Daughter of Stars and Nightmares (The Eternal Bond Saga book 1)

The truth will out 2

It had been three days since she'd been captured and every day was the same. They made Julia either drink the blood or drink a concoction made up of a fine red powder. Drinking the stuff was the easy part; her body even craved it.

Then they led her into a room and forced her to kneel in the middle of a huge magical array, with a beautiful serpent coiled around the black lines. Mormo would place a ruby pendant around her neck, then place one hand on her forehead and the other on her heart and chant. It made her insides feel as if they were being torn apart. The pain was unimaginable and Julia wished for it to stop or for death to release her.

This would go on for hours and now and then a memory would spirit her away. Giving her a brief respite from the hell she had agreed to endure just so she could find out the truth.

When Julia opened her eyes, she was no longer kneeling in the magical array. In the background, Julia could hear her herself screaming in pain. She didn't fight the pull into Beatrix's body; anything was better than the agonising hell her real body was going through.

Looking around, it only took her seconds for the memories to flow into her. It was 1853, and she was in the Citadel in Alandria. Julia's body drifted toward Beatrix and the screaming stopped as soon as she melded into Beatrix.

Beatrix paced impatiently back and forth waiting to see Lord Dumah, Chancellors Du Pompadour, and Sakamoto.

A cute little girl with fiery auburn hair kicked a ball at her. Beatrix smiled and kicked the ball back.

"Are you waiting to see my daddy?" the girl asked looking up at her.

Beatrix crouched down. Her eyes swept over the small thing, hazel irises that glowed with plump pink lips. The tiny girl's beauty was staggering.

"Who is your daddy?" Beatrix asked.

"Lord Dumah. He's a big meanie. My mommy is much nicer, you should talk to her."

Beatrix smiled, she could relate to the little girl. Lord Dumah was a wicked knave, if she had not needed his support she would have sought help elsewhere. "Oh, you must be Rosalie Dumah. I know your mommy very well and just between you and me." She whispered into the little girl's ear, "I would rather deal with your mother."

As Beatrix stood up she came face to face with an unruly mop of honeycomb hair and jade eyes that sparkled. She rolled her eyes, "Fancy meeting you here, pixy," and said sarcastically.

Not that she hated light faeries. It was this light faerie that always grated on her nerves.

Oren gave her a beaming smile. "Don't be so mean. You know one of these days you will open up to the fact you love me."

She scoffed at him. "Not in this lifetime, Oren. Now, what do you want? I am kind of busy."

He gave her a smile full of mischief. "Actually, I am not here for you, princess. I am here for this little demon. By the way, a little word to the wise, watch your back, Beatrix. These days your friends can become your enemies just as quick as your enemies can become your friends."

She rolled her eyes again. "Great, more crazy light faerie logic. Oren, when you decide to start talking sense, come find me. Until then keep your light faerie nonsense to yourself."

Beatrix crouched down and gave the girl a warm smile again. "Sweetie, don't go taking everything that one says to heart. Half of what comes out of his mouth is poppycock."

Rosalie caught Beatrix's hand and looked up at her with sad eyes. "I'm sorry about what will happen to you. Fear not; when the time comes, know it will not be the end. You will see him again. Your love for one another will bring you back to him."