Smoke and Ritual (Beautiful Dark Beasts Book 1) by Melissa Sercia

Author:Melissa Sercia [Sercia, Melissa]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781949090857
Publisher: City Owl Press
Published: 2020-05-05T05:00:00+00:00

Fifteen

Sapphire pulled me over to a quiet corner of the ship. “I remember when we were kids, when Poppy used to pick on you, you’d run off and disappear for hours. Jane would tell us to let you be, but one day I followed you to the Brew Market. I watched you skip from booth to booth, shoving beignets in your mouth. You looked so free in those moments. So happy. But you also looked like you belonged there. I realized even back then that you were meant for more than just Sanctum. Your spirit can’t be contained.”

My mind flashed back to those days, memories of my childhood. I took a deep breath. “It was the only place I felt accepted. Why didn’t you ever tell me you were there? I would have loved the company.”

Sapphire shook her head. “I didn’t want to intrude on your moment. It didn’t feel right. After that, I never followed you again. I knew you were safe down there.”

My head was pounding, still reeling over what Seven had told me. “Why are you telling me all of this?”

“Because you need to understand how special you are. I get your attraction to Chaos. He’s handsome and exciting, but Arya, my people are in danger. Your people are in danger. If the covens don’t follow you, Aether or not, we will all be doomed.”

Bile rose in my throat. I wanted to cry, scream, throw something. First Seven, now her. I couldn’t take much more. “So, you expect me to just turn off my feelings for him? To push him away? I can’t do that, Saph. Why can’t I have both?”

“You just can’t,” she snapped. “The gods will not allow it and he knows that. It was cruel of him to even tempt you with it to begin with. He doesn’t belong here with us. His home is in Elysium. These are times of war, Arya. We all have to make sacrifices.”

She stomped off, leaving me speechless, my mouth agape. I had never seen her so angry. All our lives she had only complained about the burdens of being the daughter of a great coven leader. But she was becoming more and more like her mother every day.

I squeezed the railing till my knuckles turned white, closing my eyes as the wind danced across my cheeks—damp from tears and sea spray.

“She means well, but I know that doesn’t make it any easier to hear.” Diego placed a warm hand over mine.

I choked back a sob. “I don’t want to choose… I shouldn’t have to.”

“I understand all too well. No one should have to choose between their heart and their people. No matter what choice you make, you lose a part of yourself.” He stared into the water, fixated on the waves, his mind a million miles away. He wasn’t talking about me anymore.

“Diego, is that why you left Italy? Because of that woman you refused to marry? What happened exactly?” I had a sinking feeling that behind his playful exterior, Diego had some dark places within him.

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