“Yes,” I say, opening my eyes again with a frown. “I remember being outside, there was a storm.”
“Yes, you created it,” Devon says with a smile. “Do you remember who you were with outside?”
“Sebastian?” I ask, looking for confirmation of that fact. I can’t actually be sure.
“Yes, good,” Devon says, giving me a benevolent smile, making me feel like a child giving him the right answers in school. “Anything else?”
“No,” I say, shaking my head. “Enough of this, Devon. What are all the questions for and why are we here in the Underworld?”
“Agreed,” Constantine growls. “Just tell her already.”
“The more she can remember on her own the better,” Devon growls backs at him. “You are so ham-fisted with these things...”
“Dev!” I snap at him. “Now!”
“Okay,” he says. “It’s bad, Lizzie. Prepare yourself.”
“Okay,” I say, feeling the blood drain from my face.
“When you were with Sebastian in the gardens, he, with the help of your father, trapped you in a force field. He coerced you into choosing him, Lizzie,” Devon says.
I give him a wide-eyed look and then everyone else. They all look just as serious. “Don’t be daft,” I say to him with a laugh. “That’s not possible. He wouldn’t do that.” I focus on Devon’s eyes and then on CK’s and I see the pain there that is very real. “He–he wouldn’t do that,” I insist but the feeling of dread is growing stronger. “Would he?”
Chapter 11
The Underworld, October 2014 - Aefre
“Would he?” I ask louder as no one answers me.
“He did, Lizzie. I know how much that hurts you, you trusted him, and he violated that trust and your mind,” Devon says.
“Wait,” I say, putting up my hand to stop this nonsense. “This is just some sort of sick joke to get him out of the running.” I pull my hand back from Devon and stand up, turning my back on all of them.
“No,” Devon says. “It is the truth.”
I swallow loudly. “And how long ago was this supposed to have happened?”
“Four weeks ago,” Devon says, and I hear him stand up as well.
I spin back towards him with a look of disbelief. “Now I know you are lying,” I shout at him. “I am strong! Stronger than I have ever been, he could never hold up a spell like that for that long.”
“He can now, Aefre,” Lincoln says. “He is King now, powerful.”
“Shit,” I exclaim, putting my hand to my forehead as I take all of this in. “Four weeks? It’s October now?”
“Yeah,” Devon says.
“Delinda!” I blurt out, fisting my hand in Devon’s shirt. “Did he hurt her? I will fucking kill him…”
“She’s fine,” Devon says, removing my hand and smoothing down his shirt. “He didn’t do anything to her. She’s a little confused, but that’s it.”
“Confused?” I spit out at him. “The poor girl has been through enough and now this? It’s despicable. Bring her to me.”
“She’s resting, Aefre,” Remiel says. “I can assure you she is well, but she is tired. Leave her for the moment.”
I glare at him but take his advice. “So, what has happened over the last four weeks?” I ask.
When no one answers me, I let out a huff of breath. “Someone is going to have to spill the spell beans,” I say with my hands on my hips.