Page 134 of A Dagger in the Ivy

I meet Dante’s eyes, those dark, trusting eyes that have seen me at my best and worst. He’s bleeding, unarmed, and I know the only way to keep him alive is to shatter the bond we’ve built with a lie.

I swallow hard, the taste of bile rising in my throat. With my heart hammering, I force myself to turn away from Torbin and look at Dante, schooling my face into something cold and indifferent, even as my chest tightens with every breath.

“Dante, you need to leave.” My voice is steady, but inside, I’m screaming. “You shouldn’t have come back here. I want you to go.”

His brow furrows, and I see the hurt flash across his face before he can hide it. He must know that I’m only saying this to appease Torbin, but I also know Dante’s insecurities, how he’s never felt like he belongs. It’s like a dagger twisting in my heart, but I can’t stop now. I have to make Torbin believe this. I have to make Dante believe it, too.

“I… I don’t have any feelings for you,” I continue, the words catching in my throat. “What happened between us—it meant nothing. You were just a way to satiate my urges, Dante. Nothing but a fuck to pass the time. But it’s over now.”

His eyes search mine, as if desperately trying to find some sign that this isn’t real, that this isn’t happening. But I keep my face a mask, even as every word tears me apart inside. I can feel myself breaking, but I have to keep going. I have to save him.

“You should have known better,” I say, my voice a harsh whisper. “You were a fool to think there could ever be anything between us.” I see the pain in his eyes, and it feels like I’m ripping my own heart out with every word. But I can’t stop. I have to finish this. “Leave, Dante. And don’t ever come back.”

For a moment, there’s nothing but silence, heavy and suffocating. Dante’s gaze shifts from me to the king, then back to me. Then I see thelight in Dante’s eyes dim, I see the hope die, and it’s all I can do to keep myself from collapsing under the weight of my own words.

“Celeste…” he begins, but I can’t let him speak. If he says anything, I’ll break. I’ll fall to my knees and beg for forgiveness, and Torbin will know. He’ll know I’m lying.

“We’re through,” I snap, more sharply than I intend, and Dante flinches like I’ve struck him. “I love Torbin, and I’m going to marry him.”

The silence that follows is unbearable. I can feel Torbin’s gaze on me, watching, weighing my every word and action. I keep my eyes on Dante, pleading with him silently to understand, to forgive me for what I’ve just done, before I finally turn to Torbin.

The prince’s smile spreads as his eyes dart over my face.

I lift the glass, still cradled in my hand. “To us.”

Torbin clinks his glass to mine, and I keep my eyes on him as we both drink.

Torbin grins as he throws down his empty glass. He pulls me close and pushes his mouth onto mine. But I don’t resist. I let his lips devour mine, making him believe I want this to happen. I place a hand on his cheek and deepen the kiss, hoping to fool him so he lets down his guard. This kiss seems to go on and on.

When his arms fall to his sides, I know it’s my chance. I have to act now.

I break the kiss and glare at him. He falters, his widening eyes filling with rage.

With my hand still cupping his face, I propel my power through my body. The buzz surges through my veins, more intense than before. The energy burns within me, and I direct it though my arms, my hands. I can feel it building and begging for release.

With clenched teeth, I use both hands and push the energy force out, a powerful surge that shoves Torbin back. He lets out a strangled cry, trying to pry my hands away, but his muscles have been all but paralyzed. The magic spreads, and I can see the energy burning him from within. It’s as if I’m pushing fire into his body.

As alarming as it is, I don’t let go. He might heal quickly, and I can’ttake any chances. I release a primal cry and urge him back hard toward the balcony, and Torbin stumbles, unable to keep his balance. He teeters at the edge of the balustrade, his eyes wide with a mix of fear and disbelief. Then I gather the energy and force it out, giving him a final, desperate shove. With a wail, he topples over the wall, and his body falls.

Everything seems to slow as he plummets, his body hitting the ground with a sickeningthud. My heart clenches. He lies there, unmoving, blood pooling around him. His limbs are twisted at unnatural angles, and his makeshift crown has pierced him in his temple. For a moment, silence reigns, broken only by our ragged breathing.

The king, holding his wound, staggers to the rampart wall and watches in horror. Dante appears next to him, holding his bloody arm.

I keep my eyes on Torbin’s form. He is still, and I can’t see any sign of breath, but my instincts are telling me not to be fooled. He could still be alive.

From the shadows, the carnoraxis emerge. Their shrieks pierce the night, a haunting symphony of despair. They pounce toward Torbin’s broken body, their clawed hands reaching for him. At first, I think they are going to feed on him, to satiate their hunger for flesh and fresh blood. But instead, they lift him, balancing his limp form in their skeletal arms.

The wolves charge onto the scene, snarling and snapping. The air is filled with growls and shrieks and high-pitched whistles. A number of carnoraxis fall victim to the mammals, their forms being torn apart in the wolves’ jaws. But the carnoraxis holding Torbin retreat in haste, dragging his limp form with them, their eerie whistles echoing as they disappear into the darkness of the woods.

As the last of the beasts retreat into the darkness, wolves snarling on their trail, a sense of bittersweet victory washes over me. I tell myself that I did what I had to in order to protect Dante and the king. And myself. Torbin would have killed them both and taken me to the Shadow Tsar. I had no choice. It had to be done.

I collapse against Dante, my body trembling from the exertion and the terror of what I’ve just done. He wraps an arm around me, his touch grounding me in the reality of the moment.

“How did you…?”

I don’t want to mention the fae energy yet, since I’m not even certain I can control it. I show him the empty handkerchief that contained the powder Ezra gave me. “My powder. I had to weaken him. He was too strong.”

He pushes my hair away from my cheek. “Such a pirate.”

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