Page 24 of Mother of Death and Dawn

“You cannot lie to me.”

I drew back and struck again. Faster.Harder. He stumbled slightly in order to block in time.

His lip curled. “Because what they did to you was an injustice.”

Injustice?Injustice? My fury ran so hot that I stumbled, waiting a fraction too long, and Caduan managed to push me back.

Clang!Our weapons crashed between us. Hot sweat soaked my clothing. It felt invigorating, marking the boundaries of my body—burning muscles, panting breath. My strikes were wild, breathless. I pushed Caduan back in several vicious slashes. He could barely keep up. He fell against the wall.

“Do I frighten you?” I panted.

Clatter, as his sword fell to the floor.

And then the world stopped as it was just me and him, my blade pressed to the underside of his chin. The warmth of his own exertion warmed the space between us. His stare seemed brighter, furious. What was the meaning of that expression?

“Yes,” he said, breath heavy. “You frighten me. But not in the way you think you do.”

You should be terrified of me.

“You brought me back to use me.” I hurled the words faster, harder, than any of my strikes. “You brought me back to make me your weapon.”

“That is not true.”

“Do not lie to me!You pretend to be better than them. Pretend that you have such noble causes. But you have done the same thingtheyalways have.”

“Aefe—”

“Why did you not just let me die?I just wanted to die!”

And there it was. That stare of pity. Of compassion.

A trickle of violet blood rolled down the smooth pale column of his throat. How easy it would be, to kill him. I had once found such power in such things. I could kill him here, take my revenge, take the uncomfortable look from his eyes. I could kill him and throw myself from the tallest tower of the castle, shatter my fragile, lonely, useless body upon the mountain stones.

And I would be free.

Is that freedom?another voice whispered.

A warm hand closed around mine—around the hilt of the blade. My wrist trembled.

“Kill me,” Caduan said, softly. “If that’s what you want, then do it.”

Do it. Do it. Do it.

My teeth clenched so hard my jaw shook.

At last, I yanked my weapon away. And then I turned, looked him straight in the eye, and said, “I hate you.”

His hand went to his throat, touching the wound. He took two steps forward, his lips parted, and then a voice shouted from the door.

“My King.”

A guard stood there, looking panicked.

“Come. Quickly.”

CHAPTEREIGHT

AEFE

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