Chosen Legacy (Book Five of the Chosen Universe)

Chapter Eighteen

ANDIE

When Zell brought her into a bedroom, she immediately thought the worst. She tried to prepare for a fight she knew she could not win, especially in her weakened state.

"This room shall be yours, my darling," Zell told her. "At least, until you choose to move into mine."

Andie stared at him. "That's not going to happen," she said sharply.

"I understand you do not see it now, but I promise you shall." He smiled at her with obvious desire and a bit of affection in his eyes. It made her skin crawl. "Is the room to your liking? I can make changes if you prefer something else..."

Andie was stunned he was acting as though she was there by choice. "Prisoners don't usually get a say on things like how their cell is decorated."

"You are not my prisoner, Daphne. You are my wife, and I want you to be happy here."

"I'd be happy if I was home."

"You are home. At last."

She sighed. She tried to step away from Zell and ended up stumbling. He easily steadied her. "Easy, my dear one... You are still weak," he said gently.

She looked up at him and saw the adoration in his eyes. For a moment, Daphne became overwhelmed. Andie knew that even in that life, she'd been hopelessly clumsy, and she realized Zell had often had to catch her when she stumbled. A small part of her was hit with Daphne's love for the man she'd thought he was.

Stop that, Andie scolded her past self. He murdered you. That's not love. He's a monster.

She clung to Ivan, willing Isobel to push Daphne back. She felt her mind grow stronger. She pulled away from Zell and said, "I'm fine."

"Sit, my darling... Please," Zell said, motioning toward the bed.

That was the last place Andie wanted to sit. Still, her legs were threatening to give out on her. She sat down in the chair that was in front of a dresser complete with a mirror instead.

Zell moved toward her, but didn't comment on her small act of defiance. "This dresser is an antique... I had it refurbished for you, and asked Zizanyah to stock it with suitable clothing. I do not know what girls of this time like to wear, after all, and I want you to be comfortable," he told her. "When you feel a bit stronger, you may shower over there and change." He motioned toward a bathroom in the corner. "I shall have someone retrieve you for supper. Until then, please try to get some rest." He kissed her hand, making her feel sick inside. Then, he left her alone.

Andie stood and tried the door. It was locked. "It was worth a shot," she said with a sigh. At least the room was large, and it was certainly comfortable. Andie moved toward the bathroom. It had no visible escape routes, but it was also large and comfortable. If she didn't know the truth, she'd have thought she was inside the home of a perfectly normal wealthy person.

She could not deny that she was exhausted. She caved and sat on the bed. The mattress was the most comfortable thing she'd ever sat on. Knowing she needed to get her strength back, Andie allowed herself to drift off to sleep. She prayed her nightmares wouldn't be too horrible for once.

ZORDON

He'd sensed that something was very wrong. This was confirmed when Zedd appeared at the Command Center. "Zordon... We need to talk," he said gently.

"What did my father do now?" Zordon forced himself to ask.

"Okay, first of all... A lot happened today. Let's start at the beginning... Lily resurfaced."