Varys' words weren't enough. Nothing was enough. Hope imagined what would happen to Vincent and Max if Ethan got his hands on them and bit her lip so hard blood seeped into her mouth.
"Hope, calm down."
Varys' words were as if they were underwater. She could hear them, but they were dull and couldn't break through the wall of panic.
She was going to lose her only family. She was going to lose him in the most horrible way possible, and Ethan would make sure it hurt her. He would delight in it.
"Hope!"
Varys was nose to nose with her now as he folded her in his arms. "Varys?"
"Hope, I don't know where you're going on in your mind, but you need to break out of it, now."
"I can't," she whispered as she pushed at him. She had the strength of a kitten. "I have to save them."
His hold tightened on her. "Them?" it was the dangerous growl of a predator.
"My uncle Vincent, and Max," she whispered.
"Max again," Varys spat. "Why are you worried about him?"
"He helped me," Hope replied. "And he's all my uncle has. I don't want anyone dying because of me, being tortured because of me." She swallowed. "You've looked into Ethan's past. You know what kind of monster he is."
"If I help you-"
at him.
saw your desperation," he
if?" Hope snapped
one else. I want you as mine, Hope. Promise that, and I'll put my life on the line to keep
Hope held out a finger
conditions, just
condition, Varys, now," Hope glared at him. After all she was doing, he could at least agree to listen to
not sharing you, Hope. I'm not going to save Ethan's life either. If your condition is either of those things,
at him. "My condition is that you come back safe, Varys! If you die on me,
twitched. "That's your condition? Hope, you need to have more
Ethan like I do," she replied. "Please, just
Hope. I want
was far better than a dead one. He might pretend to be tough, but she was the only one that knew what Ethan
growl on his lips. If the
to be yours
went through in just a single breath. Had he ever looked so grateful or so happy without the cockiness? It was like that boyish moment
I'm going to save those two for you, and when this entire debacle
Marriage? "What?" she squeaked.
belong to each other, it only makes sense that we're married. But first,
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!