Page 100 of A Realm of Fire and Ash

I feel it there, a waif of a thing, steadying my hand, softening my tone as I interact with her. It blooms in my chest, pawing at the beast inside me, getting me to let my guard down.

When she's near, a tranquil hum of energy fills the room, like a lullaby that soothes my soul. A calm melody that brings peace to my heart and makes me feel safe and secure. It's a gentle whisper, a subtle reminder of something that I can't quite place. The words it speaks are lost in the air, but the feeling it evokes is clear—warmth and comfort.

Weakening me.

I realize my mistake now, as I watch her soar through the clouds above Hellwing. She slept for several days after we returned, and now her magic is at full-force, and she's expending some of the energy.

She's a dazzling sight as she soars, her wings spanning wide, her body glimmering in the sun. Her skin is luminous, and her eyes have that sheen that tells me her beast is in control right now. She dives and twists, a feathered beauty, a graceful acrobat, turning and looping in the air like a dancer in flight.

Though it pains me to do so, I've got to get her to hate me, sever this tether, then send Caius away to another realm for a few days while I kill her.

No doubt he's a tether, too. And maybe I’ll need to send Azazel and Emetic away.

I've got Caius across the forest torturing all the new arrivals I killed in the courtyard in Romarie. He’s head over heels for Morte, so I'll have to make it look like an accident.

Sending a shadow into the sky, it curls around Morte, engulfing her in an inescapable net. She struggles within the misty prison, but the more she fights, the tighter it gets. Her shrieks are lost in the air as the wind rushes past her, carrying with it a whistling sound as I drag her back to the ground. She's not hurt, so the protection necklace she wears does nothing.

She hurls magic at me with reckless abandon, each spell she casts hurling a blistering fireball or freezing spike in my direction. I dodge and weave, narrowly evading every deadly projectile. When her feet touch the ground, I'm ready and primed with a power that pulses through my veins. I stare her down, unblinking, as the rage in my soul boils over.

Roaring with a fury barely contained, I demand, "Morte! You may have won the hunt, but you belong to me! Kneel before me and accept your fate."

She responds with a haughty laugh. "No," she replies, her voice low and steady, though hurt flashes across her face. "I won't bow. I'll never bow to you."

Her beauty is an affront to my eye, a glowing reminder of my own weakness. I spin around, dragging her along by her arm, shadows snaking around us like a serpent. Fury and bitter hatred burning inside me, I roar for Irid like a battle cry, pushing through the garden doors in a feral rage.

"Yes, my Lord?" Irid bows before me, her voice echoing against the walls.

"Take this one to muck the dungeons, and when she's done there, chain her to the wall. She's gotten too comfortable and needs to realize her place."

"Yes, my Lord." Irid bows again.

Morte's eyes flare with rage, her fists clenched tight as if she ready to strike. But Irid's grasp on her arm is unyielding and her screams and curses are met only with a stern expression.

Her resistance ebbs away at last and she's led away, her protests now muted.

I stand there, my jaw clenched and my heart thundering in my chest, a poisonous thing that leaches into every cell in my body, begging me to bring her back and make things right. This is necessary. If I had to build a prison against my own soul and feed it to the deathwings, I'd do it just the same.

* * *

Morte

Terror gripsmy throat as I sit chained in this dank dungeon. The oppressive heat is cloying, though not as bad as it was when I first arrived, thanks to Caius' magic, and cold droplets of water from the cavern ceiling fall onto me, only adding to my distress. The metal encasing my wrists and ankles does little to abate the fear that has taken ahold of me as I realize why Aggonid needs King Valtorious alive: to provide all these cursed magic suppressant items—chains, bracelets, and necklaces designed to smother the power of others.

The devil torments me with his cruel mind games, luring me in with a false sense of security before taking it away as soon as I succumb to his persuasive trap. My heart is drawn to him like a fae fly to a flame and it singes my soul each time he tramples on my emotions and leaves me feeling broken.

I deserve every ounce of it.

I slump against the wall, my mind reeling and my heart splitting in two. Monsters end up in hell.

And I'm the worst of them all.

* * *

Nearly 200 Years Ago

I sprintto the coastal dunes north of Convectus castle, my heart racing with anticipation. I can feel the heat of the sun burning on my skin as I sink into the white, powder-soft sand and roll onto my back. The crashing waves reverberate in my ears like an orchestra of distant drums.

With my eyes closed, I tilt my head skyward and relish in the warmth radiating from above. A satisfied smile creeps across my face. I'm early, just like I planned. Wilder should be here after he finishes helping his parents.

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