Part 89 (2/2)

I couldn't allow myself to hear that either.

If I did, his voice would definitely make me feel more than nothing.

So I interrupted him by announcing, ”I want to go home.”

His body stilled. All of it, top to toe. I watched the power of it still completely and it must be said, it was a remarkable sight.

Then I watched it come alert and that was even more remarkable.

But (I told myself) neither of these made me feel anything.

”You are home,” he said quietly.

”I'm not,” I returned. ”I'm in Karsvall, your home. Karsvall is in Lunwyn, your country. In the Northlands, your continent. All of that is in your world. I want to go back to my world.”

He again started moving toward me, his eyes locked to mine. ”I spoke harshly to you. I said things I deeply regret. It was inexcusable, Madeleine, and I apologize.”

He meant that. Every word. I knew it. I knew by the way he was looking at me and I knew by the way his words sounded.

He meant it a great deal.

But it didn't make me feel a thing.

Or, at least that's what I told myself.

Instead, I held my ground and held his gaze. ”I appreciate that. Now, if you'd lead me to Valentine, I'll be requesting that she send me home.”

He stopped two feet in front of me and studied me closely.

I could read the anger in his eyes. Controlled anger.

I could also see the worry.

That was uncontrolled.

”You can't think I'd simply allow you return to your world,” he remarked.

”No, I can't think that,” I agreed. ”You'll only allow me do what you want me to do. You have a way with getting your way and I have a way of giving it to you. I must admit, I've been too in pain to think about this rationally over the last couple of days. But just moments ago, on my way to you, it all became very clear what I have to do and where I have to be. Now, I've just had a lovely time with elan, a time we both enjoyed. I'm not happy to leave her but I'm hoping that will be a nice memory to leave her with.”

And I hoped it was.

When I was gone, I knew she'd miss me. She liked me. It would be a blow.

But better I leave now than later when her father sent me away.

As for me, I couldn't think about how leaving elan would feel.

So I didn't Without pause, I kept going.

”And I happened on Christophe. I hope the words I found to say to him have helped in some way, though that's doubtful. But I only have one choice and it's not a good one, but it's the right one. Since Valentine is here, regardless of what you'd let me do, Apollo, she's the one who has the power to send me back and I'll be asking her to do it.”

I could feel the emotion emanating from him. It wasn't good emotion. It was frightening emotion. But I told myself I didn't feel that either.

”You are not safe in the other world,” he reminded me.

”I'm not safe here,” I reminded him.

He shook his head. ”What I said to you was unwarranted, Madeleine, this is true. But you strike back by committing the same sin? Inflicting your own wounds in this way? After all we've shared, all we've become to one another, asking with not one ounce of emotion to leave me?”

”What you said was inexcusable, unwarranted and unforgivable,” I replied, holding his eyes and squaring my shoulders. ”I'll not accept Pol's physical abuse for a decade only to come here and allow his twin to verbally abuse me.”

I heard his sharp intake of breath even as his torso straightened abruptly and the mood in the room, already not good, degenerated further.

I told myself I didn't feel that either.

”I've said this before but I will remind you again. I am not him, Maddie,” he said shortly.

”You aren't,” I stated on a sharp nod. ”You strike out in a different way that's just as undeserved and perhaps not as physically painful, but it still hurts.”

”I apologized.”

”He used to do that too.”

His head jerked and I got another flinch, this one not almost imperceptible.

This one I couldn't miss.

He felt those words. I'd wounded him.

No, I'd wounded him with the understanding of how deeply he'd wounded me.

I told myself I didn't feel that either.

”In all the beauty that we've shared, in all the beauty you've given me, I forgot,” I told him. ”I forgot I was trying to find my way. Forgot it so deeply, I lost it again. Until that woman pointed it out. And then you did what you did and it became even clearer.”

”What woman?” he asked, his brows drawing together.

”Franka Drakkar,” I answered.

He shook his head again but this time did it and took a step closer.

I didn't move.

He spoke.

”Nothing that woman says is worth hearing.”

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