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He grabbed her face and gave her a fierce five-second kiss then hurried out of the room, leaving her dazed and dizzy. God, she did not want to be there for this. Maybe she should just stay in the room and let it get done.
No. She couldn’t leave him to do that alone. She just wished he’d seemed a little morebotheredby it.
He doesn’t think it’s an actual kiss,her logical brain reminded.
Don’t be naïve.
He sees her as a sister.
That used to be in love with him?
And now he’s in love with you. Go to him.
She made her way out wrapped in one of Rukem’s black, plush robes, wondering how Sophie would take her being with him like this.
The second she entered, Sophie turned to her with a soft smile that grew as she hurried to her, arms opening as she came. Next thing she was in her embrace. “You have made my brother the happiest man,” she whispered in her ear. “But there is something dark hiding in him. I can see it when I touch him but I cannot identify what it is exactly. You must help me.”
“How?” she whispered.
“I must see it with my lips,” she barely said in her ear, sounding pained. “And he will not permit this.”
“Why?” she wondered.
“Because of you. He will face any darkness to protect you. But this darkness is bigger than anything he’s ever known. It’s bigger than all of us.”
Darby broke the hug and looked at her for many seconds, this news bringing a slow-motion panic through her. She took Sophie’s hand and pulled her to Rukem. “Sophie needs to use her gift to see what’s hiding inside you. I already know touching you isn’t enough, she has to use her mouth to see it. Let her.”
“Meeski, how do you know—”
“I just know!” she half yelled, her body shaking now. “I just know and I want her to do it now. Please,” she whispered. “There’s something wrong, something…something very wrong. Let her see it, you have to!”
His arms went around her and he pulled her tightly to him. “Meeski, what’s wrong?” he whispered in her ear.
“I don’t know, but something’s wrong. I can feel it and I’m…I’m scared, please just let her do it,” she gasped, her voice shaking with her body now.
“Hurry sister and use your gift to see.”
He kept hold of her hand and Darby hid her face against his back, feeling the need to pray which didn’t help her panic.
There was five seconds of silence then Sophie’s frail, “Brother!”
“Hold her,” Rukem ordered as Darby watched Sophie’s eyes roll up and Ace lift her in his arms.
“Put her on the couch,” Rukem ordered, following them. Darby remained rooted to the floor, watching as they tried to wake her, feeling like she was stuck in another time zone. Rukem looked over his shoulder at her and hurried over.
“Meeski,” he said, his mouth on hers breaking the terrifying chokehold on her spirit. “I’m here, I’m here.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“What about the wives?” Bishop wondered at Nidev’s request for a meeting witheverybody.
“Brother, I think it’s prudent to wait on that,” Nidev said. “Whatever the husband’s wish to share with their wives is their business but for the initial meeting, I would prefer it just be the Kings.”
“The Kings?”
“The Creole Kings and the Marsh Kings,” he clarified.
Bishop thought it amusing he considered them that but wasn’t going to argue. “I’ll see to it,” he said. “What time?”
