Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Then, Xander is right. I can’t stay in Zumaya.
We traveled deeper into the town. No one strolled the dusty streets. All the wooden houses had their lights off. Cats crept along the sidewalks. Zumayans worked and lived on day schedules.
No vampires existed in the town, so there was no need to have any night businesses.
“This place is very small. Barely one fourth of Capitol City.” Xander shifted behind me. “You’ll have nowhere to really hide.”
“Are you trying to scare me into leaving with you?”
“No. But if you don’t leave, maybe I will stay for a few months and make sure you are safe and—”
“No.” I glanced over my shoulder. “Absolutely not.”
“Don’t forget, you are my queen.”
“No. I am not.”
“If I remember correctly, you yelled you were my queen several times during the day.”
“I said that in the heat of passion,” I mumbled, spotting a massive stone statue in the middle of Zumaya Square.
This was the area where all the main roads met, but I didn’t recall a huge statue.
When did they put this here?
The statue was over twenty feet tall. A woman stood with her hands held out. A kind smile spread across her face. The only part that was in color was her long red hair. It flowed past her shoulders and down to her waist.
My body stiffened as I realized who the statue was supposed to depict.
Me.
I halted the horse and then jumped off. “What. . ?”
“Not bad.” Xander left the horse.
I quickly walked to the steel-plated sign that was nailed at the statue’s feet.
It read, Camille Moon gave up her life so that we might live. May we never forget her name or face.
I covered my mouth with both my hands. Disbelief shook my core.
Xander came from behind me and touched the statue. His face barely came to the statue’s knees.
“They honored your sacrifice. That’s good.” He looked around the paths. “But where is everyone?”
“Vampires don’t live here so everyone works in the day and sleeps at night.”
“No guards on the gate and everyone will be asleep when the king’s men come.” Xander shook his head. “You won’t stay here.”
“You don’t command me.” I headed around the statue and down a gray pebbled path that I’d traveled for many years.
This was the way to my house. If Ethan and the girls remained in our home, I’d be there within minutes.
Xander trailed behind me, not making a sound.
The horses followed us. Their hooves made soft hollow sounds over the stone.
So close. . .
My daughters faces appeared in my mind. I picked up my pace, too eager to finally have them in my arms.
My heart beat against my chest in anticipation.
A few minutes later, I saw my huge house appear on a horizon framed by the treetops. It was now painted the color of sand, a warm beige that looked good with the pillared columns and arched windows.
It used to be decorated in my favorite color, jade.
Why did he change it?
It didn’t matter. The house gleamed with the new paint job. The pungent aroma of flowers wafted from a new garden in front of it. There, geraniums and lilies grew in profusion.
A large smile spread across my face. Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes.
Xander got to my side. “Is this your home?”
“Yes.” I quickened my pace.
We entered the pathway into my front yard and passed the garden.
What other changes did he make?
I turned to my left and spotted our relatives’ tombstones jutting out of the grassy ground. It was all our loved ones that had died during the food shortage—aunts, uncles, cousins, young nieces, and nephews.
Xander asked in my mind. Are your parents gone too?
“Yes. Both of our parents died.” I paused as we came to the front steps leading to the porch.
My fingers trembled at my sides.
Xander’s hand clamped on to mine. “Don’t be afraid.”
“What if he did move on?” My lips quivering.
Oh, no. What am I even doing?
“Once I helped a male slave escape the castle.” Xander’s hand tightened around my fingers. “He’d been missing three toes on his right foot and couldn’t walk for long periods or run if there was danger. I carried him the entire journey.”
I turned and gave Xander a weak smile. “So you protected and guarded him?”
“Yes. But that’s not the point of my story. I’d told him the whole journey that he had to prepare himself for the fact that his wife might have moved on.”
My throat grew dry.
I looked back at the house. “What happened?”
“When we arrived in his town, we went to his house to greet his wife.”
“And?” A shiver ran down my spine. “Had she moved on?”
“No.”
“She’d prayed and hoped that one day her husband would escape the Quiet King. So loyal, she’d refused to move on and stayed true to him for seven lonely years.”
I exhaled, not even realizing I’d been holding my breath and waiting for Xander’s response.