Page 70 of A Sea of Secrets
I tilted my head. “What, no magic to fight back? Come on, Jeremiah, I was expecting better from the House of Ascension’s mighty murderer.”
The light overhead flashed a few times, then a small printer nearby made a few feeble beeps before it popped out a page.
“Really? That’s all you’ve got?” I laughed, relishing in the near-feral glare Jeremiah sent me. “You’re pathetic. The academy’s esteemed Mind Master reduced to a shitty light show and a broken prop. I should have known you were just a coward preying on unsuspecting Potentials.”
The moment his strength failed him, that blade would find its new home. All he could do was fight my power with his pitiful strength and delay the inevitable. And the fear in his eyes? The sheen across his skin and the jerky motion of his hand around that weapon? He knew it, too.
He panted and his skin turned a mottled red as a vein popped on his forehead. “Say what you will, but if you kill me, you’ll only paint a brighter target on your back. Your parents won’t stop until they find you,” he managed.
“Good. Maybe I’ll let them.”
A strained chuckle escaped his lips. “Naive girl. You and your friends would stand against an army? Your father has the world at his fingertips. Good luck surviving the tide of blood that will come your way.”
“Then I will commandeer the seas,” I roared. “I will build my own army, and I will stop at nothing until I win.”
Jeremiah shook his head, his muscles bunching entirely as the letter opener slipped closer and closer towards him. “You stupid cunt. You’ll never win. You will all fall to House Jupiter,just like Victoria. I rather enjoyed killing her, you know. That little bitch was more trouble than she was worth. The other Potentials were all just in my way.”
I knew it. I fucking knew he’d murdered her. And all those innocent Potentials… he was going to pay.
“When I’m done, there won’t be a House Jupiter. At least not as you know it. Unfortunately for you, you won’t be around to see it.” I stopped walking and stood before Jeremiah. “Say hello to my sister, will you?”
“Wait, st—”
I jerked my chin, sending the letter opener charging into his chest once, twice, three times.
His eyes bulged, his chest shuddering upon impact. Blood dribbled from his mouth. I flicked my eyes and the letter opener’s hilt zoomed back into my outstretched fist. I’d looked upon many victims before, seeing the way the pupils blew out and the light in their eyes flicked off. Many of them had deserved it, and some had not. Every time, I’d always felt a profound sense of wrongness, sometimes even shame.
But as I stared into Jeremiah’s eyes, once so vibrant and alluring, I felt only satisfaction and a sense of justice. It would have been only right to let him die a slow and painful death, drowning in his own blood, but I needed it to end. I needed his existence gone from this world.
So, as his hateful eyes watched me, I leaned in close and whispered, “A new reign of Terrulia is coming, and it won’t be my parents sitting on that throne... Long live the queen.”
With that, I slid the blade over his throat, letting his lifeblood spill. Hedidsay a tide of blood was coming. One hand rose to his throat before slapping uselessly at me, his strength gone, his brain now shutting down. Blood smeared all over me, but I didn’t flinch. I was an Auger, after all.
Minutes passed as I stared at his lifeless form. I’d thought I’d feel happy once Jeremiah was gone. No murderer or hooded attacker to stalk us and make our lives a living hell. No more Potentials turning up dead. But all I felt as I looked at him was a sort of emptiness… and rage. So much anger towards the people behind all of this. Slowly, I looked at the hidden camera, with an idea quickly sparking. Perhaps it was stupid of me, but I couldn’t help it.
I wheeled Jeremiah right in front of the lens and stripped him of his shirt. Then, with some of the blood still fresh on his neck, painted something I was sure my parents would appreciate. The symbol for House Jupiter glared back at me from Jeremiah’s naked chest, a few trickles of blood trailing down his stomach.
I wanted them to know that I was here and that I had won. And I wanted them to know, if they dared fuck with me or my friends, this is what would happen.
I stared right down the lens and saluted, then lifted my middle finger. There was no going back now. I’d made my stance on House Jupiter and my parents clear. I just hoped it wouldn’t come back to bite me.
“Oh,mygods,Fallon!”Kendra squeaked as I opened the door to her dorm—my old haunting place now that the guys had moved us all into one space.
“It’s not mine,” I said gently, realising I was covered in blood. I’d come straight from Jeremiah’s office and hadn’t even thought to change. “I’m okay.”
“What the fuck happened?”
“We need to talk. I think Lou should be here, too.”
“She’s in the bathroom,” Kendra said with a wave of her hand. “I’ll get her, but do you want to shower first?”
“I don’t have my things,” I said with a shrug.
“Noah dropped off your stuff not long ago. He said you’d need us,” Lou said softly as she exited the bathroom.
Gods above, that man was a freaking saint. He understood what a girl needed better than me sometimes. After leavingJeremiah’s office, I’d messaged all the guys letting them know that the ‘snake had been rattled’. Weird lingo, but I knew they’d get it. Better to be safe than sorry in case anyone was monitoring our cuffs.
I knew Ace would hack the security feeds in the office building to remove any evidence of my being there after receiving the code. They probably wanted to see me straight away to make sure I was okay, but I needed my girlfriends right now.
