Page 60 of Secrets & Curses of Cerithia

“You’re sick.” I could see the sickness under his skin and in his blood. Just like I could with Leer’s wife. I could sense death close to him too. My comment made the king freeze. Did he know? “You’re dying.”

“I have been for quite some time,” he sighed and relaxed slightly. Knowing this news made me sad for a man I did not know. “Only my wife and I know, so how did you find out?”

“I can see it.” I pointed to his neck. “I can heal you, but you must not tell them what I’ve done. I don’t think they want me helping potential enemies.”

“Why would you even offer? My kingdom will never stand with Cerithia or Kizar. I am an enemy. I am on Cassius’ side, always.” I admired the truth from him. Even though I was hisbiggest threat, he didn’t hide his distaste for me and Cerithia. The honesty of others is what I missed most about Sybil. She had always given it to me, even when I didn’t think I needed to hear it.

“I am not a monster,” I sighed. “Do not declare a side today. Hold off if you can before siding with Crimson.” I grabbed his hand, and he tried to yank it away but stopped when he felt the healing swirls of orange and red as they moved into his skin. His eyes widened in shock as my magic did its work. When I pulled my hand away, tears filled his eyes.

“I feel…normal.”

“It’s gone.” I smiled, and he looked over my face.

“We were all hoping you would side with Crimson, Thea. Cerithia and Kizar will only take more and more. You picked the wrong side.”

“So, you choose the right one and stick with Crimson. I will not slaughter innocent men and women for greed. You have my word.”

I walked away from him as I unfroze the room. Everyone looked at me, none the wiser, not realizing that their world had just stopped. Cassius’ eyes, however, narrowed on King Sybrien as silent tears streamed down his face before shifting to me for an answer, but I gave him none as I pulled the next magic to me. Once it was mine, I reached in front of me, and light shone brightly from my hand, creating a small, floating orb. I grasped it and stretched it wider, like I had seen Rosaline do, then stepped into it, only to appear across the room a moment later.

Jesper smiled at me like he was proud of me, when in reality, he should fear me. I sensed more power and pulled in two other types of magic that were looming in the air. I stopped for a moment when I became disoriented. At first, I thought it was too much magic pulling at the same time, but then I heard them. Voices were speaking loudly into my mind, seeming tocome from nowhere and everywhere all at once. I pulled out of that magic instantly. I looked around and found the guard I had pulled it from. He was standing next to the king of Falgon. Once again, I froze everyone in the room except for him. He raised his weapon, and I stopped.

“What magic did I just pull from you?”

He stilled.

“I don’t have magic,” he growled.

“You have elite magic.” I raised my eyebrows at him. “The voices.”

He lowered his weapon and frowned at me.

“That’s magic? I thought… I thought I was losing my mind. I shut them out. I thought they were all coming from my own mind.”

“Is it someone else's thoughts, maybe?” I questioned.

“If it is, I don't know how to use it.” His eyes stared at me oddly.

“Tell no one you have this gift. It will put you in danger,” I ordered. He nodded in response. I unfroze the room again and made to show my other new power. I lifted my hand, and all the loose metal in the room rose up into the air. I let it hover for a moment, then I dropped it, causing a resounding crash to echo throughout the room.

Then I reached out and pulled the last magic I could sense in the room. I looked at the servant standing in the corner where it came from. She had elite magic. I released her powers and filled the room with butterflies and flowers before making it smell like rain and night. Illusion magic could mess with the senses. I could do so much with this one that I didn’t show all its glory.

Finally, I turned toward Jesper and felt exhaustion cloud over me. Too much magic and energy were being used. I was now running out of time to use the magic I had acquired. I couldn’t miss out on the only chance I had to make a difference. I lookedat Haden and swept my arm out so that the whole room froze again, everyone but him. I took a step toward him, and his sad eyes glanced around before landing on me. I was getting weak; this magic was draining me too quickly.

“You were spying on me in the woods. Why?” I glared at him. “Did Cassius send you to hurt me?”

Haden’s face fell at the accusation.

“He would never hurt you.” His face scrunched with disgust. But he had hurt me.

“Why?” I demanded.

“To make sure you were alright; don’t worry, I let him know how well you were doing while having a date with Jesper.” His anger and disgust caught me off guard.

“You don’t know what you saw,” I said with a frown. The magic still pulsed inside of me, but I knew it was fading. I needed a minute to gain enough energy to use it once more. Quickly, I returned to where I had been and unfroze the room. Haden glanced at me oddly.

“Is that enough of a show?”

“Yes.” Jesper smiled proudly and stood with the magic barbed cuffs. The sight of them hit me like a hammer, and I instantly froze the room, crying softly. All I could think of was heading back to the loneliness of Cerithia. I turned and walked to Cassius. His face was set in a hard, unforgiving expression as he stared at where I had been standing.

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