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CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
CAT
Ispun, breathless enough that a sudden flare of dizziness made the island whirl. “Go,” I panted to Miz. His gaze was so wild with panic that it hurt me. “Run, get out of here. Go get help, I’ll be fine.”
He flinched every time I said her name, and he’d been terrified for weeks, and I didn’t want him anywhere near the goddess.
“Go,” I pleaded, my heart breaking when he stayed by my side. He wouldn’t leave me alone, even though he was terrified.
“He won’t leave until I command him to,” Nightmare said, her low, sultry voice carrying across the distance like a song in a smoky room. “Did you think Darya was the one leading you to me?” She laughed softly. “Darya was just the distraction.”
A frown pinched my brow, tightened my mouth. Cold began to spread through me.
“You want to deny it,” Nightmare said, tilting her head as she watched me through mismatched eyes, the white iris in her eye bleeding fresh blood down her golden cheek. “But all the little inconsistencies are starting to add up, aren’t they, my terror?”
“Shut the fuck up,” I snapped, too breathy, too afraid. But in snapping I showed her my hand. Stupid. I began to shake.
I wouldn’t believe what she was insinuating. No fucking way. He won’t leave until I command him to. That was bullshit. She couldn’t command Miz. He was a death god.
But I couldn’t look at him. I didn’t dare to.
“Now,” Nightmare said lightly, glancing from me to Miz, “I have a few minor things to address, a couple items to check off my to-do list. You know how it is, Cat, always busy busy.”
My name in her mouth made my blood run cold. I twitched my fingers to test if I was frozen, but I could still move. She hadn’t compelled me yet. Miz was so close I could feel the heat pouring off him, sense the fear and rage even if I didn’t dare look at him. I linked my little finger with his, the only movement I allowed. He showed no reaction.
I wish I’d brought the knife Tor gave me. I felt so stupid for leaving it behind because it wouldn’t fit in my clutch. I had no weapon, no magic, nothing to stop Nightmare doing whatever she planned to.
The only thing I could do was run, but Miz was frozen beside me and it didn’t seem like fear paralysing him. He won’t leave until I command him to. She had him under her thumb. I wouldn’t leave Miz to her non-existent mercy, no matter—no matter what he’d done. It was painful to think, to even consider that he was under her control.
What had he done while she compelled him? I didn’t want to know.
“First of all, Cat say hello to my followers.” Nightmare waved an elegant hand from Darya to the robed figure I prayed was a total stranger. “Neither are the disciple who restored me to power, you understand. I wouldn’t be so foolish as to reveal them so soon in our little game, but these are both my valued followers. I believe you call them cult members.”
“Is that how she’s alive?” I breathed, a chill spreading through my blood. I glanced at Darya and found her watching me with deep amusement that made my heart jolt. A second later, rage poured through me.
How dare she smirk at you that way? You don’t need a knife to claw the smile off her smug face; fingernails will prove just as effective.
My breath caught, but I shut out the dark impulse. If I hadn’t had the voice for years, I might think this was Nightmare fucking with me. I wished I could blame it on her, but this was all me.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Nightmare laughed, her eyes creased at me like I was both stupid and adorable. “She’s not alive; you killed her. Darya Henderson is as dead as a doornail, and I have you to thank for that.” Her mouth widened into a smile and I stumbled back an instinctive step when she focused all her attention on me. My head pounded, pain thumping against my skull. I was forced to look away. “What made you think I needed my followers to be alive?”
What? Goosebumps rippled all down my arms. Darya was really dead. I really killed her. I didn’t realise until that moment how much I was hoping she was alive so I could absolve myself of the guilt of murdering her.
“Oh, poor thing,” Nightmare crooned, her eyes hooded with sadness when I flicked a rapid glance at her. “So much suffering, so much misery. This must be exciting for you, Cai,” she said, looking at Miz.
Cai. I couldn’t help it; this time I looked at him, forcing myself to be brave and stop sneaking cowardly glances at him. His expression was smooth and even, as calm as he was in sleep, but his golden eyes roared with fury and dread. The same emotions tangled in my chest, twisted my gut until I felt sick. White hair danced in the wind, the tails of his translucent shirt fluttering around his stomach.
Earlier, I’d wanted nothing more than to see Miz’s true face, but now it hurt to look at him.
“She’s controlling you,” I rasped, forcing the truth out.
“I am,” Nightmare confirmed mildly. “He won’t speak unless I give him permission, which I won’t. It’ll ruin all this delicious tension, don’t you think.”
I spun to face her, my eyebrows slamming down over my eyes. “Let him go.”
Nightmare laughed, a tinkling sound of beauty that filled the night. It cut off as suddenly as it began, and she looked at me with bright, delighted eyes. “Not yet, my terror, not yet. Besides.” Her smile deepened. “You haven’t met my second follower yet. This one’s alive,” she whispered with a wink.
God, Darya was dead. A ghost. I really killed her.
