Foretell (24 page)

“Then we will kill your friend,” he replied coldly. “Why do you think we’ve let him live this long, Oracle?”

“Not because you like him, I’m assuming?”

Xavier frowned. He reached for my arm, twisting it around. Rex’s artwork didn’t seem to impress him. He dropped my arm, wearing a look of disgust.

“Well, I definitely agree he’s not the easiest person to get along with at first,” I said. “But he sort of grows on you.”

Rex rolled his eyes at my banter, and barked, “Enough, Spence.”

I turned to face Rex. “Oh, so you’re back to calling me Spence?”

Rex ignored me, and approached Xavier. “I’m going with her to see Bonjara.”

Xavier shook his head, denying Rex’s demand. “You’ll stay here.”

“I’m going with her, or she won’t go at all,” Rex warned. He turned to me. “Right, Spence?”

“Sure, whatever.” I figured everything was being handled with or without my input anyway.

With a snap of his fingers, two more guards entered the room. Xavier merely nodded his head towards me and they were both at my side.

Xavier stepped directly in front of me. “We’re playing by my rules now, Oracle. You’ll come with us willingly, without your friend. If not, we’ll snap his neck.”

He smiled, knowing he had enough leverage to force me to do anything. All anyone had to do was to threaten Rex’s life in order to get what
they
wanted. I couldn’t even try and pretend otherwise, not after Xavier had found us under the circumstances he had. It was useless.

I turned to Rex, pleading with him to understand. “I don’t have a choice,” I said. “Don’t ask me to risk your life.”

“Fine,” he said. “As long as you promise me you won’t leave with Bonjara.”

I stared at him wearily. I couldn’t make that promise, and I think he’d guessed that already.

“Essie,” he begged. “Swear to me, that no matter what, you won’t go with him.”

It was obvious Rex hated the ex-king with a passion. And I knew how important this was to Rex. But I still couldn’t make his promise.

When I didn’t say anything, he grew almost desperate. He swung at Xavier, knocking him down to the ground. Both of the guards immediately left my side, and went after Rex. He took on both of them at once, knocking one in the wall with his shoulder and kicking the other behind the knees.

“Run, Essie,” he shouted. “
Run
, dammit!”

I stood there, immobilized with fear. Here was my chance to escape. But honestly, how long would it last? I was only kidding myself if I thought for one moment someone else wouldn’t find me and try to use me. There would always be another Bonjara. There would always be someone who wanted something.

I wasn’t leaving Rex to die.

I reached for the lamp sitting on the nightstand and yanked the cord from the wall. One of the guards held Rex to the ground. I threw the lamp him, watching it bash him in the head. He howled with pain, giving Rex the chance to get another punch in, and knocking the guard out cold. Rex rolled the body off of him.

“Look out!” I yelled, seeing that Xavier managed to stand upright. He called for help. Rex tackled him, but it was too late. More guards were on their way.

“Please go,” Rex said, desperately eyeing the door as if he wanted to see me rush outside of it.

Three more men swooped in, and threw Rex up against the wall. One of them had brought in the bat. He lifted it into the air, preparing to swing.

“Don’t you dare!
”
I screamed. “Or I swear I’ll run.” I was by the door, with one foot outside of it, ready to flee.

Thankfully, the guard lowered the bat at Xavier’s nod of approval. “Tie him up,” Xavier ordered. “And make damned sure he doesn’t get away.”

It took two of the men to hold Rex down, while the other used a cord as a makeshift rope to tie him up with. Because he was making so much noise, they tore one of the pillowcases in order to gag him. I flinched, hearing his muffled voice. He was so incredibly upset. I had a feeling a lot of that anger was directed at me for not leaving while I had the chance.

As soon as the guards were finished securing Rex, they quickly moved onto me. “I’ll go willingly,” I snapped, jerking out of their tight grasps.

Xavier wiped at his bloody nose with his sleeves. “Take her to King Bonjara,” he ordered them angrily. He looked me directly in the eye. “You’ll be lucky if I don’t kill the bastard while you’re gone.”

Salazar Bonjara wasn’t the menacing force to be reckoned with I’d imagined. In actuality, he was short and portly in stature, with black, curly hair and olive skin. His cheeks were surprisingly rosy, enough to make him appear rather harmless.

There was something secretive about him though, some nameless energy I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

They’d brought me to his limo. It was puzzling me, trying to figure out exactly what Bonjara wanted. The man obviously had enough money to afford luxury cars, drivers and guards; he didn’t need me for monetary gain. But the rich enjoyed getting richer so I wouldn’t count that out yet.

“Xavier tells me your name is Estelle,” he said, after I crawled in through the limo door, taking the empty seat across from him. I looked around, seeing that we were alone.

Perhaps I could take him on, I mused.

There was a mini bar, stocked with assorted alcohols sitting beside me. I could easily reach for a bottle and swing it against Bonjara’s head.

“Is that your name, dragă?” he asked again, waiting patiently.

I looked away from the bottles, unwilling to test my exit plan just yet.

He sat back in his seat. “I’m Salazar,” he introduced himself. “And I’d like to make a business arrangement with you.”

“Are you really going to pretend I’m not being forced right now?”

The hints of a smile formed at his lips, as if he knew something I didn’t know. “You’ve been forced to meet with me. You won’t be forced to stay.”

He said it so matter-of-factly I almost believed him.

My doubt wasn’t without cause. This man was a murderer. I decided to call him out on the fact.

“Why should I believe anything a murderer says?”

He stared out of the limo’s window and smiled bitterly. “I see the Constantins’ are still spreading that nasty rumor.”

“I suppose this is the part where you tell me it’s not true?”

“It’s not,” he replied candidly. “Though I disliked the woman, I never wanted to kill her. I never needed to.”

“Why should I believe you?” I asked him suspiciously.

“Do or don’t. It’s of no consequence to me. I’ll tell you what though, if it makes you feel better, I’ll stand before Rex Constantin with my declaration of innocence. I’ve heard of his ability to see through lies.”

I arched a high brow. I was still wary of Salazar, but on the other hand, Rex was the ultimate lie detector.

“Continue,” I prompted him. “So what is it you want?”

He relaxed more comfortably in his seat after I decided to hear him out, seemingly eager for me to listen to his proposal. “I understand how difficult it must be, Estelle, to be such a treasure. To have mind readers like my Xavier hunting you.” His dark eyes watched me like a hawk, sharply assessing me. “If I were you, I’d want to sleep peacefully at night. I can make that happen. And I’m prepared to make you an offer.”

“Let me guess, Rex’s life for mine?” I asked.

He considered this,
then
nodded. “He may live, should you decide to accept my offer.”

“What other option are you leaving me with?” I asked bluntly. “I won’t just let him die.”

“There is much more than Constantin’s life that comes with my offer. You see
,
I want your ability exclusively for myself. I don’t want to worry that
one day
you’ll attempt to escape or betray me. I’d like to offer you a home.”

“A home?” I asked, not expecting to hear that word. It was difficult, thinking of a home as something I could share with Salazar.

“Yes, a home,” he repeated. “Think about it, Estelle. My people will protect you. You won’t have to live on the run anymore.”

“And who will protect me from you?” I asked him. “Your men treated me as their plaything when they’d first discovered me on the train. They asked me question after question, tormenting me.”

“I’m sorry for that,” he said. He sounded sincere about it too, shaking his
head,
as if he had no idea what his men had been up to. “They’ll be reprimanded for their actions, I assure you. However, you don’t have to fear the same kind of treatment from me.”

I tilted my head to the side, wondering if I could believe him. At a glance Salazar seemed like an ordinary man. Not so very menacing. But something about him unsettled me, setting me on edge.

“There is only one thing I want, anyway,” he uttered softly.

I narrowed my eyes on him. “And that is?”

“My throne.” His voice had turned deadly serious. “Except this time, I want things to be different. I want to ensure no one tries to take it from me ever again.”

I sat back in my
seat,
surprised by everything Salazar had told me.

“So let me get this straight: You’re only planning to use me in order to rule again.”

He nodded.

“And that’s absolutely the
only
thing you’ll ever ask of me?”

He smiled, not surprised by my suspicion of him. “It’s the only thing I’ve wanted the last countless lives,” he explained. “So do we have a deal?”

I considered what he’d said, breathing uneasily. I didn’t want to go with Salazar, didn’t trust him entirely. But going meant Rex would live. I didn’t have a choice. “Do I have your word?” I asked. “You’ll never use me except to gain and keep your throne?”

He held out his hand, smiling. He knew he held me in the palm of hands. “I want our relationship to last, Estelle. I wouldn’t want to betray you for fear of you betraying me.”

I stared at his
hand,
afraid it would burn me by touching it. Was this considered making a deal with the devil?

Salazar lowered his hand, noticing my doubt.

“What is it that holds you back?” he asked knowingly.

“Constantin,” I answered honestly. “How do I know you’ll let him go?”

“I’ve told you I won’t kill him,” he reassured me. “Although I pretend otherwise, I’ve let go of what they did to me. In my own way, I feel a sort of kinship with them. They were forced into abandonment just as I was.”

I highly doubted Salazar felt any type of kinship towards Rex. It was more like he was trying to put me at ease. But…it was working.

I sighed warily, lowering my face into my hands. Going with Salazar meant never seeing Rex again. And he was finally starting to admit his feelings for me, too. At least I could consider what happened in the motel room as an admission of his feelings, even if he tried to deny it. Now I was just supposed to give up?

“Tell me what bothers you, dragă.”

I lifted my face, meeting Salazar’s gaze. “I’m assuming in order for you to rule, you’ll have to go back to Romania. Am I right?”

He nodded. “The palace is in Redwood Forest, but we wouldn’t stay permanently, just until I can regain my rightful throne…” His statement drifted off.

“You know,” he began. “Years ago, I knew Constantin pretty well. At the time, he was head-over-heels in love with a young princess. Tatiana, I believe was her name. She went missing, a few lifetimes ago.”

“I’ve heard of her,” I said sullenly. Why was he bringing this up?

“This power of yours, have you ever used it on the Constantin?” he asked.

I looked up at Salazar, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Well, your loyalty for him is evident. Were I you, I’d find out if he still wants the missing princess…or if he only wants you.”

“What are you getting at, Salazar?” I asked.

“I want you to be sure of the life you’re choosing, Estelle. I haven’t been lying this whole time. I sincerely want to build a home with you, but we can’t build a home on regrets. So go, and find out how the boy feels about you. I’ll join you, so you can both hear the truth about my supposed committed murder.”

I guess I would find out exactly what kind of person Salazar was once that happened. Scrutinizing Salazar distrustfully, I wondered why he was giving me this choice. It felt too easy, as if he had nothing to worry about.

Unless he knew something I didn’t. Did Salazar assume Rex could never want me, when compared to the legendary princess? I shuddered, realizing it was a very real possibility. I needed to find out for myself, needed to know how he felt once and for all.

“Ungag him,” I ordered the guards surrounding Rex’s bound body.

I was thankful to see Xavier never carried out his threats. Rex was still alive and unharmed. I breathed a long sigh of relief at seeing this for myself.

After receiving an approving nod from Salazar, one of the guards wrangled the cloth out of Rex’s mouth. Not a moment later, Rex was shouting expletives. “Bonjara, you slimy bastard, you stay away from her. Do you hear me?”