Bride of the Emperor (The Prophecy of Sisters Book 4) by Hayley Faiman (the gingerbread man read aloud txt) 📗

“You are my hero, Tiberius. You have been hardened by war, but you are still the same man deep down inside. You will always be good.”

I do not have the heart to tell her that I am no such thing. You cannot be good and do the things that I have in this life. You cannot be good and kill the way that I have. You cannot be good and murder your own father, take his head and put it in the middle of the capitis the way that I have, a reminder to the rest of the people just how cruel you can be.

“You should go inside, it is hot out today, I do not want your fair skin to burn.”

She smiles, shaking her head as her hand falls from my wrist. Without another word, I watch her skip away and into the domum.

“She is right. You are a good man,” a deep voice announces.

There is no need to turn my head, yet again, I know the man that this voice belongs to. “You of all people know that is not a valid statement,” I grunt.

He chuckles, his low laughter filling the area and bouncing off of the stone walls of the domum. Marcellus’ fingers wrap around my shoulder and he gives me a shake as he stands next to me, looking straight ahead as well.

“Savona is lucky to have you as its leader,” he announces. “You will allow it to flourish.”

“I shall endeavor,” I rasp. “To make it up to the gods for my misgivings.”

“There is no such thing to make up for, frater.”

We do not speak again for a long moment. Then there is a shadow in the distance. A beast is in the air, I watch as it comes closer and I pull my gladius from its scabbard and charge down to the animal, though I do not believe it would matter.

This is a beast of epic proportion and he could kill all of us in one swift motion. The shift that I sensed, it is here in the form of this beast.

I have a missive from Aaric, the King of the Sea.

I pause, my gladius in hand and my feet braced for battle. A man climbs down from the beast and I jerk my chin.

Who are you? I demand of the dragon.

He snorts. Quest. This is the missive for King Aaric. He will explain.

I shake my head once. I want it from you, beast.

I hear him laughing in my head and then he snorts again, but he tells me exactly what I want. He tells me why they have come this far. He tells me a fantastical tale. I don’t believe him, not at first, but as he continues with his details, I wonder if this could be true.

So, you think this sister will be here? That she will magically appear?

I do not believe him. I do not believe his words of a prophecy, of the gods and goddesses plotting some big come-to-fruition moment. There is no reason for it. Why would it happen now? After thousands of years, it seems too far-fetched.

When she comes, send a message to King Aaric.

He jerks his chin and I watch as the missive climbs back onto his back and in an instant, he jumps into the air, expands his gigantic wings and flies away. Nobody said an actual word. The entire conversation was in our heads, just as I can do with my horse and the bears. I have never spoken to another animal this way before.

“Tiberius?” Marcellus asks.

Turning my head, I look over my shoulder at him. “According to the beast, we are to have a visitor from another world. Keep an eye out for any strange woman that suddenly appears.”

Chapter One

DRUCILLA

It’s been a month since I left Arizona. A month without hearing a single word from any of my sisters. I know deep down in my soul that something is wrong, something is terribly wrong, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I look around the beach, sitting on my towel, and hating the way that I feel.

A month ago, I would be showing off my bikini body, tanning, and drinking a cocktail. I would be enjoying myself, not having a care in the world. I would definitely be enjoying the looks of the men near me. None of it matters anymore. Nothing matters.

“Baby, you good?” a deep voice murmurs.

I look back at my very, very casual friend, Austin. He looks like an underwear ad model. The main reason that I started this thing with him, he’s hot. He’s okay in bed too, but he’s so pretty to look at that it almost hurts my eyes.

I’m vain.

I’m also selfish.

I’m the exact opposite of my sisters. They’re all loving and caring, they’re kind and soft. Then there’s me. I’m not the same, but I have my reasons, reasons that none of them even know about. I’m good with that, prefer it actually.

It’s better they don’t know.

Austin sinks down next to me, his golden abs on display before he slides his hand around my waist and tugs me against his side.

“You’re a real downer these days, baby.”

“My sisters are missing,” I snap.

He shrugs a shoulder, obviously not giving a flying fuck that my sisters are gone. Pushing off of him, I stand and strip my shorts off.

“That’s what I’m talkin’ about, why don’t you come wrap those long as fuck legs around me, babe.”

I wrinkle my nose, staring straight ahead at the water, and ignore him. Walking out, I close my eyes as soon as the warm water touches my toes. I don’t stop. I continue into the water, my feet moving. I can’t control myself. Something calls to me, I don’t know what it is, but it’s almost a whispering sound.

Austin yells out my name behind me, but I ignore him. He calls out my name again before he tells me I’m a bitch and I can go fuck