Destiny Forgiven (Shadows of Destiny) Read Online Free Page A

her history, he would school her on who Maddox Blackwell, Inkman, really was. When she realized he wasn’t who she thought, he would break her.
     

FELICITY: You know who’s to blame for this war. You’re on the wrong side of the fight, Maddox. Come back to me.
    MADDOX: I wish it were that easy, love. For now, I’m stuck here. Missing you.
    Email exchange, July 2003
 
     
    A chunk of fresh bread, a bowl of what looked like soup, and a cup of milk sat on the table of the interrogation room and made her mouth water for the first time in days. She stumbled toward it.
    A hand wrapped around her arm and yanked her back. She stared at the food longingly just a few feet away. Maddox sat her in a chair then leaned in front of her against the table. Tearing her gaze away from the steaming plate of food was impossible.
    Now she knew why they’d tied her wrists behind her back. It had only been four days of hunger, but added to that the constant cold, the poor sleep, and accumulating pain and four days felt like forever.
    “Felicity,” he said gently.
    Her name on his lips caught her off guard. She looked up at him.
    He smiled, but it didn’t seem genuine. She wasn’t sure if the fake smile made her more nervous or not. Anger or pretend kindness? At least anger she could predict.
    “That’s your name, right?” he asked.
    Speaking wasted energy so she nodded.
    “We’ll skip the interrogation today.” He eyed the food then looked back at her. “You say you know me. I want to know how.”
    Was he starting to remember her? Or was this a trick? She couldn’t concentrate with the smell of food so close. She tried to force her mind to focus. Was this the good cop routine? Did it matter?
    He lifted the spoon from the table and used it to stir the yellow broth.
    Surely there wasn’t any harm in telling him about their childhood. What could that do? Maybe it would trigger his memory. Eating went with step one – staying alive.
    “For every answer you give me, you’ll get a bite of food,” he explained and scooped up a chunk of meat in the soup. “Deal?”
    “Okay.” It came out a throaty whisper.
    His brow creased and he frowned. When he put the spoon down, she panicked.
    “No! Please.” She wanted to shout but couldn’t manage more than a rasp.
    Maddox picked up the glass of milk and put it to her lips. She looked at him in question. He hadn’t asked anything yet. A free pass? Should she trust him?
    “Drink,” he ordered.
    She did. Milk spilled down her chin as she gulped mouthfuls.
    “Whoa. Slow down or you’ll get sick.” He pulled the glass away then wiped the liquid from her chin and where it’d dripped down her neck and chest. Then he picked up the spoon again. “How do you know me, Felicity?”
    She liked hearing him say her name way more than she should. It felt personal. Much better than shifter or just girl. “We were best friends.”
    A patronizing smile this time. “Very good.” He brought the spoon to her lips and she slurped the contents down.
    It went down so fast, she barely tasted it. Eyeing the bowl, she yearned for more.
    “We have to go slow or your body will reject it,” he told her.
    Fuck that. She wanted it now. But a part of her knew she needed her strength. Throwing up food because she ate too fast was a waste of an opportunity.
    “Next question,” Maddox said. This time he tore off a bite of bread. “When were we best friends?”
    “As children.” She opened her mouth.
    He hesitated then popped it in. “How old?”
    Still chewing, she answered, “We were six. I lived with my family in the village and you lived nearby in Caerwyn. I found you wandering by Green Willow Stream. I was hunting frogs and I saw a little boy crying over by a tree.”
    “Crying?”
    She tried not to laugh at his offended expression. “Just a little. You’d never been on your own before. You must’ve gotten lost. It’s understandable.”
    “Hmm.” He kept the scowl as he fed her more from the