Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Just when I thought things were settled, and I could finally take Isla home so we could pray for our child, Isla surprised me.

“Do you think if I recovered my memories of the area surrounding Ashbluff Castle, I might be able to think of where she’s gone?” Isla asked. I could tell she was trying everything she could think of to try and contribute to finding our daughter. I couldn’t blame her. I felt helpless as well.

“You know the area just fine. And I’ve sent former Ashbluff soldiers back that way to search for her. There is nothing more we can do, and having your memories back is not going to help,” I said, hoping to keep her from continuing to argue for Freya casting this spell., seeing where this was going.

Isla bit her l*p, and I could see her mind ticking as she thought of a response that might change my mind. “But you can’t know for sure, can you? What if I can remember something important? What if…?”

“Freya Hallowshift, I FORBID you to try to break Luna Moonrose’s curse,” I intoned quickly. “FORBID.”

Isla frowned at me, her eyes wide with shock and disappointment. “That isn’t fair. It’s my decision!”

“The hell it is!” I said sternly. “I won’t have you dying on me, on Margot, just because you think you MIGHT have something rolling around your brain that could help us. You are my wife and my mate, and you are NOT leaving me. Do you understand me?! You are NOT leaving me!” Anger was boiling up inside of me, and I needed to get a hold of it.

“I might not kill her,” Freya said meekly.

I glared at her, and Freya took a step back. “You stay out of this.”

“Don’t talk to her that way. She’s only trying to help,” Isla insisted.

“No, no, NO, and no. Can’t you see how destructive her ‘help’ has been so far? No,” I said. “This discussion ends here. There will be no more magic on my watch, especially from you, Freya.”

Freya looked sufficiently cowed.

I squared my shoulders and took Isla’s hand, tugging her back towards the castle.

Isla looked a bit sullen, but someone had to put their foot down in this situation. It was insanity to risk death for-

“Freya, I want you to try,” Isla said, stopping me.

I blinked. “Isla, no!” I turned to Freya. “Don’t you dare!”

“I’m your friend. It’s my life,” Isla pressed.

“Freya, I will not just kill you. I will DISMEMBER you-“I warned.

“Don’t listen to him. James Moonrose, I FORBID you to hurt Freya. This is what I want,” Isla said, stamping her foot.

Freya looked from Isla to me and back again. Then she swallowed and raised her hands.

“No! 1 shouted.

Before I could stop her, though, Freya’s hands lit up white, and a blast of white light came from her palms.

It knocked me back, as well as Isla and Bennett.

Freya fell to her knees, her hair standing out at angles, her face pale. She looked drained but also as though she’d been struck by lightning.

I peeled myself off the ground and looked around for Isla. “Isla? Isla?!”

My Isla was lying on the ground; her face red as though sunburnt. Her own blonde hair was sticking out in all directions as well.

Freya got to Isla before I did. She took Isla’s hand and patted it. “Isla? Isla?”

I shoved the witch out of the way. “Isla, baby, please wake up.” I knelt beside lightly slapped her cheeks. “Come on.”

Isla didn’t stir.

Freya began sobbing.

I

my mate and

I’d long past lost my patience with that witch. I shot her a silencing, murderous glare. “If Isla dies, you die.”

Freya went more pale and silent.

I scooped Isla off the ground and into my arms and gave Bennett a nod.

Bennett took off his shirt and used it to tie Freya’s wrists behind her, then shoved her ahead of him as we made our way back into the castle.

Once I had Isla in our bed-in our bedroom-I turned on Freya. “So, witch? Is she going to live?”

“Freya looked down at the floor. “I don’t know, Your Majesty. I… I… I told her it could kill

her or maybe make her blind like Margot or

“So you thought you’d just go ahead and do it anyway?! After I SPECIFICALLY told you not to?!” I bellowed.

Freya winced. “It was her choice to make.”

I raised my hand to slap her, but a soft clearing of the throat from Bennett reminded me of what Isla had said about not harming her. I didn’t want to upset Isla, whether she was going to live or die. “If Isla doesn’t make it…

“I know. You’re going to kill me.” Freya said softly. “And I must say, Your Majesty, if Isla doesn’t make it, then I will deserve to die.”

“Good. I’m glad we agree on something,” I grunted. I sat myself down on a chair in the corner of the room with my arms crossed, determined to keep vigil no matter how long it

took.

Freya seemed to have the same idea and was just starting to pull a chair close to Isla’s bed

when one look from me made her think better of it. She sat on a hope chest at the foot of the bed instead.

“Stefan Moonrose is still on the run,” Bennett said, though whether it was to me or to Freya, I had no idea.

“Good. He should be scared,” I muttered. “Don’t bother bringing him home. Behead him where you find him.”

Freya looked sad. “I really did think the council and Isla’s family had the best of intentions…”

“Did someone ask you to whine some more?” I snapped.

Freya fell silent.

“I think perhaps I should bring some blankets for Miss Hallowshift,” Bennett said.

“Why?” I seethed. “She’s not staying.”

“I was just thinking, perhaps, Your Majesty, if something were to go wrong, Miss Hallowshift might be able to use her magic to help,” Bennett replied.

Freya perked up. “I will do everything in my power to ensure she lives. I promise. I promise, Your Majesty.”

I growled under my breath, then sighed and waved a hand at Bennett. “Fine. Just… fine. Bring her some blankets.”

Freya’s face lit up, and Bennett went to get the blankets.

I was just tired of it all. I wanted Isla to wake up. I wanted to hold her in my arms and tell her everything was going to be okay.

And I wanted our Margot back.

I scrubbed a hand over my face, feeling physically and emotionally exhausted.

Bennett returned with the blankets, and Freya and I sat up in silence for hours. Then Freya fell asleep on the floor.

But sleep would not come to me. My life was laying there in bed, breathing heavily, still unconscious. My heart was lost somewhere in the woods after her first shift.

My treacherous brain even entertained the idea that Margot might no longer be alive at all.

With a groan, I dropped my head into my hands..

Da mn, Freya Hallowshift, anyway!