Phobia (Interracial Paranormal Romance) (Wisteria) (36 page)

“
There are chambers below where she will be secure and no one will have access to her,” Robinia replied.

“
If we are gone for more than three weeks, Robinia probably should let her out,” Garfield pointed out. “Unless you want her growing old in here?”

“
Fair point.” Wisteria accepted. “Robinia, if we’re not back in three weeks, send Alba to any location on the home realm that she wants, but from outside the compound. Can you do that?”

“
Of course Mistress,” Robinia stated. “At your instruction, I can open a threshold to any of the discovered realms, but Alba will not be able to return here.”

“
Enric, why is a Terran deciding what happens to me?” Alba scoffed. “I am not going to be sealed in here like a
jaga
for three weeks. I am going with you and you can explain to me what is going on, on the way.”

“
Alba, you cannot.” Apologetically, Enric kissed her forehead.

“
Yes, I am,” Alba insisted.

Robinia picked up the girl and tossed her over
her shoulder.

“
No, stop. Put me down,” Alba protested.

Enric moved to go after her.

“Don’t prolong her suffering, let her go.” Wisteria grabbed his arm. “If you want to make sure she’s settles down, let Garfield go with them.”

“
You want to ensure she is locked up and that I will not somehow go back on what we agreed?” Enric suspected.

He was right,
Wisteria admitted the truth to herself, because even if Alba was no longer under Felip’s control, she was still a Famila and as arrogant as hell. “Enric if you go down, I’ll be left with Felip. And no one can tell what he’s planning. I’d rather have you up here with me.”

“
Fine.” Enric gritted his teeth. “Let him go with them.”

Garfield
winked at Wisteria as if he’d understood her trick.

But he hadn
’t really.

Once
Garfield was gone, Wisteria turned to Enric. “Garfield is not leaving with us.” She walked out of the room and made her way down the steps back to Felip. “He needs to return to Earth and warn the others if we fail.”

“
It may not matter—if we fail, nothing he will do can stop the Dy’obeths,” Enric commented as they descended.

“
But he’s got to try.”

“
It will not make a difference, but I never wanted him with us in the first place. It will be better for him to be sealed in here too.”

“
Robinia will make sure he doesn’t leave. I wanted you to understand in case—”

“
In case I try to help him?” Enric scoffed. “I assure you, I will not.”

“
Just don’t get in the way.”

“
I am surprised you told me considering you do not trust me,” Enric commented dryly.

“
I don’t, but we want the same thing—an end to the Dy’obeths and Bach’s freedom.”

They joined Felip
who sat hunched over on his knees. He didn’t move or acknowledge them as they reached him.

“
Are you hurt?” Wisteria asked him.

“Do you feel lost now that my sister is free from your hold on her?” Enric sneered.

“
What do you mean?” Puzzled, Felip glanced at him.

“
We found a way to undo the renewal or whatever magic you used to brainwash my sister.” Enric grinned. “She is free now.”

“
Enric, I did not do anything to Alba. Coia—wait—what happens to me now?” Felip inquired. “Are you going to kill me?”

“
You broke Alba out of the bridewell and saved her from the reapers. You did not have to, but you did, so I will not end your life,” Enric stated. “But we are far from even.”

“
What were you going to say about Coia?” Wisteria interjected.

“
It does not matter.” Felip shook his head. “Alba is better and I am happy about that.”

“
Go on, humor me,” Wisteria urged.

“
Coia’s ability to bend minds is beyond anything I can understand. She must have found way to exert control over Alba from the Deep,” Felip replied.

“
That’s probably a lie.” Wisteria shook her head. “But it doesn’t matter because we can still undo whatever she does.”

“
So, you
are
going to leave me here to rot?” Felip noted with a laugh of self-pity.

“
You want us to leave you in the Hall of Ages when we’re gone?” Wisteria tried to figure out what he may be up to now.

“
You do not need me now that you have everything—” Felip said.

“
How stupid do you think I am?” Wisteria gaped. “This is all you’ve ever wanted, being in this place right here and right now.”

“
Being with
you
was all I ever wanted,” Felip expressed painfully.

Wisteria backed away.

“You can sense in your heart, I would never hurt you,” Felip continued. “If we stay here, we can wait out the madness outside. We will be safe together.”

“
Shut up.” Enric stormed up and punched him in the face. “Open your mouth again and I will pull out your tongue.”

“
Enric, stop,” Wisteria called to him.

Striking him, one last time, Enric moved away from Felip.
“You belong with Bach and he knows that. We are leaving now!”

“
When Robinia gets back, we’ll go. I need to tell her what to do when we’re gone,” Wisteria reminded him.

“
You want her to keep Garfield here?” Felip slurred.

“
I said shut up,” Enric warned.

“
You do not have to wait for that avatar to return. Press on one of her icons, call to her and she will come,” Felip suggested.

The
image of a black figure was on a nearby column. It’d been the same image she’d first seen when she entered the Hall of Ages.

Scanning further afield, she n
oticed more copies of the same image on walls, steps and shelves. “We’ll wait for her to get back with Garfield.” Wisteria opted not to be drawn into his lies.

“
I get it. You do not believe me, but understand that the Hall of Ages is too massive to have a single avatar. How do you think she keeps this place clean? That alone would take her centuries.” Felip pointed out.

“
And this was all in your book?” Wisteria questioned.

Felip nodded.

“Where exactly did you get this book from?” Then she remembered she’d lost it in her attempt to flee from the sentry. Looking back in the direction she’d ran, she tried to see if she could spot where it fell.

“
You will never find the book now. It is like looking for needle in a hay stack,” Felip remarked.

“
Where did you get it?” Wisteria turned to him.

“
The Room of Ages—when we were there together. It was something I...borrowed,” he confessed. “I will tell you exactly what was in there.”

“
He wants to keep you in here,” Enric realized.

“
You are right.” Felip’s eyes darkened. “I do not want her to leave and be torn apart by the monster Bach is. He will kill her because to a Dy’obeth death is the highest form of love.”

Enric scoffed.

“If you want to go when it is still dark you have to leave now as the sun rises in less than two hours. Use the icon and summon Robinia’s avatar, so we can go. The icon was built by your ancestors like the rest of the place, so you are totally safe in here,” Felip went on.

“
Apart from the sentries that almost killed me,” Wisteria reminded them.

“
They were after Garfield not you,” Felip countered.

“
It is funny how you have all the answers.” Enric seethed.

“
If I am wrong I know I am dead,” Felip admitted. “But if you step out of the Hall of Ages you are dead too Wisteria. I am begging you, do not go or open a threshold and journey to wherever—”

“
Say one more word…I dare you!” Again, Enric strode up to Felip and grabbed his neck.

“
Enric, will you get a grip,” she yelled. “Beating him up isn’t helping. If you do it enough, we’re either going to carry him or leave him behind which is what he wants.”

“
Trust me or not, I am not going to let you face the Dy’obeths alone.” Felip groaned as Enric dropped him.

“
Don’t you ever get tired of lying?” She strode over to the icon on the grey stone column, and brushed her hand over it. “We’ll wait for Robinia.”

“
Yes Mistress,” Robinia said from the icon on the column. Soon, small black pebbles rolled out of a hole in the column and another version of the avatar grew in front of Wisteria.

“
Where is Garfield?” Wisteria panicked he’d now been left alone with Alba.

“
With another avatar. Alba is secured and will not be able to leave or be disturbed until you return. Garfield and the avatar will be returning shortly. Do you need anything else Mistress?”

“
How did you get here?” Wisteria frowned as she studied this near perfect copy.

“
You said my name into my icon,” Robinia answered confirming Felip’s story. “Do that anywhere within the archive and I will come to help you.”

Wisteria glanced
over at Felip.

He
smiled wearily at her.

“
We have got to go now, if you do not want your friend to cause a scene,” Enric suggested.

“
Robinia, Garfield isn’t returning to the Moon Desert. If he wants to leave, he can take a threshold back to Earth, but nowhere else,” she ordered. “Make sure he picks somewhere safe.”

“
Of course Mistress, I will ensure he is safe here and protected when he returns,” Robinia assured her. “Are you certain you do not want to simply seal the threshold and leave the people of this realm to resolve their own problems? It would be the easiest way to save your people.”

Stunned Wisteria, frowned at the girl.
“Since when have you had an opinion about anything?”

“
I have no opinions Mistress. I am simply here to serve you,” Robinia maintained.

“
No, your opinions are good.” Wisteria smiled. “Hopefully soon, we’ll be able to actually talk. I’m sure you could tell me a lot.”

“
I—I—Is there anything else you require Mistress?” Robinia sounded puzzled. “Will you leave the last one here?” She pointed at Felip

“
He’s coming with us.” Wisteria nodded.

The sentry moved away from Felip
.

Rising, Felip staggered toward them.
“You have changed a lot?” he whispered as he joined her. “You are harsher. I am partly to blame for that.”

She didn
’t answer, but headed up the stairs, leading to the glass corridor they’d come in through.

“
Felip, move.” Enric came up behind him.

When they
reached the exit, the glass door opened.

Someone shouted her name
.

Turning
back, she saw it was Garfield.

He raced toward them as the other
avatars stood in the distance. “What the hell are you doing?”

“
I’m sorry, but you can’t be part of this anymore.” Wisteria stepped back into the glass passageway. “Robinia, close the door.”

The glass doors shut and second
s later, Garfield raced up the steps and pounded on them. “Wisteria.” He mouthed.

Wisteria
couldn’t hear the words he uttered.

Placing her hand on the glass
over his face, she fought the urge to cry. “Robinia, please make certain he’s comfortable for as long as he’s here.”

“
Yes, Mistress,” Robinia said as an avatar instantly materialized behind Garfield.

“
Robinia? Promise you’ll be there for him. Please? I’m asking you as a friend—help him.” Wisteria coughed any cry from her voice.

“
Mistress, I am not your friend, but simply here to serve you. I will do what you ask,” Robinia recited.

Turning away from
an irate Garfield, Wisteria followed Enric and Felip across the corridor, back through the metal doors and into the outer garden.

“
You did the right thing,” Enric whispered. “He would have gotten himself killed.”

“
Don’t.” She choked back tears. How was she going to face the future without Garfield?