Page 93 of Secrets & Curses of Cerithia

“Your marriage bond is visible again.”

I lifted my arm and looked over the bond before meeting her eyes again.

“Cassius said this was just for communicating while we were apart,” I whispered.

“Cassius is a very clever man,” she laughed. “It is not a communication bond. It’s a marriage bond. He has one too, but he hides it. It’s a red crown—your crown. Just like that is his crown.”

I felt dizzy as I lowered myself to the ground and sat, trying to understand everything. This was too much. I couldn’t wrap my head around the information she was telling me. Cassius and I were married.

“I’m married to a man who murdered me.”

The wisps and goddess all froze at my statement.

“You have to understand, Thea, that what happened between you and Cassius was something we had never had to address as gods before.”

“Him killing me?” I glared at her. “I’ve killed before and have never had the gods come down and curse my soul, or at least I don’t remember them doing that.”

“We did not curse your soul because you were killed; it was because of who killed you. You need to talk to Cassius so he can tell you what happened.”

“Why do I get the feeling that everyone is on his side? Everyone seems to think he did nothing wrong.”

“Well, when he tells you, you get to decide if you feel like everyone is justified for feeling that way or if you think we have all lost our minds,” Della sighed.

I opened my mouth to argue with her but shut it. She had practically agreed that they were all on his side about this. Della came and sat next to me on the cold ground. We faced the castle and sat in silence. My mind should have been racing with all of the things she told me, but there was nothing. I should havebeen freaking out, and maybe I would later, but right now it was peaceful inside my mind until one question drifted into my thoughts.

“You said you gave someone else a piece of your soul. Who was it?”

Della’s eyes filled with sadness. I could feel it around her like a thick cloud.

“I should have known you two would find each other,” she sighed.

“Cassius and I?”

“No, my other death-marked soul.” She frowned as she stared at the castle. “His powers developed like yours, but not as strong. It was probably your blood witch lineage that made you so powerful after you received part of my soul.”

“The other death-marked soul lives here.” I glanced from her to the castle.

“Yes. I’m sorry for everything that happened to you.” She glanced at me. “My brother would have never been so cruel to you the day Cassius killed you if I hadn’t broken him, if I hadn’t betrayed him. It’s my fault all of this happened the way it did. I killed the woman my brother loved to save the man I loved, and he cannot forgive me. I do not blame him either, but it is why he thought Cassius should be punished so harshly.”

“It’s alright.” I frowned because she looked so... devastated.

“It’s not.” She looked away from me. “But if it’s any consolation, I will be punished for all my existence to have the man I love hate me. Because I betrayed him too. I am his villain.”

Della stood quickly.

“I don’t want that.” I frowned. I knew the feeling of having the man you love hate you, or at least pretend to. “Who is it?”

“I’m not going to tell you. I have to go. Talk with Cassius; make this right.”

As I stood, she vanished into thin air. I turned and glanced everywhere, but she was gone. Wisp—I meant myself—floated around me.

“I’m headed inside.” I paused and frowned. A noise in the trees made me freeze. Ducking low to the ground, I looked to see who was coming. Kace walked through a moment later by himself before sneaking back into the castle. Odd.

Wisp twirled around me in her pretty dark green shade. Then she and the others all disappeared into the woods, and I headed inside. I stood in the castle foyer and glanced around, wishing my memories would appear. A noise down the hallway had me hiding in the dark corner. Haden walked by a moment later with Cassius. They were in a deep conversation about something as they passed without noticing me.

My eyes watched Cassius as he passed. Suddenly, he stopped and turned toward me.

“Is there a reason you’re hiding, my love?”

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