Page 21 of Court of Twisted Angels

"Keep pushing, Theron. See what happens when I stop playing by the rules."

With that, I push out of the alcove. I need a moment away to breathe, to think, and I head back toward my home.

The family estate's marble halls echo with my footsteps as I climb the winding staircase to my father's chambers. Guilt gnaws on me when I think about how long it's been since I was up here. Magical orbs cast a warm glow across the ancient tapestries depicting our lineage - each scene a reminder of what we've lost.

I pause at the doorway. The sight hits me like a physical blow. Father lies motionless in the massive four-poster bed, his once-magnificent wings now dull and brittle. The curse's corruption spreads like black veins beneath his skin, a stark contrast to the natural luminescence all xaphan possess.

"My son." His voice cracks, barely above a whisper. The effort of speaking causes his wings to tremor.

I cross to his bedside, past the scattered healing crystals and empty potion vials that litter every surface. Their magic has long since faded, useless against our bloodline's affliction. The air feels thick with lingering spells - evidence of our healers' futile attempts to slow the curse's progression.

"I hear…you are at…the arena these days?" He struggles to focus his gaze, those once-piercing golden eyes now clouded and dim.

"Yes." I grip the ornate bedpost, my knuckles white. The wood creaks beneath my fingers. "I've found someone who might help us retrieve the stones."

A coughing fit wracks his body. Dark energy pulses beneath his skin with each spasm, the curse feeding off his weakened state. His wings twitch helplessly against the silk sheets.

"Be careful, Azrael." Blood tints his lips as he speaks. "The other houses-"

"The other houses can be damned." The temperature plummets as my control slips. Frost spreads across the windowpanes. "They all mock us, and when I break this curse, I'll put them in their place."

Father's hand trembles as he reaches for mine. His touch burns cold - another symptom of the curse's progression. The same corruption that killed my siblings now eats away at him, turning our celestial nature against itself.

My wings snap open, knocking over a stand of healing crystals. They shatter against the floor, their magic dissipating in useless sparks. The sound matches the breaking of something inside me as I watch another piece of my father's strength fade away.

I stay with him a while longer until he is asleep and my body is burning to do something. So, like I have been every day when I get restless, I go back to the arena.

I find Kyrie in the training grounds, her auburn hair dampened with sweat as she practices defensive positions. Her body moves with such grace as she whips her swords, her stance admirable.

"You did well today," I call out, and she spins to face me. I watch the emotions that flicker across her face - the shock, fear, and what looks like a tinge of excitement.

"I survived." She pushes her auburn hair out of her face and my fingers itch to reach for the strand she missed. But I'm not to touch her, something that's becoming harder to remember. "Now I need to focus on the next."

"Speaking of the next…" I come a little closer, stopping a distance away that will leave her comfortable. "I saw something during this trail that I didn't expect."

"The gemstone?"

I pause. I thought I saw her going after it, but I don't know how much she knows. "Yes. I hear they'll be in each trial."

"I've heard whispers of them." Her green eyes lock onto mine, sharp with interest. I should have expected as much. She's very observant. "What kind of power do they hold?"

"The kind that could help you survive." I shift casually closer, just wanting to be near her. The need for it is as frustrating as my curse. "I'm not sure where they'll be, but you need to take any stones you find." The words taste bitter. "They'll enhance your natural abilities, give you an edge."

"Won't everyone be going after them?" She looks unconvinced.

I shrug. "Won't everyone be trying to survive?" I cock a brow. "This could help you. And then after the trials, I can put the stones back where they belong and help you get what you're really after - medicine."

Her eyes light up and my heart twists. I'm just using her, and it feels so fucking wrong all the sudden. "You would do that?"

I jerk my chin in an almost noncommittal nod. "Of course."

I hate the way that this plan is starting to make me feel like I…care. But for the life of me, I can't squash it.

13

KYRIE

The morning sun filters through the dense canopy above the hidden grove where Azrael and I have claimed as our training ground. Ancient stone pillars, half-crumbled and wrapped in vines, mark the boundaries of what must have once been a temple courtyard.

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