Page 121 of Secrets & Curses of Crimson

“Cassius will be the first to die!” The crowd cheered, pulling me from his thoughts. I would fucking slaughter every single one of them. “And after everything he did to my Thea, she deserves to be the one to kill him and break her curse.” He lied through his teeth.

Cassius struggled against his restraints as he glanced at me. My blood witch markings glowed brightly at the sight of him. Darkness clouded my mind as I stood and watched his golden eyes watch me with terror and longing. Fuck, I didn’t like feeling his fear. He had never been scared of me before. My chest tightened when the guards I trained yanked up the Crimson family with more force than necessary. I took note of the guards so I could kill them too.

When I turned to Jesper, my family smiled at me. Cassius and his family were brought out to the front of the royal families, who all cried silently, thinking their fates were sealed. They were thrown to the ground, unable to catch themselves because of their bound hands. I took a step towards the guards to kill them but stopped. My father was making an announcement to the common fae who had gathered for the celebration. I heard nothing hesaid as I focused on Cassius’ cut lip and the blood that dripped from it.

“Kill Cassius,” my father suddenly demanded of me. Urging me to kill my husband—the last fae I would ever hurt. Cassius would not die today.

I smiled because I was almost done with this. Tonight, I would fall asleep in his bed and sleep soundly, knowing I killed every bastard that tricked me. My left leg took a step, revealing the slit in the dress, pulling my dagger from its hiding place. My viper-handled dagger sat heavy in my hand. My eyes stared at it, realizing that both Cassius and I had been stabbed by this blade, but now I would use it to kill everyone who tried to stop me.

There was no reasoning with me anymore. Everyone here had already sealed their fate. These disgusting fae of Cerithia and Kizar showing up to watch me slaughter innocent royal families. My rage could not be contained. Now their kingdoms would crumble, and I would stand in the rubble with Cassius. Together we would rebuild this realm.

“With pleasure.” I smiled at Cassius as I stepped toward him menacingly. His golden eyes watched me, but he did not flinch at my appearance. His fear hit me and made me flinch in disgust with myself. Slowly, I walked aroundhim as if I were inspecting my prey. I stopped when I was behind him, where he kneeled in the dirt.

I leaned down and held the dagger at his throat, my mouth brushing against the shell of his ear. I pulled the gag from his mouth. My eyes found my father, who looked as if he was about to win all of this.

“Any last words?” I asked loudly just for the show. The crowd went wild, but all I could focus on was the way Cassius trembled against me. I grabbed his hair and yanked it back, so his ear was against my mouth and my dagger was sitting at his throat.

Before he could answer, I let my darkness take over. It burst around me without being detected, and I smiled as it circled every fae so they wouldn’t be able to leave.

“I love you,” he whispered. I pulled his gag up over his mouth again.

“I love you too, husband,” I answered back in a whisper, making him let out a sigh of relief. “This will be over soon, but you need to stay out of my way. I will not live without you. If you go, I will follow."

The tears silently slid down his cheeks as he shook his head no.

Once I was confident that I had everyone in my trap, I released the magic that allowed me to freeze everyone. At once, the entire gathering became absolutely still andquiet. I took a deep breath as I looked around, readying myself to fulfill my destiny.

I stood and walked toward Tally and Mae.

I wrapped them up in my darkness and carried them to where Cassius and all the other prisoners were kneeling, frozen in time.

My eyes immediately found Cassius’ golden ones, and I smiled at him. My eyes were burning red, and my blood witch markings glowed brightly on my skin.

My darkness was in complete control as I smiled wickedly.

I moved toward Cassius and kneeled down, so I was face to face with him and unfroze him.

“I don’t like feeling your fear.” I lifted my hand and caressed his face as he pressed himself harder into my touch. “I need all of you safe and hidden by my illusion magic. I will not risk losing you.”

I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his, then used my darkness to move all of the royal families to the side and out of the way. I stood, walking toward Tally and Mae as I unfroze them. It took them a confused moment to realize I had them. They glanced around and noticed that everyone around us was frozen.

“What are you doing?”Mae hissed.

“Father will kill all of them slowly in front of you before killing you, you Crimson whore!” Tally spit toward me as I smiled at her.

“You’ll be dead first, Tally, but gods above, I wish I could torture you until you’re begging for death.”

Tally and Mae both stumbled backward, and I let them think they were going to get away. As soon as they almost made it back to their father, I wrapped them up in my darkness and forced them to kneel where Cassius and his father had been.

Come to Cerithia.I summoned the blood witches through the bloodstone that I now had hanging on a chain around my neck. It was tucked in the top of my dress, hidden.

I unfroze the prisoners so they could see what I was doing. My eyes glanced at Cassius as he watched me closely. I felt bad seeing them all tied and bound, but this was for the best. My eyes shifted to his younger brothers and the few other small children that were bound alongside him.

“Children, close your eyes,” I demanded, and they all did. A moment later, my bloodstone pulsed violently around my neck as I forced illusion magic out. It spread in front of Cassius and all the real prisoners, making them disappear as if they weren’t there at all. I smiled when I walked in front of Tally and Mae.

My illusion magic had made Tally look like Cassius and Mae look like the king of Crimson. My father wanted a show, and he would get one. I glanced to where I could feel Cassius watching me, hidden by my illusion magic.

“Illusion magic,” I spoke to him. “No one can see any of you.”

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