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Chapter 36
“I don’t understand why you’re being so kind to me.” “There are many reasons, Anne. Your mother. Jonathan. Nora.” Natalie’s eyes met with Anne’s. “What I know is that you aren’t who some think you might be, because of your brother.” “All it took was one different decision, and I’d have been him.” Titus slipped silently through the door, hearing Anne’s last words. She wasn’t wrong. It was one of the reasons for the bond, to keep her from ever losing herself, with Titus more able to control the darkness. From the beginning it was obvious. Hence pushing Julian into the fire, for Anne. Natalie, however, might become a problem,…
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Chapter 36
Chapter 35 “I don’t entirely understand why you’re being so kind to me.” “Anne, I was close to your mother. Even now I remember you after she died, how broken up you were by it, and I saw the person you are.” “Even though I’m the reason for all of this.” “No, you aren’t. The blame rests on one person – Titus.” As Julian slipped into the room he nodded. Natalie was right. It didn’t mean he liked her, not after what he’d seen of her in both Cornelius’ and Titus’ memories, but at least she had some sense. The more complicated emotions came from watching her show care to…
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Chapter 34
Chapter 33 “What happened?” Although the conversation they needed to have wasn’t going to be easy Anne breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of Natalie’s voice. “Do you remember anything?” Silence followed, but Anne didn’t push for an answer. However long it took it would help to know where to start. “Cornelius… he used dark magic, didn’t he?” “I’m sorry.” “There’s nothing to apologise for, Anne.” Natalie might thing so, but Anne disagreed. “He kissed me.” “Yes, I know. He told me the night it happened, because he thought I deserved honesty, and I can tell it’s not what you wanted.” “How can you tell?” “Rather than being…
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Chapter 32
Chapter 31 “Let Anne see to Natalie. Natalie has nothing to do with this, and Anne…” “I care very little about Natalie. Anne is staying right where she is.” “Cornelius…” Eyebrow raised, Cornelius shook his head. “You’re really going to pretend, Titus?” Titus looked at Anne, who hadn’t yet moved. “Julian.” “At least you haven’t entirely forgotten me.” “How could I?” “No one else knows anything about my existence, thanks to you.” There was a fury in Julian’s voice which was to be expected. “Cornelius is more interesting than you think, but then it’s not as though you actually care. Only Anne matters.” “You took him to make use of…
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Chapter 30
Chapter 29 “This is going to be much easier if we’re both looking, Anne.” Cornelius sounded more amused than anything. “You’re the one who knows what you need.” Anne breathed in deeply. She wasn’t safe. There was no doubt about that. It was easier to feel how much he’d changed when they were in his home. “Cornelius…” “Please don’t act like you’re scared of me.” All he needed to do was get her further into the basement. If she went over to the other bookcase it would be so much easier. Only she wasn’t herself, and he felt her fear, in a way he’d never been able to before. Something…
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Chapter 6
Chapter 5 Natalie stepped into the hallway, eyes on Cornelius. From the way he was going to the basement it seemed likely his conversation with Anne hadn’t changed anything. “Why bring Anne into this, Natalie?” He didn’t look at her, but he did stop walking. “She’s worried enough as it is. Asking her to talk me out of what needs to be done… I should have known that would be how you’d deal with this.” “She cares, Cornelius, the same way I do.” “Nothing will change my mind. This is what needs to be done, whatever you might believe. Someone has to stop Titus.” “You’re probably right about that, but that doesn’t mean…
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Chapter 4
Chapter 3 The footsteps weren’t a surprise. Anne was predictable, she liked to spend her mornings at the Gardens, and if anyone wanted to talk to her that was where she’d be. It was rare she didn’t go, and on those mornings she knew Cornelius would be there, watering the plants, looking after things. Obviously there was a reason for that choice she hadn’t realised before. “Can we talk?” Natalie looked at Anne, who was focused on the plants in front of her. “I need your help.” Anne turned, her eyes meeting with Natalie’s. “Cornelius?” “Do you know what he’s planning?” “I think you’d be better off talking to Leonora.” “She told me there’s…
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Chapter 3
Chapter 2 “What’s Cornelius doing, Nora?” “Natalie…” “Don’t, please. For me to be able to protect the girls from whatever terrible plan it is he has I need to actually know what it is.” “It’s really not that simple.” Leonora sighed. “All of this…” “You were the one who told me about Titus, and what was going to happen to Cornelius during the ritual.” “Being prepared for the ritual was much less complicated.” “Stop avoiding the subject. I know this is about Anne. Cornelius told me he has a very different plan for our future than I do, which… I get it. He’s never loved me. What happened with Jonathan made it much worse. My…
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Chapter 1
“Why was Titus here?” Cornelius had his back to her, focused on whatever he was reading on the desk, and Natalie waited, even though there was a chance he might not answer. With how things were it was more likely than him answering. “For the ritual.” Cornelius sighed, turning. “It’s all he cares about.” Of course Natalie was there, asking questions about Titus, because she ‘needed’ to know. Cornelius crossed his arms, eyes on his wife. How different would their lives have been if Jonathan was born with magic? There was no way of knowing. “Nothing else?” “You’re worried.” “It’s not as though you haven’t made it obvious who you…