Page 123 of Secrets & Curses of Crimson

“I promised you that you would watch me kill your daughters one day,” I sneered.

“They didn’t do anything to you!” she yelled.

“They were cruel to me. They helped all of you kill me, lie to me, and cheat me out of my happiness.” My fire lashed out and burned Gwyn, but only to cause her pain. My father seemed to just register what was happening.

“Kill the Crimson family and Thea!” he demanded from his guards.

“Whoever tries to stop me will die. If you leave, I will let you live!” I called out to the men I trained. Most of them stopped and debated whether or not they should fight me. Six kept moving towards me, and I shot Haden’s frost magic at them, freezing them immediately. Kizar guards headed towards me, but with no weapons.

The crowd was yelling and wailing as they tried to run from me, but they realized they were all stuck here too. They wanted a show, so now they would get one.

One guard that had hesitated decided to be stupid and try to attack me. I dodged his attack easily, but he kept running past me, heading for Cassius. He hit my barrier, and I smiled wickedly at him as he fell to the ground on his back. I moved quicker than he did. A moment later I stood over him, my dagger pointed at him.

“That was very fucking stupid of you.”

I summoned my darkness, lifting him off the ground, then speared the man through the chest, leaving a gaping hole big enough that I could see through him. Just like Tally. Glancing through the man’s body, I could see Cassius and gave him a small smile, not quite registering the fact that he was seeing me through a torso. Cassius seemed to be in shock, but I don’t think he had ever seen me completely taken away by my darkness.

I threw the man’s dead body toward my father and Jesper. I was not in control of myself as I moved toward them. Gwyn still watched the chaos tangled in my fire mist, her feet dangling a few feet off the ground. My fire was still burning her, causing her painful sobs to fill the space around me. It only fueled my need for vengeance. My dagger sliced and stabbed through men like it was nothing.My darkness humming at every heart I stopped, at every man I took down in the name of Crimson. For Cassius. For Exile. For my mother. For me.

My father and Jesper were circled by dozens of men. Cowards. I stopped and glanced at Gwyn.

“If you come over to me, Luren, I won’t kill her. I’ll trade you for her.”

I knew my father would never sacrifice himself for anyone. Gwyn looked to my father, expecting him to step forward. He didn’t move. I saw the sadness in her eyes, and it only made me happy to see her suffering. The fae in the colosseum still watched in shock, like they were safe from my wrath.

“That is the man you all follow blindly!” I yelled, causing it to turn almost silent. “A man who does not care about his wife, about his daughter, who does not care about any of you!” I was fucking seething. “You all disgust me. Who comes here to see the slaughter of innocent royal families?”

No one dared move.

Suddenly a dagger stabbed into my leg. Cassius’ voice filled the space as he ran at my barrier magic. Immediately my chest seized as the images of my vision pulsed through my mind. It was happening. Was this what Brim saw too? Cassius’ shadows swarmed around him, trying desperately to break out. His black eyes were full of hatred, but therewas a deep fear too. Cassius’ shadows ripped my barrier magic apart, and he headed straight for me.

No.

My heartbeat pounded in my ears. Time slowed down as I froze in fear. My vision plagued me over and over in my mind. I reached for him, but my darkness wouldn’t release its hold on me.

Cassius, stop. I tried to release any of my magic, but it wouldn’t. He wouldn't be able to stop himself. Our bond would demand he protect me at any cost.

“Thea!” Cassius’ voice boomed.

It was happening. He was going to die. I could feel how frantic he was through our bond.

“Cassius, no!” I called out.

I tried to stop him with my magic again, but nothing came from me. Cassius was moving through the crowd of guards, his shadows ripping and tearing men apart who tried to stop him. His black eyes were focused on me. I had been so distracted by Cassius that I wasn’t paying attention.It wasn’t until I was falling to my knees that pain crippled me. My mouth fell open as the sword pierced through me. My father walked in front of me, smiling.

“You thought you could overpower me?”

“Thea!” Cassius became more frantic as he came for me. Sights and sounds became distorted as my blood flowedfrom my wound. I could feel the haziness creeping through me. All of my plans fell to the ground as I looked around in a daze. Time felt as if it had been slowed down. My gaze drifted from my father to focus on who stood directly behind him.

My mother.

She was beautiful. Like an angel, glowing brightly with Killian next to her. Her eyes were blood red as she tilted her head to the side to look at me. My breathing was labored. Each lungful of air sent waves of pain where the sword stabbed through me. My mother took two steps, so she was in front of me. She kneeled so we were at eye level.

“This is not how you die.” Her voice was calm, but I could sense the fear coming from her. Everything was moving in slow motion around us still. “The dagger in your leg is stopping your magic.”She reached down and yanked it from me, causing me to whimper in pain.

“This will hurt, sweetheart.” She frowned with tears in her eyes as she looked behind me to where Killian disappeared. Before I could think of what she meant, the sword was yanked from me. A scream so vicious tore from me, causing ripples of power to explode from my body and knock everyone down.My magic exploded from me. “That’s my girl. Heal yourself, and get Cassius contained.” My mother smiled at me. Sybil’s magic was already pumpingthrough me violently, sealing the wound that would have killed me. I stood, my darkness in complete control of me. My body was engulfed in black flames as I looked around for my husband.

Cassius was kneeling...just like in my vision. A Kizar guard stood behind him with a sword. My darkness was already on its way.

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