Page 82 of Living Legend

“This was all worthless, wasn’t it?” I asked, more to myself than to him.

“Perhaps. Perhaps not. At least we know you’re as strong as ever.”

“You understand you aren’t going back to Purgatory, right?” I asked.

“I am fully aware of my fate. I would not have it any other way.”

I could feel my anger start to boil up, anger mixed with a high concentration of irritation. “You would do all this to simply be a pawn? All the Enchanters in Purgatory are okay with being simple pawns in your game?”

He cackled a sickeningly evil laugh. “What do you think you are?”

“Excuse me?” I swiftly shoved my dagger into his shoulder and stepped back, leaving it lodged.

He spoke through gritted teeth. “You think you aren’t a pawn to all sides?”

“You’re talking about the angels.”

Cullen let out a grunt and took a few deep breaths. “You have come to enjoy their company, haven’t you?”

I didn’t answer. I let my face remain neutral, even though my entire body was overheating. I no longer felt the weight of my dagger, but that didn’t mean the darkness inside of me had left along with it.

“It’s a shame you have no idea who to trust. You’re stuck in the middle of everyone’s shit and you don’t even know if you’re an asset or a liability? Maybe one of the angels isn’t so…angelic.Right under your nose and you can’t figure it out before it’s too late.”

I remained quiet, standing just a few steps in front of him, watching as the blood from his legs stained his pants and dripped onto the floor, pooling at his feet.

“It’ll be a pity when a mess of shit and blood replaces them. That day will be glorious!” Cullen shouted, grabbing the arms of the chair as best he could.

I snatched the dagger, yanking it out of his shoulder and watching as thick, red blood spurted out. I grabbed a fistful of his hair and pulled it back, his head forced to look up at me. I was practically straddling him as I placed the hooked tip right at his throat. “Shut up, you insufferable fucking shit.”

“You think thattheywon’t toss you aside when this is all said and done? This place will never care about you as much as Lilith does. She is trying to make things even, make things better. Angels have always wanted for themselves,” Cullen spat, looking past me towards the door where Nicholas and Reese stood. He knew they were here.

“And you’re so much better? I’m aware of where I stand with them.”

Cullen licked his thin lips. “I’m not so sure. You certainly smell like you’re undecided.”

I tugged his hair further, exposing his tan throat even more. Nicholas still had my scent on his body, but I didn’t think his scent would still be on mine.

“Sleeping with one isn’t going to change their fate or yours. Your fate was written the day you were brought to Purgatory. It’s amazing how little you know about yourself.”

I leaned down closer to his face. “You don’t know what the fuck you are talking about.”

I heard magic clicking behind me. My time was coming to an end.

“Their end is going to be the same either way! You need to be here for all the reasons you don’t understand! They will end up just like their precious little messenger friend. Better yet, you’ll be the one to do it. She will get what she wants, no matter how much you fight her!”

I felt my entire mind blank, and my vision was no longer full of ordinary color. I wasn’t in control of myself, but I was. I could never find the correct way to describe the feeling of losing yourself but having a piece of it still there to watch the chaos from the inside. I moved my dagger to the left and sliced across his neck, hitting it deep and hearing the ripping of flesh. Blood tore through the opening, down his neck and onto my face, splattering all over my shoulders and chest.

I felt my rough breathing, saying to myself over and over that he deserved it. I said it to myself as if I needed reassurance. I should have taken his soul, made him suffer. He had implanted the image of me murdering Nicholas and Reese and everyone else…for what? Why was I the focus of Lilith’s plan? If the angels were her targets, why was I so important?

I heard Nicholas and Reese come through the door, but I also felt them pause at the sight. I was still on top of Cullen, whose head was slumped back against the chair, the front of his shirt covered in dark blood. I looked over my shoulder, feeling my hand tighten around my dagger.

Reese’s eyes widened as he looked at me. He moved his hand slowly towards his chest, prepared to unstrap his bow and make good on his promise. Nicholas crept toward me, one of his hands outstretched. “Dani?” he said cautiously.

I made no movement. I just stared at him, watching as he got closer. Eventually, he was stepping in the blood at the foot of the chair. “Dani?” he called again, still with the calm, cautious tone. He wrapped his hand around my fist. “Let it go. It’s done.”

The warmth of his hand and fingers rushed through me in a continuous wave. My tight shoulders started to melt and uncoil. I heard his voice again. “Dani, let it go.”

The way he said my name made me blink. Blink. Blink until I saw everything for what it was. I saw the gray stones of the four walls. I saw my blood-stained hand. I saw Nicholas’s brown eyes looking down at me with concern and just a small bit of unnerved fear.

---