Page 75 of Of Vows and War: Special Edition
“She can be happy with us. Just like she used to be,” he muttered. But there in his broken eyes I could see the truth. Could nearly feel it tingling against my skin. He knew she was never truly happy.
“No, she would be miserable again, as I am sure she has been since your wife nearly killed her.”
“Your mother,” he corrected. As if that disgusting fact mattered at all.
“I have no mother,” I rasped, less bite in my tone than I would have expected. “That female tortured and traumatized the love of my life—my soulmate. Youbothdid.”
“I felt so incredibly proud the first time I held you,” he whispered. I gasped at his admission. Me? “You were the most perfect little youngling. You never cried, always smiling and laughing at everything near you. I could not wait to teach you all the things my father had taught me.”
“You let them force magic into my veins right after I was born. You let me be tortured and nearly killed!” I yelled the accusation, beginning to circle him. He mirrored my movements, fire trailing both of us and lighting the ground aflame. Soon we were smothered in smoke and heat, the only thing visible each other. “You let me be taken, not even caring what could have happened to me. You never loved me.”
“I sobbed the day you were taken. I begged Mia to let us attack Eoforhild. We knew who took you the moment Mia found Asher hidden away in the forest. The real target was protected while you were snatched away by a demon king with vengeance in his heart.” He froze, staring at me with pleading eyes. “Mia was against it though. They had that wretched Mist, and we had the unique opportunity to raise Asher. Mia came from a long line of females—queens. Asher was the blessing she prayed to Eternity for.”
“Well, I am glad you did not come for me. I lived a good life. That demon king you speak of as if he is a monster raised me with infinitely more love than you bestowed upon Asher.” I took a step forward, trying to appeal to whatever weakness Stassi saw inside of him. “Let her be happy now. Let me take her home. Maybe we can stop this war. Maybeyoucan.”
“I am sorry I did not come for you—that I did not rescue you and love you. But you are not my son any longer. Not really. Asher though, sheismy daughter. You might think me a monster, but I love her more than anything else. She will stay with us. If she has to feel a little pain in order to one day rule over all of Alemthian, then so be it.”
He ran for me then, his words ending on a choked cry as he summoned a sword of red flames and swung. I met his blade with one of my own, my black flames burning so hot they were nearly cold. The blades hissed as they connected. Xavier and Istared one another in the eyes, both of us begging for something completely different.
“Then you deserve this end I will give you,” I whispered. Just as I released my flames and gripped the dagger strapped to my thigh, wispy black shadows wrapped around Xavier’s neck and ripped him backwards. He flew through the flames, shouting with fury and pain.
“I have him, you get our queen,” Noe demanded as she portaled to my side, shadow whips in hand. I nodded, grabbing her face and planting a quick kiss on her forehead.
I jumped through the fire, heading for the front of the manor, following the sounds of screams and praying to whatever existed above that it was my beautiful creature slaughtering the masses up ahead.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Asher
The first guard that found me was easy to take down. Poor thing impaled himself on a branch that just so happened to be in my hands.
The second one was not as silent or stupid.
“Hey, I found the princess!” he shouted, running like he might rescue me. That was, until he saw the body at my feet. The branch still stuck out of the space where I had jammed it into his exposed side.
“You know, it really was not my fault,” I insisted. The guard stared at me with horror in his gaze, and then he screamed.
“She is fighting against us! Tell the Quee—”
Taking the blade I had stolen from the first guard, I stabbed it through the face of the second. My already bloody dress grew damp once more, the gold and red merging. It reminded me of the anklet Bellamy had given me. How it had just made sense for the gold and the red to rest together, connected by silver and black. The story of our lives.
Four more guards shouted as they neared, all of them looking at me as if they might kill me. Let them try, more dangerous creatures have attempted and failed.
One of them commanded the trees around me, and I was forced to expose myself as I leapt out of the small forest. Unfortunately, I was too slow. A branch whipped down and caught my healed foot, yanking me off my feet and dragging me backwards. I dug my fingers into the ground, ripping up dirt and grass.
Think. Come on, think!
My skirt caught on a rock, ripping loudly. Laughter sounded from one of the guards, and I looked up in time to see one of the other three shove the laughing one.
“Do you want her to make your tiny brain bleed out of your ears?” he asked, enough fear in his voice to make the laughing one blanch.
Aggravated and short on time, I decided using a little magic would not hurt.
“Stay still,”I ordered them. All four stiffened, their eyes wide. The branch continued to assault me, the guard with the Earth power clearly still commanding the tree. “Release me.”
Then I was free, the branch slithering away like a snake. Standing, I held up a finger in their direction.
“One more moment,” I muttered as I walked their way. I freed a dagger from one of them, using it to quickly hack off my skirts until everything from my knees down were free. Much better.
