Page 38 of A Rising Hope

Good.

He should fear me.

“My end of the bargain was to keep your body healed and alive for as long as needed until you woke up.”

“Hmmm . . . ” I sounded, returning my eyes back to the drawer full of useless knives, not completely believing his story.

“Believe me, if I knew how to resurrect people, I wouldn’t be here. Whatever he did to keep your soul tethered to your body, even as it was dead, only Gideon can answer. But it wouldn’t be the first time my estranged brother played with magicbeyond our understanding,” he murmured, dumping the diced vegetables into a round iron pot.

I glanced back to the window where shadows swirled on the horizon, eager to break past the barrier and yet unable.

“So, keep me safe and you get to stay safe and protected from everyone, is that right?” I asked, finally picking a blade I liked. A pointed heavy-duty knife, a bit rusty and dull but the better one out of the bunch.

I titled my head at Godric, observing his movement with predatory instinct.

He gave me a forced nod.

And I scoffed.

“You know, Godric, you are a powerful Healer, I must admit that.” I wiggled my freshly rebuilt fingers, the hand gestures still feeling odd, but fingers moved at my command. “But quite the shitty brother.” I twisted the tip of my knife on my pointer finger, balancing it. “And an even worse human,” I added.

Now my eyes met his. He opened his mouth to object, but I shook my head, continuing, “There are villains and then, there are heroes. Both are united by their courage and ambition to achieve something they strongly believe in, whether it’s for the greater good or selfish reasons, it doesn’t matter.” I flipped the knife in the air, catching it a second later at the hilt. “And then, there are cowards, like you.” I turned to face him, this time not hiding the snarl in my voice.

“What are you talking about?” He panicked, his eyes lingering on the knife that I now held in my hand.

“I got quite thirsty last night. And unfortunately for you, you don’t keep the good kind of alcohol on the bottom shelves.” My lips stretched with a smirk, a dangerous, wicked one. His face flashed with silent worry. “Living alone, I am guessing, didn’t quite prepare you for a heartbroken girl ravaging through all your cupboards in the middle of the night, looking for anythingto numb her broken heart . . . finding things she probably shouldn’t have.” I reached inside of my shirt, pulling out a stack of papers. He reached to grab them back, but I let my fire snap at him, making him pause. “I’ve read his letter so many times. Questioning. Why? Why would he do that? And then it dawned on me.” I scowled, anger boiled within me, ready to burst. But not yet. Not fucking yet.

“Gideon was invincible. He was andisthe most powerful man to ever live. He was untouchable. And people fear power. People fear the unknown. And though he’s shown you nothing but kindness,youfeared him. All this time, you tried to figure out how to kill him because in your small, tiny mind, you thought it was the answer. He kept you alive, he supported you and you . . . you dreamed of his demise”—I threw the papers, his studies of Gideon’s magic, pages of his assessment of his blood, the poisons reacting to it, tests and trials—“like a fucking vulture, waiting for him to trip, to fall all this time. And then the opportunity presented itself on your own porch. Gideon showed up, devastated, asking for help, heartbroken and desperate, and you finally had an opening.”

Godric stood frozen, like a deer, unsure whether to run or to stay still.

“You see, he’d never agree to this plan had he not known with an absolute surety of my guaranteed safety. A part that you were so eager to provide because you saw that there was one more option. Another way to save me—kill the Queen—burn the world. A choice that he would’ve made had it not been for your ‘assurance and promise’ of protection. Because he’d rather let the world turn to ash and everyone within it before he’d let me die. A flaw of his character, truly. Good ol’ Godric, so eager to help out and lend a helping hand. Blood promises that you so easily agreed to only to keepyourselfsafe.” I looked at his hand where a fresh cut was healing. “Because in your narrow mindthat meant that not only one villain gets locked up buttwoall for the easy price of keeping someone he loves safe.” I took a step forward towards him and he backed away.

“He was uncontrolled. He would destroy our world and everyone with him. With time, you’ll understand that I saved the world from him.” Godric didn’t deny his vile intentions.

“So, you think you are the savior? Oh, Godric, you are nothing but acoward, blinded by your hatred and your fear.” I stared at him, piercing his miserable soul. “You think you’ve freed the world from a terrible villain?” I clicked my tongue, pausing. “No, you only created one so much worse.” I let the fire flicker at my fingertips.

A single thought and fiery ropes wrapped around his body, dragging him to his knees as I came closer until the flames in my eyes reflected in his, devouring the fear and the panic and the fucking loathing within him.

“Because you see, Godric, in your plan, you didn’t think through one key thing . . . ” I twisted the knife in my hand. “If the most powerful man toeverexist bent his knee for me, what. Do. You. Think. That. Makes.Me?”

I let my flames heat up just enough to see a flash of pain reflect on his face.

“You are making a mistake.” He swallowed. “And even if you are too blind to see it, he is probably already dead. So, you can be angry, but what’s done is done,” Godric spat out. A few drops of sweat rolled down his temple as my fire flashed hotter at his vile words.

I sneered, lowering closer to his face.

“You better fucking pray he isn’t, for your sake,” I whispered into his ear, my words sharp and menacing. “But even if he is lost in the Afterworld, I will fight Death herself if I must; there isn’t a corner of this universe where I wouldn’t go to find him. And when I find him, I might just let this rotten world burn forthe fun of it.” A single movement of my hands and the old cabin burst into flames, large infernos hungrily swallowing everything around us.

I straightened up, walking through the fire towards the door, my freshly braided hair swaying in my steps.

“If you leave this place right now, you absolutely will die!” Godric shouted in my wake.

“A part of me already has,” I answered, not looking back.

“You won’t make it out there!” he yelled louder, his voice muffled by the crackling fire as his entire home burned. “The shadows will eat you alive! You will die and then Gideon will have died for nothing!”

“Oh, on the contrary, Godric, they will eatyoualive.” I looked over my shoulder at his miserable figure, at his audacity to mention my husband’s name even now. “You forget that Iamalready living one of my worst nightmares . . . You, on the other hand.” I shrugged, toying with the knife in my hand, as if considering. “The moment I cross that barrier, Gideon’s shields will not protect you any longer.” Godric didn’t deny that truth. I returned my eyes towards the shadows outside. “Turns out I do know my husband well. And he does like to be sure of promises made to him. Too bad you failed at keeping me safe.” I resumed walking towards the door.

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