Chapter 29 : Nameless But Not Blameless
Maeve
"Aaron?" I said into the dark as my door opened and closed, a shadowed figure moving through the room toward my bed. I sat up, pulling the sheets over my bare chest.
I blinked rapidly to adjust my eyes to the darkness. A drawer squeaked as it was roughly opened, the sound of fabric falling to the ground overwhelmed by murmured curses.
"I thought you weren't coming back until tomorrow," I said, scooting to the side of the bed and slipping my legs out of the sheets. "What are you doing?"
"Get dressed, Maeve. We have to go."
"Go where?" I laughed, standing and reaching over to my bedside table to turn on the lamp. Yellow light filled the room, washing over his face. "Aaron, what's wrong?"
"Turn off the lamp, right now!" he exclaimed, panic flashing in his eyes.
He was filthy, and his clothes were damp and smelled sharply of rainwater and dust. He had dark circles beneath his eyes, and he looked exceedingly wary. I stepped forward, narrowing my eyes as I closed in on him, ignoring his demand.
He had blood on his shirt. Lots of it.
"Aaron?"
"That's not my name, Maeve."
I froze, any warmth I felt by his presence evaporating into thin air and leaving me feeling suddenly exposed. I crossed my arms over my breasts, not taking my eyes off of his. “What kind of game is this? Why are you covered in blood?"
"My name is Troy." He took a step forward, his eyes boring into mine. I opened my mouth to speak, but the only sound that escaped was a choked laugh.
"Okay, Troy," I said sarcastically. But he looked at me, coldly, his eyes vibrant gems in the lamplight.
"Turn off the lamp, Maeve. I'm serious.”
"Not until you tell me why you're covered in blood.” I felt the sudden urge to step away from him. Troy? Who the hell was Troy? All the suspicions I had had about him came rushing forward as I looked over his face, the face I hadn't recognized. The eyes that seemed so new, so incredibly unique. And his chest, scarless, when I knew it shouldn't be. "You're not Aaron, are you?"
"I'm not. I never have been. Aaron is on an island somewhere. He’s safe. He'll be returned to his family."
"I don’t understand," I said, an edge to my voice. "Why are you here?"
"A mission," he said as he took another step, his hands outstretched in a show of surrender. "I didn’t come here to be your breeder. I never meant to even touch you. I was here to free Romero from the tower."
"Who?" I took a step away from him.
"I need you to listen to me. I need you to know that everything that has happened between us, everything... that was me. Troy. Not Aaron. I meant everything I've ever said and done with you."
feeling beginning to well in the
earnestly, the words echoing in my ears. I felt bile rising in
Don't you dare say that to me. You lied to me; you've been lying
fell out of a
had trapped me in his web of deceit. Everything he had said to me, everything he had
"Leave my room, now!"
you know why I took off after
out of the crowd. You pulled me in. I didn't know who you
silence. His face changed, panic and confusion lining his face as he tensed, looking slowly towards the door. I felt his fear. The downy hairs on my arms stood on end as the sounds of rushing footsteps echoed through the corridors below. Something was
shared door open and a similar scraping sound coming from his room. He came back into my room, bending to the ground and tossing a simple cotton dress at me. Then he walked to
"What are you doing?"
much time." He was ripping the sheet into strips, cursing under his breath
have much time for what? If you think barricading me in this room is going to stop me from screaming for help-" Voices echoed from
of me, gripping my upper arms so tightly I could feel his
against him, slamming my fists into his chest. He grabbed the back of my head, twisting his fingers into my hair and pulling me into a kiss so intense it made me feel a rush of warmth that blurred my senses
broke away from the kiss, his lips lightly brushing against mine as another scream echoed from
me away and reaching down for
"Put it on, now!"
yelping. I was frozen in place as the sounds of chaos and destruction began to reverberate through the castle, snapping back to reality as Troy pulled the dress over the top of my head,
"Ouch!"
over my mouth. "Shut up!" he said as spun me
from the door as the sound of footsteps began to sound in
to go. We're going
her voice filled with panic. She was pounding on the door, her fearful sobs cutting through
hold on me, elbowing him hard in the chest, which caused him to loosen his grasp enough for me to be free of him and run toward the door. I pushed against the dresser, but it was stuck in place, caught on the
on the door as Gemma continued to hammer on it with her
I'm trying!" I cried, hot tears rolling down
"Troy, help me! Please!"
sound from her was a few choked
"I am."
get her out.
I
fire blazing
in a desperate whisper." You have to go with him. Please. You have to trust me-" "I'm not going anywhere without you!” I screamed, desperately pushing against the dresser. She was crying softly now, her sobs muffled by the door separating us. I began to pull the
you have to go now. You have to get out.
"I'll get her out."
of Valoria. Get far from here. They're looking for her. They're-they're killing everyone-" Gemma's voice was drowned out by a crashing sound, followed by shattering glass
I screamed, beating my fists against the dresser. "HELP ME,
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