretched between them until even the crackling of the fire seemed unusually loud.
Then...
A smile slowly returned to the older woman’s face.
"I will relay your message to them, Luna."
She inclined her head slightly.
"Whether they agree to meet with you is a decision only they can make."
Emory folded her hands before her.
"But I do doubt they would agree to meet with you without the Vothraki." She smiled.
Nina drew a breath but didn’t break eye contact.
"Then it would mean they do not need the Vothraki at all." She raised her hand, rubbing her thumb across her index finger.
"Bringing a witch back to life and waiting twenty years for a spellbook, only to throw away the chance to obtain it because of a few answers I seek?" She inclined her head. "I doubt the coven of witches is foolish."
Something crossed Emory’s gaze, but it disappeared as soon as it came. She smiled and lowered her head.
"If that is all, may I take my leave?"
Nina thinned her lips as she stared at the woman before her. Then she pulled her gaze away.
"You may."
Lady Emory turned and made her way toward the doors.
Her hand had barely reached the handle when she stopped.
For several long seconds, she remained perfectly still.
Then she slowly turned back.
The smile had disappeared from her face.
"Your destiny is to bring an end to the lycan bloodline. The Alpha is not yours, Annalise."
Nina’s teeth clenched tightly, her brows knitting together.
Lady Emory held her gaze with unsettling calm.
"He is destined to die. You cannot bind your heart to the man you are destined to kill."
...
Nina remained seated in silence long after Emory had left, the words echoing through her mind.
You cannot bind your heart to the one you’re destined to kill.
The woman was right.
There was no future waiting at the end of this road. No happy ending. No miracle strong enough to rewrite what was coming.
Nina shut her eyes, trapping her lower lip between her teeth. His image appeared behind her closed eyelids, and she threw them open immediately.
She should stop thinking about him.
Nina rubbed her face with both hands.
She was caught between the devil and the deep blue sea, and whichever path she chose would end in tragedy.
If she chose not to betray him, she would die.
If she chose to save herself, he would die.
There was no way out.
With a slow breath, Nina dragged herself to her feet.
The corridors stretched endlessly before her, washed in the amber glow of the dying afternoon light. Servants bowed as she passed, but she barely noticed them.
Everything felt distant.
Muted.
By the time she reached her room, exhaustion weighed heavier than the stone walls surrounding her.
She pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The chamber greeted her with familiar stillness. Pale curtains drifted lazily in the breeze spilling through the open balcony doors, carrying the scent of pine and dust.
Nina crossed the room and dropped onto the bed without bothering to change.
The moment her head touched the pillow, she stilled.
No.
Her eyes fluttered shut, and she drew in another breath before she could stop herself.
Him.
His scent still clung to the sheets.
Her fingers tightened around the blanket as she swallowed.
It shouldn’t still be here.
She turned her face away, trying to escape it, but every breath only drew it deeper into her lungs.
Her throat tightened.
She shut her eyes, trying to push the thoughts of him away, but the memories of their first night enveloped her before she could stop them.
His hand sliding into hers.
His breath against her ear.
His mouth planting kisses on her bare skin...
Heat spread through her chest before she could stop it.
Nina bit down on her lower lip.
She rolled onto her side, pressing her face into the pillow as if she could smother the memories.
Instead, they came sharper.
He had taken her as though he’d done this countless times, which was strange because rumor had it that he didn’t touch anyone.
Yet...
Nina swallowed hard, her fingers rising to her lips as they brushed over them.
He had touched her.
Kissed her...
And even...
Nina shut her eyes.
Her stomach tightened.
She curled in on herself, her nails digging into the blanket.
She wanted his scent gone.
She wanted one full breath that didn’t feel like him.
But she inhaled again.
And again.
Until the tension slowly left her body, and she drifted off.
Thinking of him