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“She is the Oracle,” I whisper and Matitus gasps. Silas, however, smiles sadistically, kissing my lips and I pull away. Silas steps away, turning to Matitus.

“Bring her to the castle,” he tells Matitus. Matitus steps back shaking his head. I grip Silas’s arm, and he glances back at me.

“You shouldn’t have lied to me; you knew all along what she is, what Abigail is, and you still chose to lie to me.”

“She is a child, Silas,” I snap.

“I am well aware of that,” he growls. “I want Abigail’s daughter here; you have an hour, or I kill her mother, understand?” he says.

“You’re a monster,” I snarl at him, shoving off the desk. Silas grips my arm tightly tugging me to him.

“You knew that already so don’t act surprised, Elora.”

I go to walk out when Silas points to the armchair.

“Sit, I don’t need you warning Abigail,” he says, and I have no choice but to do as I’m told.

“Abigail’s here?”

Silas nods, refusing to say anything more. Matitus still hasn’t moved, and I can feel his hesitation through the bond. I plead with my eyes for him not to do what Silas asked. However, the next words that leave Silas’s lips, I realize he will do as Silas asked.

“Don’t make me tell you again, Matitus or would you like me to show Elora what I did to you, last time you lied to me.”

Matitus’s fear filled eyes dart to mine, he turns on his heel and leaves. I wonder what Matitus lied to him about, and what Silas did to instill the amount of terror I could see in his eyes.

Silas and I wait in silence. He doesn’t utter a word, yet I know his eyes are fixed on me. Dragus, who obviously realized something is up when I never returned, walks in, stopping and leaning on the doorframe.

“Why are you holding her here?” he asks Silas. Silas looks up at him, his eyes scanning over Dragus.

“You know why,” he simply says. So Dragus knew Silas’s intentions and never warned me.

“Come, Elora,” Dragus says, making Silas growl and stand. Dragus ignores him, holding out his hand. I glance at Silas, but he doesn’t say anything when I stand and creep over to him, grabbing his hand. I know Silas is angry about me keeping it from him, yet I feel something else, uncertainty.

“Bring her back when Matitus returns,” Silas says, running a hand through his hair. Dragus nods and pulls me from the room.

Dragus takes me to the dining room where Abigail is sitting with Lilith, completely unaware of what Silas has planned. She looks up and smiles at me as I walk in, and I try to go to her when Dragus pulls me against him.

“Have some faith in Silas, he may be a monster but that’s because you refuse to see him as anything else,” Dragus whispers. Dragus grips my hand tightly, refusing to let me go to Abigail. Abigail is going to be angry if I don’t warn her as it is. I don’t have to wait long; after about twenty minutes I hear the phone ring. I look over toward the door when Marian walks in holding it with a worried look on her face.

“Abigail, it’s your mother,” she says, her hands trembling and I know what is about to happen. Hopping up, I get ready for Abigail’s wrath. Abigail answers the call, and I watch as all the blood drains from her face, the phone dropping from her hand when she spins around and glares at Dragus and I.

“Where is my daughter?” she spits at him. Dragus holds up his hand telling her to wait.

“Silas has been scouring that library all night and there is no other way to break the curse, Abigail,” Dragus says, and Abigail takes off running toward the library. Immediately, I chase after her.

“Abbie, wait!” I call out to her, knowing if she ticks off Silas, she will feel his wrath. Abigail runs to the front door then stops and steps back as she turns to face the library. Matitus walks toward her. Dragus never said anything to me about Matitus returning home. Abigail shoves past him into the room and I run toward her, freezing next to her as we enter the library.

Claire looks up when we enter wearing warm winter clothes: a beanie on her head and some very worn black boots. She is sitting on the floor with Silas in front of the fireplace, his legs crossed as he sits close to Claire. Silas has my grandmother’s book in his lap. Abigail’s voice stutters as she calls for Claire.

“Claire, come here.” Claire looks up, unaware of what is going on. Claire goes to get up off the floor when Silas grabs her tiny hand and I see Abigail take a step forward, her hands glowing green.

“Sit, Claire,” Silas says to her. But there is no anger in his voice. He speaks softly, looking up at her. Claire smiles, flopping back down on the rug unaware of the monster she is sitting beside.

Moving into the room, I step next to Silas, Abigail right behind me. Lilith walks in to see Claire waving to her. Silas glances up when Claire waves.

“Claire, go play with Lilith so I can speak to your mother.”

Claire nods, hopping up off the floor and running toward Lilith, both scurrying off. Dragus follows after them to supervise.