Page 4 of A Touch of Gold and Madness

Liar.

I’d been so caught up in the conversation with Griffin that I hadn’t noticed when silence fell over the speakeasy. With a glance over his shoulder, I saw every human glaring in our direction. Rebels had their guns drawn and aimed at us. Griffin seemed unphased.

“Well, this has been fun, Princess, but I’m afraid it’s time we finally part ways.” With a speed I didn’t know was possible, he snatched my knife without the use of his hands, and a millisecond later, the knife was lodgedin my thigh. He stepped back, and my knee crashed against the hard floor, sending another sharp pain through my leg.

Almost immediately, the wound began to burn where the blade touched, the singe increasing with each breath.

That shouldn’t be happening.

“See ya around, Gray.” With a wink, he spun and strolled with a self-assured air through the speakeasy, calling out to the humans who were three seconds away from removing my head, “Let her go free. She’smine.”

My only thought aside from the pain was,why would the humans listen to him? He’s supposed to be their enemy.

I dropped my backpack on the floor of the empty train car, ignoring the loud echo that made my head throb. Ran by Kinetics and our energetic magic, freight trains were the most efficient mode of transportation since Devolution Day, saving me days of trekking back to Atlanta. At the rate my wound was healing—orwasn’t—I didn’t think I’d make it.

Kinetic blades were meant to poison Elementals. The imbued black crystal within the blade was lethal to them if strong enough, while the redfern infused in Elemental blades served as the equivalent to Kinetics. We didn’t train with Kinetic blades, as we didn’t want to risk our resources by wasting them on ourselves.

A wooden bench that sat jammed against the rusted aluminum wall called to me. I crawled onto it, lying on my back. The tourniquet I’d fashioned for the wound was drenched in blood, prompting my head to swim. I bit my lower lip as the burning sensation in my thigh slowly radiated throughout my body. The half-mile walk to the nearest train station had done me no favors.

I lost him. I failed. And I wanted to vomit either from the pain or the shame of my shortcomings. Maybe both; I couldn’t be sure.

This failure only gave those in the Kinetic court more of a reason to disparage me. I could only assume they’d flaunt their disapproval at my annual birthday revel tomorrow night. This was the perfect ammunition for my father and Amethyst—spinning more lies to keep me separate from the others.

The burning pain in my organs intensified as my limbs began to numb. My vision tunneled as I fought the impending blackout indicated by the ringing in my ears. It was a relentless pain unlike anything I’d ever felt before.

Was I dying?

As the blackness snatched me under, I willingly fell into its depths, weary from the fight.

At the least, I proved my father right in one regard. I lived to disappoint.

Chapter 2

Griffin

The roar of the train was loud enough to almost silence the fucking voice in my head. Almost.

Kill her.

She’s a threat.

Take what’s ours.

I did my best to ignore it as I paced back and forth in the train car, trying to outrun the restlessness pulsing through my body, begging me to act—to kill the Kinetic Princess in the train car next to me.

That fucking magic of hers.

Mm, so strong.

She’s a threat.

At least, that’s whathekept telling me. I wished to fuck it was anyone else’s voice.

Shaking my hands at my sides, I continued to pace.

It could all be yours. The whole world at your feet, Prince.

My head wasn’t big enough for the two of us. I shook it from side to side as a feral growl erupted from my chest. When the attempt to expel the voice from my mind didn’t work, I shoved my hands in my hair and yanked at the roots. As if I could remove this shit from my brain by pulling it out bythe strands. I knew better. This…afflictionhad been with me long enough to know that the only reprieve I got was temporary at best.

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