His Prophecy, Her Shattered Spirit

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nuine panic that stung me more than any blow. He scooped her up, his gaze never once returning to me, leaving me alone with the sickening realiza

Chyna out the door. "Secure this room!

vate security, loyal only to him. My phone, still clutched in my hand, was yanked away, tossed against the wall, shatte

, my voice hoarse. "This is ill

nt sentinels of my captivity. My protests faded into the sterile silence of the

a stern-faced man in a tailored suit, one of Blake's senior assistant

cleansing ritual. It is for Ms. Hatfield's recovery and the continued well-being of the tw

the unrelenting cruelty, was breathtaking. I refused, of course, but my refusal was met with a grim silence. Without another word

npaved road. We stopped at the base of a towering mountain, shrouded in mist. My body, still healin

ace?" I demanded

e of the guards answered, holding the phone to his

hat you are to ascend this sacred mountain. Each step, a kowtow. A cleansing of your spirit, a penanc

Blake! I won't debase myself for

u cherish. The last vestige of her memory. They are quite vulnerable, a

d my garden once; he wouldn' t hesitate to destroy the very last lin

ne wen

ch kowtow a searing pain as my bruised body scraped against the rough stone. My injuries, still raw, tore open with every genuflection, blood s

it against the stone steps, a sickening crack echoing in the silence. "The maste

ody was a mass of raw, bleeding wounds, my face streaked with dirt and tears. My c

an unsettling, knowing smile. Blake, seeing me, frowned, a flicker of s

ad used his full name, a stark departure from the intimate

shed forward, a picture of fragile gratitude. "Oh, Amelia, thank you," she simpered, clutching

. But I was utterly spent, too tired to even lift my hand. I simply turne

monitor. A voice crackled through a loudspeaker: "Warni

tling down the mountainside, directly towards us. Chaos

de, slamming into my chest. The impact sent me flying backwards, off balance, directly into the path of the oncoming projectile. My head hit the ground with a sicken