Chapter 146
[SAMANTHA’s Point of View],
I filled my lungs with the musky and fresh scent of the forest trees, and a deep sigh escaped from my lips the second a cold, soft breeze brushed my bare skin. My husband took half an hour to recover. As we dragged ourselves out of the cave, we realized time had stopped when we entered the place—like we had gone into a strange dimension, and the glowing butterfly I saw when I went to the cave was still there, fluttering around in front of it. I knew it because of the position of the huge, silver moon.
“What happened?” Dominic asked, his brows deep in a frown. “It should be around noon.”
“I don’t know exactly,” I answered softly as I looked around. “But it seems like time stops inside that place. Like it’s being protected by something dark and ancient. I just don’t know why it allowed us inside.”
“Perhaps it knows you are looking for something and wants to stop you, believing that it can kill you inside that place,” Dominic answered with a slight grunt as he felt a sharp pin on his left rib. “Or perhaps the Moon Goddess wants you to see all that is happening in this forest. Who are the real enemies are. I am not sure, my love, but at least we know who their real targets are. And we have to find the kids as soon as we can.”
That’s when I worried more. “What do you mean? They are in Liam’s house, right?”
His face turned grave as he locked his darkened eyes on me. His jaw stiffened, and his shoulders were stiff. “As soon as we got outside, Liam’s mind linked into my head immediately.”
My eyes widened in terror. I took off his arms around my shoulder and breathed fast and shallow as panic struck my head. “Stop making me scared, Dominic! What happened to the kids!”
He dropped his gaze with fear and guilt and then looked at me as he hissed. “He said the kids are gone.”
“No...” I muttered as I flinched away from him, throwing my hands to my head, my nails on my scalp. “What the f*ck does he mean they are gone?! He promised us he would protect them, Dominic! We have to find the—”
“Hey, hey, love.” Dominic’s hands grabbed and cupped my face and forced me to look into his hazel eyes. “Samantha, look at me.” He was panting as he tried to compose himself, despite the panic spreading across his face. “We have to calm down and work together. You know Devon and Diana. We were separated from them for weeks, and I am sure they sneaked out to look for us again. Liam is already doing his best to find them. I just need you to calm down, okay?”
He was right. It wasn’t the right time to let the panic consume me. I had to think clearly! I had to calm down to find the kids!