Chapter 256
LYRIC
I nodded reluctantly. Goodness, how do I say this?
“I’m waiting. Lyric. Who is it?”
I glanced out the window, taking a deep breath.
Honestly, I was tired of keeping secrets from him. They’ve never ended well.
He didn’t even know his brother and I were fated. Wouldn’t it be best if he heard it from me rather than hear it from the vile mouth of Caden?
Maybe I could tell him after telling him about Marta.
“It’s Marta,” I revealed the first truth. “At least, I think it’s her, Corey said she’s the one that’s been supplying Caden with information.”
The betrayed look on his face bruised me. To him, Marta was the mother of his kids. She was his grand Luna and someone he had been with the longest. This was worse than a betrayal.
It took him some time to process the shock and speak again. “I should’ve suspected. She and Caden…had some sort of friendship back then,” his brows drew taut.
He sighed. “How do we confirm she knows where Greta is?”
“There’s one way quick method I know of. But I don’t know if you’d like it.”
“What is it, Lyric?”
“I could siphon her. Hurt her enough to confess.”
Jaris didn’t think twice. He just nodded and started the car. The guy’s indifference scared me sometimes.
“Wait,” I grabbed his hand, stopping him from moving the wheel.
His eyes moved on me with impatience.
What’re you doing, Lyric?
I was tired of carrying secrets. He needed to know.
“There’s something else you should know… something I found out recently.”
**********
JARIS
The sun began its ascent.
Most men were still deep asleep. Not me. Not when I had something this crucial to take care of.
Lyric was nervous beside me. A strange part of me was tempted to hold her hand as we made our way toward the abandoned cottage. Why would I even want to do that–I frowned deeply. I guess it had to do with my missing memories.
Fuck, I wish I remembered.
“Can I get an answer now?” Kael asked when we reached the door.
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Chapter 256
I didn’t need anyone to tell me he’d been curious and worried for hours since he and Nerion were given the task, Good
“You should be lucky I still let you do anything for me,” I threw at him, proceeding into the abandoned house to see what I came for.
In the center of the room was Marta, her hands and legs bound to the chair with a gag over her mouth. Her eyes were puffy, tears running down her cheeks.
Upon seeing me, her puffy eyes beamed with relief. She
e struggled to speak through the gag.
Marta Monroe. I leaned against the rusty table, studying her. I’d never been truly able to figure her out.
Growing up, I had a lot of ladies who were infatuated with me. Marta was one of them. But while the others eventually got tired of my arrogance and left, Marta remained a constant. Now that I thought of it, how did she manage to push her way for so many years until she became my Luna?
I guess it was true what they said: you keep pushing and someday
you’ll get that which you desire.
I was already mad she was the one feeding Caden Information from the Pack. And I hoped to the sky that was where it ended. To this point, the thought of her having something to do with Greta was still an assumption and I earnestly hoped she’d turn out wrong. Because what the fuck was I going to do if the mother of my kids turned out to have been an ally to my brother all these years?
Her teary eyes turned hateful as soon as they fell on Lyric who just walked in. The hatred she had for Lyric…it was something I might never be able to understand.
Nodding at Nerion who had been quiet beside her the whole time, I watched him take off her gag.
“Jaris!” She breathed out. “Jaris. What’s… What’s the meaning of this? These two just…attacked me. Next thing I know, I’m in a booth. They tied me up, they-”
“I know what they did, Marta. They were acting on my orders.”
She ran her gaze through me, Lyric, Nerion and Kael. “I don’t understand. Why will you bring me in like this?”
“You tell me.” I folded my arms.
One easy way I’ve been able to get people to unravel was by being calm in turbulent situations like this. “You’ve been working with Caden.”
She wasn’t smart enough to hide the initial shock that crossed her eyes. It was the kind of shock you had when you’d just been found guilty of something you thought was a secret.
“I don’t…” She gulped. “What’s that supposed to mean? I haven’t seen Caden since his return.”
“Is that so? So, how has he been getting information from you?”
Her lips moved. She was about to lie again.
“I’m not doing this with you, Marta. Long before I imprisoned him, you’ve been helping him.” I paused for a beat. “You two are the reason Greta went missing. You kept her even in Caden’s absence.”
She gasped. “Jaris!”
“Now, all I want to know is where I can find her. Where is Greta?”
“I don’t know!” She screeched. “Goodness! How can I even be accused of this? How can I possibly work with Caden when he’s been your enemy?”
I shrugged. “I guess we’ll see about that.”
I nodded to Lyric. “If you won’t tell me the truth, we’ll just have to get it out through an effective means.”
Getting the point, Marta’s eyes stretched with horror.
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Chapter 256
Not No. You can’t be serious! Don’t touch mel”
Lyric hadn’t even touched her yet.
“Seriously, Jaris? Are you going to stand there and let a forbidden Siphon hurt me? Will you be able to stand the sight of her killing me? Because I’m telling you, she’d have to kill me because I have nothing to hide.”
I gave another nonchalant shrug. “If you do die, I’d hope it isn’t in vain.”
“Jaris, please…”
“Don’t you get it, Marta? I’m not even asking to know if you’re involved with Caden or not. It’s already a fact. What I’m interested in is Greta’s location. Where is she?”
“I don’t know. Hey!” She glared daggers at Lyric. “Trust me, you don’t want to touch me. I’m warning you now, Lyric, we shouldn’t do things we both end up regretting.”
The way she said those words…it was a threat. More like she was reminding Lyric she held something against her.
“I’m sorry, Marta. I won’t have to hurt you if you tell us the truth. Where is she?” Lyric calmly asked.
“Go to hell!” Her fiery gaze returned to me. “Jaris, we have to—”
“Do it, Lyric. Now.”
A slight hesitation, followed by Lyric’s hand wrapping around Marta’s.
I watched with indifference as my grand Luna’s mouth hung open, her head shooting back and her eyes rolling to the back of her head.
Lyric released her, giving her some space to wheeze and catch her breath. I told her to torture her as much as possible without killing her.
“The next round will be more excruciating.” She reached for Marta’s hand again. “When you’re tired and want it to stop, you know what to do.”
Marta looked like she wanted to say something, but she didn’t get the chance as her breath was snatched again.
It was still a wonder to me how these Siphons managed to play with people’s internal body systems. Actually, it was a skill I wish I possessed.
The session went on for three more rounds. At first, she cursed at Lyric each time she managed to catch a breath. But on the third round, she started crying.
“I don’t know anything. You’ve been lied to. Why won’t you believe me?”
She sounded too broken. At this point, anyone could believe she was telling the truth.
+ studied her intently. Marta could be a tough woman. What was the one thing she’d be so afraid of losing?
“Lyric,” my eyes remained fixed on Marta. “You can siphon memories, can’t you?”
“Yes.”
I fed off the fresh fear that washed over Marta.
“I want you to take her memories. Strip her of everything that makes her Marta Monroe. When she wakes up tomorrow, she’ll find herself in a different country, sold off as a slave. She’ll live the rest of her working in farms, lawns, serving people that are currently beneath her. She’ll only get to eat up crumbs from the table of her masters. Sleep will be a luxury she’ll only be able to afford on rare nights. Under the rain, under the sun, Marta Monroe will leave as a servant. And while at it,” I clicked my tongue. “She’ll have no recollection whatsoever of who she used to be. To her, she was born a slave.”
