Chapter 190
RHEA
“How did this even happen? I thought everything was fine.” Kovas says to me, his voice low, almost a whisper, so no one else can hear it.
“And everything is fine–”
“It’s not.”
The panic, the fear, it’s so clear on his face that one couldn’t mistake it for anything else. I doubt he ever expected that Kael would surface after all this time, after all that Aron had been through.
But he did.
“Everything is fine, Kovas,” I repeat myself in a firmer tone to assure him. “He’s fine, and nothing bad is going to happen for as long as I’m here.”
Kovas sighs and rubs his hand over his face in the dark hallway where we’re standing. “Why does he want the body? Why do you want it?” He spins to me and asks.
“I do, but it’s not what you think.” he doesn’t seem convinced, and until he is convinced, he’s not going to give me the key, or Kael. There was a reason why Aron entrusted him with it. “I’ve a plan. And I promise, nothing bad will come out of this. But I need the body. The only thing I’ll do is hide it from the Council, move it somewhere else far.”
“There’s no need for that, Rhea. The council has never been able to come in here unless they’ve been invited.”
“I know, I know.”
He looks down at me and sighs, understanding some of the fear that I have.
This isn’t what I want, but it is what I need.
“Alright, if there’s even a chance, why do you think they can’t find it wherever you want to take it? And what can they possibly do, even if they do get their hands on the body? It isn’t like they can use it against you.”
Right.
That’s the problem. They can, but I can’t tell him that.
“I don’t know,” I shake my head. “I can never be too careful. They have their ways, and they might try something. And if they do, if they do, and that happens, I wouldn’t know what to do. I’m afraid of that. So, please, just trust me, okay?” I look up into his eyes, begging me.
He watches me for a moment, taking a deep breath, and then sighs.
He shakes his head.
Then, he pulls out the keys from the inside of his pocket.
One single key is placed in my hand.
“I’m trusting you with this, Rhea.”
My grip tightens around the metal. Relief instantly runs through me, and I breathe out.
“Thank you. And I promise, I’ll make sure nothing goes wrong.” I give him a smile and he returns it.
“Just be careful.”
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Chapter 190
Inod.
He takes a look around the hallway behind us and then glances back at me. “Do you want some help? Where are you going to take it?”
My heart races as I think about the location. If I could, I’d drop it right in the middle of the ocean where she could never be found, but there’s no ocean nearby.
“Just somewhere safe. And no, I can handle this myself. There won’t be much digging, I hope. Just enough to hide the body. I know it won’t be too far The fewer people involved, the better.”
“Alright,” He nods, accepting the terms. “I’ll leave you to it then.”
“Thank you again.”
I don’t see the tension and the curiosity leaving his face anytime soon. He’s still not sure. It’s alright. I have the key, I can take care of this myself
“Just…tell me if anything changes. With A–Kael or you. If something happens, please tell me and I will be there, okay? I don’t want him to hurt you. The concern is there for me.
“He won’t. He wouldn’t. It’s different now.”
His gaze softens a little, and he gives me a smile.
A real one.
I smile back, and then he leaves.
When he goes away, I let out a breath.
There was a part of me that knew once Kael would speak with him, that he’d come straight to me demanding why Aron had let his wolf out and why! needed the key. For now, Kovas trusts me, he thinks I’m fine, that I’m still her, that woman.
But I’m not.
I’ve never felt better, stronger and more certain.
I have a purpose, a plan.
A goal.
I know what I have to do, and that makes me happy. It makes me content.
She was so lost before, so broken, but now? Now, there is nothing to lose. She’s
gone, and all that is left is me.
As evening falls, I manage to convince Kael to let me leave for a few hours to take care of the body. The quicker, the better it is. There’s no timeline for when the Council will put pieces together.
“Don’t take too long,” Kael says, pressing a kiss onto my forehead and then the corner of my lips. “And if you want me to come with you-”
“No,” I cut him off. “I need to do this alone.” My hands move over his forearms, tracing the muscle and feeling the warmth.
His arms wrap around my waist, holding me closer, and our eyes meet.
There is no hesitation, no uncertainty.
Not anymore.
“I’ll be fine with myself. Don’t worry about it.” I assure him.
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15:29 Sun, 8 Jun
Chapter 190
“I know.”
Our lips meet again and his kiss lingers longer than before. My eyes close, and I press a hand against his chest, feeling his heartbeat.
After a moment, he breaks the kiss, and his lips are near my ear.
“Hurry back. I won’t be waiting long, Rhea. Come back to me, and make sure you’re careful. Don’t take any risks, and if anything comes your way, kill it and don’t hesitate.”
“will,” I promise.
Our lips meet for one last time.
Then, we pull apart.
