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“His eyes were not the right shade of gold, and he didn’t have the T tattoo. I knew it wasn’t you almost immediately.”
He hugged me tightly and held me for a long time.
“I have to work on some planning for your retrieval of the witch's bloodstone, so I won’t see you until the ball. Your dress will be sent to our room.”
He leaned down and kissed me possessively. I hummed at the dominance in his kiss, and he smiled against my mouth.
“You used my magic during the trials,” he whispered. Not a question, but a fact.
“Yes,” I whispered.
“You took some of Haden’s, too, when you froze the sinking mud.”
I pulled back glancing over his face to see if he was disgusted that I could do such things. It was unnatural for even elite magic holders. Others should fear me for it. I could become any magic I wanted. Magic collected within my veins. It made me a monster.
“It’s unnatural,” I muttered, almost embarrassed. “There is something evil within me and it wants me to collect all the magic around me.”
His fingers tilted my face to his, but I didn’t see disgust.
“Do not be ashamed of your elite magic. I already knew you could take it. Nothing about your powers disgusts or scares me.” He gave me a soft kiss. "Let me show you something quickly.” Cassius dragged me down the hallway towards my old room. He shut the door before he tugged his shirt off.
“You are worried that we know you have elite magic. You tried to hide it from us because you were told we locked you all away.”
My heart raced loudly in my chest. Yes, that is what all of us in Exile knew to be true. His golden eyes pinned me in place as his black shadows swirled around him and then disappeared. I was confused until he turned his head to the side. The left side of his neck held an elite magic mark. Confusion racked my mind. He had elite magic? His eyes studied me as I stood like a gaping fish out of water.
“You hid your mark?”
“I've had it hidden since the elite magic fae started disappearing. It’s a habit to keep it hidden.”
Stepping forward without thought, I ran a hand over it, and it glowed brightly at my touch. Cassius hummed like he couldn’t help himself. I remember how it felt when he ran his finger over my mark, and it felt good. Warm. His mark was almost identical to mine, it was just missing one star by the crescent moon.
“Do others here know?” I asked.
“My family and you.” Cassius trusted me enough to show me his secret. I leaned up and kissed the mark. He hauled me up and pushed me against the wall as his lips crushed mine. His tongue pushed its way against mine and I groaned when his length rubbed against me perfectly. A knock on the door had him growling frustrated.
“I have to go.” He sighed before setting me down on the floor out of breath. I watched his shadows swirl around his neck and shield his elite magic mark. “Get some rest before the ball. I’ll see you there.”
He gave me one last kiss and smiled at me before leaving.
Chapter 24
Igathered a few of my possessions from my old bedroom before heading to the suite I shared with Cassius. Our space smelled like night and rain. It instantly soothed me and made me tired. I spent time looking over the simple, yet tasteful decor of the small living area. The kitchen was a dark green that reminded me of the forests of forbidden wood.
The couch was a rich dark green too with a cream-colored rug under it. The living room had black accents that made it look so much like the two of us mixed. There were huge windows carved out in the dark stone tower that overlooked the gardens of the castle. I smiled as I admired the castle grounds from the tower. From here, I could easily spot the Wisps dancing in the gardens all a bright happy color.
I wondered how long I had before I needed to go to Cerithia. I hoped I would be able to relax for a few days. I wanted to get lost in Cassius for as long as I could. Heading to our bedroom I set down my things before pausing at the beautiful red gown hanging up. Ophelia must have made it. I headed towards the bathroom but paused and turned back towards the nightstand on my side of the bed. Curiosity pulled me over to it, and I wondered what I had in this room that I hadn’t touched for years.
It wouldn’t be snooping if it was mine, right? Curiosity overtook me as I walked over to it and opened the drawer. Dozens of dry flowers sat in the drawer with some little knick knacks I didn’t remember. I pulled the corner of a paper out from under the flowers. My eyes drifted over the beautiful handwriting.
I’ll love you in this life and the next. My soul will always find yours.
-Cass
A love note from Cassius? I smiled to myself as I set the note down and went to take a shower. The bathroom had a large black granite tub in the corner next to a window that expanded the whole wall. It was a dream. The shower was on the opposite side of the room. It was also made from black stone and had shower heads pointed in every direction.
I undressed and crawled in, watching mud and blood swirl down the drain as I washed the grime of the last trial off my skin. Dread filled my chest as I stared at the blood washing off my skin, a reminder that the hardest task was still ahead of us. I could die. No one had ever come back alive. I was from the Kingdom of Cerithia, wasn’t I? What would they do if they saw me? I was sure I was a traitor and would be killed immediately.
Shaking the thoughts away, I would give myself tonight before I worried about the last task I needed to complete to get my wish. To break my own curse. To help the Crimson Kingdom. I dried off and lay in the bed staring at the red dress hanging up before exhaustion found me and I passed out.
