Page 104 of A Kingdom so Crimson

Was it all just a pretense? A lie to manipulate me into this? To make me comply?

The anger surged again, burning hotter as I started running. I grumbled as the black sky slowly turned a dull gray, heralding the cold sun of dawn.

None of this makes sense. What memories do they want? Why do they want me to join them?

The horrifying image flashed in my mind: the bloodied throne I sat upon, their cheers echoing as spidery fingers crawled up to choke me into compliance, with a crown of death on my head.

I shivered at the image, pushing it far, far away, and letting the overload of questions distract me as I continued down the slope.

"Fernwen!"

A hiss came from the right, halting me and sending gravel and dirt scattering. I scanned the area, seeing only the chasm's edge and the murky fog swirling below. I stalked toward where the voice came as a howl echoed off the mountain paths below.

Creeping closer to the edge, I spotted Osric's light hair as I peered over. Disgust and rage twisted my face as I saw him clinging to a dried root off the cliff, standing on a narrow slice of rock barely big enough for him. The deadly plunge below made my stomach lurch.

"Get down here!" he hissed.

I knitted my brows together and stepped back while my anger surged, hotter and more intense than ever before. My teeth clenched, and my fists tightened as I glared back at him, unyielding and defiant.

"No way in Tyran," I spat back with venom.

His eyes darted down the hill behind me before locking back onto mine with a deadly glare. "Fine," he mocked sarcastically. "Hopefully, you'll satisfy their hunger."

I quickly pivoted to look behind me, bracing myself, yet nothing but the eerie breeze brushed past my cheeks, twirling my blood-soaked hair with it. I turned back just as Osric grabbed my ankle and yanked, sending me crashing onto the rugged terrain. Sharp rocks tore into my suit, and sparks of pain exploded through my vision as he pulled harder, dragging me across the frozen ground as I clawed desperately, forsaking my makeshift dagger.

I cursed, kicking at his arm, but soon felt the sickening pull of gravity as I teetered on the cliff's edge. Screaming, my nails broke with my desperate attempts, the jagged earth slicing open my black suit as I clawed at rocks, weeds—anythingto stop the fall. My fingers found a small root jutting from the ground, and I clung to it desperately. My torso curled over the edge, leaving me hanging over the sheer drop of the cliff, my heart pounding in terror.

The rage in me boiled over, fueling my desperation. I shouted through gritted teeth, my voice raw and primal as I kicked his arm off. The wind whipped around me, adding to the chaos as I dangled, each second feeling like an eternity.

My mind raced, the adrenaline and fury blending into a maelstrom of emotions as fear swelled up into every fiber of my being. Osric grasped my shoulder, yanking my body, forcing me to let go and accept my impending fate. I screamed at him, cursing his name, and kneed him in the side before quickly swinging my legs with enough momentum to kick him in the chest. He faltered, barely clutching to the root. I didn't look to see if he kept hanging on as I curled my arms, lifting myself back onto the ledge.

I scrambled to find purchase and hoist myself up, sliding on my stomach as he grunted close behind and grabbed at my legs. I kicked his hand off, sending loose gravel and dirt cascading down his face and over the cliff edge in a puff of smoke.

He cursed at me as I crawled to my feet, sprinting away from the edge as fast as possible. The sound of feet smacking against the rough gravel echoed behind me. Within an instant, he was on top of me, tackling us both to the ground with a hiss. The rocks scraped painfully against my exposed skin under his weight. He wrapped his arms around my waist and heaved me upright as I kicked off the ground with all my strength, sending us both tumbling backward with an air-escaping thud.

He swiftly let go, grabbed my head, and flexed, putting me into a headlock. I clawed at his already shredded suit, turning my head towards him and catching the sourness of his dry breath. Desperately, I kneed him in the groin, where he released me just long enough for me to break free and jump atop him. I straddled him, raining down one hard punch after another, the sting of each impact fueling my rage until my knuckles were slick with his warm blood.

With a powerful kick, he sent me screeching across the rocky ground. "You killed her!" he screamed, charging at me with his bloody face. I struggled to find my footing right as he crashed into me with a solid impact, forcing the air out of my lungs. We smacked the ground, slicing open parts of my suit, and felt the tug of my braid stuck beneath my back.

"You left us both!" I hissed through gritted teeth as he pressed his weight into me, viciously smiling down at me as his blonde hair sagged in front of his face. I heaved my legs up, trying to get him off me, hearing Kaizen's words blare through my skull.

Get out. Get out.

I squirmed, freeing my hand, and threw a solid punch to his cheek, but he quickly retaliated, gripping my arm and throwing several blows to my jaw, each strike sending a jolt of pain, driving me into the ground. I blinked back at the stars, feeling a welt erupt on my face.

Abruptly, my anger surged, blinding and all-consuming. The air around us crackled with electric energy; a gravitational light held us suspended for a millisecond before a sudden zap burst forth, throwing Osric off me. He skidded to a stop against a large rock, his body convulsing uncontrollably before falling limp.

My heart pounded as I fought for each shallow breath, staring at his limp body and then at my hands in disbelief.

No.

My mind raced through a hundred scenarios, each more implausible than the last, yet they all led me back to the impossible.

No!

This wasn't why the Spellcasters were hunting me—they wanted memories, not…me.

I'm nothing.I'm normal.

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