Page 122 of Secrets & Curses of Crimson

I glanced at Tally, who looked like Cassius, and smiled. “I just want you to know that I caught Jesper fucking Mae in the dining hall last night, and your parents both knew.” She sobbed loudly, and it made me smile.

Then I took my spot behind Tally and held my dagger to her throat like I had been to Cassius only minutes ago. I unfroze everyone and smiled when my father and Gwyn glanced at me like I was about to destroy everything precious to me. They were none the wiser that Tally and Mae had assumed the identities of Cassius and his father.

“This is everything Thea has been working for, so Thea, please break your curse once and for all.” My father urged me. “Make them suffer.”

“Gladly!” I called out, but before I killed Tally, I leaned down to her ear. “I want you to know before I kill you that my husband, Cassius, and I will dance on the ruins of this shitty kingdom.”

Tally started crying and begging behind her gag, but I just chuckled as my darkness begged me to do the honors.So, I stood and tucked my dagger back in its sheath. Then, my darkness formed into a huge black cloud in front of me. The crowd made noises that let me know they approved of the show I was putting on.

Even though I knew this was really Tally in front of me, my darkness hesitated at the sight of a fake Cassius crying and begging in front of me. It’s not him. He’s safe.

Then my darkness reared back before ramming into Tally’s back, piercing completely through her, making a hole big enough you could see through her. Tally didn’t die right away. I could see her gasping for air, but she would never take a breath again. She slumped over dead, still looking like Cassius. I looked at my father, my breathing labored. My wicked smile widened because he looked fucking proud of me.

Gwyn smiled at me for the first time in my life where it wasn’t her being a sarcastic bitch. I couldn’t wait to see their faces when they realized it was their disgusting heirs I was killing. I focused on Mae, who looked at me horrified. I paused for a moment to take in the uncanniness of her looking like Rylan. Glancing around me, I realized that in a few moments, all of these fae would realize they cheered me on to kill Tally and Mae. I smiled.

Mae was shaking her head violently, trying to call out to her mother. My darkness took a step back as my fire cameforth. I summoned a ball of fire in front of me, and the crowd died down. They were enjoying this. Sick fucks.

“Burn in hell, Mae,” I whispered so only she could hear. I focused on her rapid breathing and summoned my fire to start inside of her chest. Mae stopped crying almost immediately. My fire was starting to burn brightly under her skin, cooking her from the inside out. A moment later, the flames exploded out of her, leaving a charred hole, and she fell over dead.

The crowd roared with applause. I turned to my father and sneered at him.

“Are you proud of me?” I asked. I could feel myself slipping farther and farther into my darkness. I was hardly in control of myself now.

“Our entire kingdom is proud of you!” My father raised his hands in the air and looked around proudly. Jesper looked at me as if he couldn’t believe I just did that. My red eyes met his, and I glared, full of hatred.

He and my father would die last. The crowd was cheering my name. This was something I could have only dreamed of as a child—to belong here. Now I hated it. I hated every fae in front of me. But I let them cheer me on so that they would feel disgusted with themselves once they realized who I killed.

It was Jesper who realized something felt wrong about this. He always seemed to be the more observant one of the group. He seemed panicked as he turned around, looking for his wife. His eyes found mine, and I gave him a knowing smile.

“What did you do?” he snapped.

My father and Gwyn looked at Jesper like he had lost his mind. The crowd quieted down at the tension. I just stared at him.

“Jesper?” Gwyn asked.

“Where are Tally and Mae?” Jesper yelled.

My father and Gwyn immediately started looking around them but looked to me when they realized the girls were missing. The crowd didn’t make a noise.

"Thea,” my father said.

“You guys were watching me the whole time; I didn’t do anything,” I said innocently. “Except kill Cassius and Rylan, just like you asked me to.”

I cocked my head to the side as I released the illusion magic and focused on Gwyn and my father, wanting to see every detail of their reactions. Their minds took a moment to register what they were looking at before their faces fell in horror at what they saw behind me.

Chapter 32

Thea

Gwyn’s scream immediately filled the air. I turned to look at their dead bodies now that they weren’t hidden by my illusion magic. My darkness hummed at the sight. Vengeance. When I returned my gaze to my father, his eyes were wild with hatred. I already pulled out my dagger. I took a step backward to stand between them and Cassius. My barrier magic released from me without permission to protect all of the prisoners. Jesper stared at Tally, barely giving her a second glance. His hard-pressed face looked like he was fucked, and he was right. But first I needed to get rid of everyone else. He and my father would get my wrath.

I shifted my gaze along the line of guards to see who would come and try to fight me first. I wanted a fight. They all stood frozen with fear, their weapons drawn at me.

Gwyn was the one who charged at me with a dagger of her own. Stupid woman. I swiped my hand around, evaporating all the weapons pointed at me with my fire mist.

“You stupid fucking bitch!” She screamed as she came at me. “We should have killed you when you were a child!”

Gwyn had probably never held a weapon in her life, so when she charged me, it was easy to stop her with one punch to her pretty face. She crumpled to the ground, but my fire mist was quick to wrap her up.

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