To Claim A Crown Book Two: The Winter Harbinger (Complete)

Chapter Sixty: What Dying Feels Like

Naomi draws back the curtains of the bedroom. The house and yard are finally in perfect silence. She inhales and exhales deeply, tiredness creeps into her body from her lower spine and spreads into her shoulders. She rolls her neck and behind her the bed creaks. Naomi glances over her shoulder as Soraya sits up in the bed.

“Raya, hey, sorry I didn’t mean to wake you up. I just needed to get something to sleep in.”

“Oh no, that’s okay. I was having a weird dream.”

Naomi walks around to the bed and settles down on the edge beside. “What did you dream about?”

Soraya rubs at her eyes. “It was weird, snippets of things, a candle being cut in half, checking cupboards, a burning cigar…curtains being opened.”

Naomi rubs Soraya’s shin gently. “I’m sure it was just your mind processing the evening.” Naomi stands up and with a soft smile. She reaches for the lamp beside the bed and Soraya shakes her head.

“Leave it on.”

Naomi nods and she reaches for the door handle, she opens the door ajar. Soraya begins sobbing. Naomi turns to face her. “What’s wrong, why are you crying?” Naomi walks back into the room and sits on the bed. She pulls Soraya against her chest, running a hand through her hair.

Soraya stills, inhaling deeply. The sobbing slows to a giggle. Naomi releases her and steps off the bed, folding her arms across her chest.

“Did you miss me, Naomi? I missed you and the feel of you, how you smell.”

“I didn’t miss you, not one bit.” Naomi turns to the door and Sarah steps in, shutting the door behind her.

“Sarah,” Sigrid sighs. “You want to know what your problem is? You think you’re so smart.” She raises the wrist with the band around it and snaps it off. Sarah gasps loudly covering her mouth. She turns to face Naomi then chuckles with a smile.

Naomi smiles back at her best friend. “Why don’t you tell us what we’ve done wrong?” She directs at Sigrid. “Was it the protection candle that wasn’t spelled? Or the sudden interest in keeping Soraya safe by having her travel with Stellan? Was it the feast? Or maybe leaving the door open for ‘the wolves’?”

Naomi perches on the edge of the bed. “You know we had a disagreement as a family about who gets to do this. Jackson was a strong candidate but I needed it to be me. Now please, what did we do wrong?”

Sigrid tucks her knees under chin with a sly smile. There’s one little detail you’re forgetting girls,” she insists in a playful tone. “This wristband, a pathetic attempt at creating a protective band? I will be in and out of this body before you can do a single thing. Now you’ve lured me here, what do you want mmh? Insight into my great master plan? Want to know where the vampires body is? Bet you didn’t even know I could do that, take a vampire body. Come closer Naomi, let me show you how I take a hybrid body. Oh and by the way…you look very sexy tonight.”

Sigrid laughs and fluffs up the pillows. She winks at Naomi and pats the bed beside her. Naomi steps forward and rests a leg on the bed, She lifts the slit in the dress and pulls the knife out from against her thigh. The knife that almost killed Jackson. Sigrid laughs again, slowly clapping her hands.

“You're going to kill me Naomi? Or Soraya? She’s, what, your cousin? Go ahead, bury the knife in her chest.” Sigrid drops onto the bed, her arms spread open against the mattress.

“Inhibit me,” Naomi states suddenly. Sigrid snaps up to attention, wide eyed. She narrows her eyes at Naomi then she turns her attention to Sarah.

“What the hell is this?” Sigrid demands.