Page 8 of Secrets & Curses of Cerithia

“Jesper, leave us. I want to talk with Thea.” My father frowned at me, like he could finally see how utterly broken I was.

Jesper hesitated at my father’s demand but left without protest. I felt awkward as my father stood there staring at me without saying much at first.

“Did you want to walk the grounds as we talk? You used to enjoy that.” His green eyes filled with sadness at his statement. I nodded as I put my dagger in its sheath. Guards followed us at a safe distance.

Cerithia was hotter than Crimson was. I found it nearly unbearable to wear my green cloak here, but I did because it brought me comfort. My mind was blank as my eyes looked anywhere but at my father. My fingers picked at the loose thread of my cloak as I waited for him to speak. Birds were starting to chirp in the distance as the sun rose, and I would have found it peaceful if I was not so worried about what my father wanted to tell me.

“I apologize for how things have been since your return. It was probably not the big welcome home that you had expected from us, but I want to explain why so that maybe you can understand our perspective on things.”

I glanced at my father, relieved that he wanted to tell me anything. My mind swarmed with hardly any thoughts since Cassius betrayed me. Most days I went through the motions of what I needed to do, but at the end of the day, I could not recall details from anything I did. Time has moved slowly since being here.

“It is partially my fault that you fell in love with Cassius.”His confession had me snapping my gaze to his.

“You were the best warrior that had ever come from Cerithia. I was so proud that you wanted to become the captain of my armies. You were always so clever that I thought you could handle the mission I sent you on.”

My chest tightened, desperate to find out any information about my life that was not tied directly to Cassius.

“You trained for months and months before you went, and I had no doubts that you would be successful. You were the perfect assassin—beautiful like your mother, powerful too, but tactical like me. I thought I was so clever to have you weasel your way into Crimson with the pretense of pretending to love Cassius. You were to use him, get information, then kill him and return.”

“I was a spy?” I questioned.

My father nodded before he continued.

“Months passed by, and we had stopped hearing anything from you. I thought you couldn’t get correspondence to us, so I waited. But as time passed, I realized something was wrong. We tried to send guards to Crimson to get you, but none of them ever returned. Then one day, you appeared in the throne room, claiming to love Cassius.”

My father’s disappointment was clear in his voice, and shame filled me.

“You told me he was not a monster. How Crimson was this magical place, and you didn’t think we should be at war with them. I couldn’t believe my own ears. I begged you to stay in Cerithia and not go back, but you refused. Gods, I felt so disgusted having to tell the fae of Cerithia how my own daughter had chosen Crimson. It was a betrayal that no one here has forgotten. I admit that things have never been good between you, Gwyn, and the girls, but that just put an even bigger wedge between all of you.”

“So that is why they don’t seem happy I’m back,” I sighed.

“It’s been a difficult time for us to adjust to your return, but I am happy to have you at home.” He gave me a small smile. “Besides, a few months later, you came back panicked. You told me that Cassius had enchanted you and your view of Crimson, that everything you thought about him was not your ownthoughts or feelings. I had never seen you so terrified of another fae as you were of Cassius that night.”

Enchantment. Is that what he did to me during the trials? It would explain why I felt so drawn to him. It explained why I still had these unforgivable feelings for him, even though he killed me.

“So, you came home, and you fought harder than I had ever seen you fight before. You never did tell me how you learned of the enchantment, but you told me that you understood why Cassius was known as this heartless, cruel male. You wanted to kill him; that is why you were in Crimson the day he killed you. You wanted to end him, but he got to you first.”

Gods, Cassius had been manipulating me through my dreams since before I ever left Exile. My mind raced with memories of us, trying to understand when exactly he had enchanted me. Was it in my dreams, or perhaps it was the first time he spoke to me at the trials? Is that why everyone in Crimson treated me so kindly? It was all fake.

“I still don’t understand why he would make up the trials and pretend to care for me,” I confessed.

“That bloodstone holds great power, Thea. It was gifted to me by your mother, and Cassius wanted it. I must admit that what he did was the cleverest plan I have ever seen concocted. He killed you, not knowing that the gods would be angry because your prophecy had not been fulfilled. He didn’t account for the god, Mikel, being furious with him when he came from the stars. Cassius was cursed by the gods that day.”

I stopped walking.

“Cassius was cursed?” That couldn’t be right. I was cursed. I had no memories.

“Yes. The gods were furious with him for taking your life because your prophecy hadn’t come true. Your power is unheard of, Thea. The gods had big plans for you, and he ruinedthem. Cassius probably assumed he could charm his way out of repercussions, but Mikel didn’t listen to anything he had to say.”

“But I lost my memories; how does that curse Cassius?”

“Mikel thought he was sparing you the pain of Cassius’ betrayal, but there was another reason he took your memories. He did it to make breaking Cassius’ curse harder for him. I also believe that he was only trying to wipe Cassius from your memories, but he wiped everything by accident. It was Cassius’ intent for you to choose him and give him the bloodstone, thereby breaking his curse,” my father sighed heavily. “The curse causes Cassius to lose parts of his elite magic for every year that passes without you breaking his curse. He also cannot take the throne or create an heir for Crimson. Essentially, he is useless to his kingdom if he cannot take over the crown.”

The revelations had my mind reeling. “That was why he wanted the stone so badly,” I said. “What would have happened if I gave it to him?” I shook my head as I realized how close I had been to giving him exactly what he wanted that day.

“His powers would have multiplied, and he likely would have begun to slaughter the other kingdoms. Crimson wants all of Elloryon to be ruled by one king, and the only way they can do that is to get rid of the rest of the royal bloodlines.”

Gods, I felt so stupid.

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