Page 123 of Cursed Dreams
He spat the words like venom. Thalia didn’t flinch.
“Yes,” she said, lifting her chin. “ His name is Caelum.”
His name tasted like defiance on her lips, and having the exact desired effect she needed.
“You don’t understand who he is,” Vaelith roared, all attempts to contain him self gone. “What he’s capable of. What you’re helping him do.”
“You don’t get to talk about him.” Her voice shook with fury. “You don’t know him—”
“I know him better than you!” he snapped. “I know what he’s done. What his kind did.”
“His kind saved the world,” she hissed. “They gave everything—”
“Theydestroyedeverything!” Vaelith’s voice echoed like a crack of lightning, the corridor went still. She was aware they were putting on a show for all to see, but she didn’t care anymore.
Her heart slammed against her ribs. His eyes were gold now. Fully, terrifyingly, burning molten gold. She could see the strain in his jaw, the twitch in his cheek like he was moments from losing the last tether of control he had left . He leaned down to her, despite the terror coursing through her whole body, she refused to step back .
“I saw it,” he whispered in her ear, for a single heartbeat she swore there was something broken in his voice. “I lived it. I bled in that war, Thalia. I watched what they did. Don’t stand there and speak to me about sacrifice and glory when you weren’t there to see the ruin.”
Her breath caught. Before she could understand what she was doing her hands reached up to comfort him. The burning ache within her chest flared bringing her back to her senses. She tooka step back, shaking her head. She needed to keep her distance from him.
“I won’t let him out,” Vaelith said, watching her, the look on his face told her he had seen what she was about to do to. “I won’t let you break the veil for that evil, that was caged for everyone's protection.”
Thalia’s hands trembled. Her voice cracked as she forced it out. “He’s not evil.”
Vaelith’s laugh was cold, humourless, sharp as a blade. “You think you know what evil looks like? You think you’dfeel itif it were near?”
“Ido.” Her voice wavered. “I feel it whenever I'm around you.”
He flinched at her words, she couldn't understand why part of her hated that she had hurt him. What was going on . The burning pain in her chest flared stronger than it had ever before. She doubled over chest heaving , lungs desperately dragging air like she’d just run a mile. Her skin was damp, her thoughts a mess. She was furious. Scared. Betrayed. Confused. Every emotion bleeding into the next, thick as honey in her chest. She had to get out of here.
“Thalia” she could hear concern in his voice, he tried to step closer to her.
“ NO “ She glared up at him, forcing her self upright again. “You can’t stop me.”
“Iwill,” he hissed but his voice and lost it’s lethal tone. “Thalia, what's wrong?”
“YOU!” “You are everything that’s wrong” she barley recognised her own voice as she screamed at him.
He stared at her. She noted just how exhausted, he looked Like holding himself together was costing him everything.
“Stay away from him, Thalia,” he whispered, voice shaking. “Stay away from all of this, you, don’t understand what he’s doing to you”.
Her chest heaved, fists curled tightly at her sides her anger burning her from the inside, she had never felt rage like this before, it was consuming her. He stepped forward, reaching for her Thalia’s feet shifted instinctively, trying to get away from him but not fast enough. His fingers wrapped around her wrist holding and stroking it gently, totally at odds from the anger and fury still burning in his eyes.
She followed his gaze as it lowered to her throat. There was a faint glow beneath her collar where her necklace rested, hidden thankfully by her robes . His nostrils flared. Thalia’s body stood rigid. His silver eyes widened, as though he had just seen something that shocked him. For one terrible heartbeat, he just stared at her, his grip on her wrist tightened ever so slightly. She needed to move, to pull her arm away but she couldn’t. It was as though she was frozen. Something deep inside her stirred, calling to her begging her to feel it. She closed her eyes trying to shake the sensation building in her.That same pressure, heatbeginning to coil low in her spine, rippling outward through her chest like light trying to break free. She knew that sensation. The last time she’d felt this, it had been inhis rooms,in the dark, when his mouth was on her skin, and her light, her magic, had exploded from her like a dam breaking.
Her heart pounded, NO, not here, not in front of everyone.
Her magic wasstirring,her pulse picking up, and she could feel the hum of energy awakening beneath her skin. Vaelith felt it too, she saw it in the way his body tensed, in the flicker of uneasein his eyes. Thalia panicked. She had to stop this now! Fighting every muscle in her body she raised her hand and slapped him.
He stumbled back half a step , dropping his hold on her . Slowly he raised one hand to his cheek, andlaughed.There was no humour in it though.
“Well,” he muttered. “That’s one way to stop it.”
“Don’t touch me,” she snapped, trying to steady her breath, her limbs, hermagic.
He watched her, something unreadable flickering behind those silver eyes. Silver, they were silver again. He straightened, rolled his shoulders, and the coldness returned to his voice.
