Page 201 of Sienna Rossi: Beyond Shattered Trust

She has bound herself to me.

Not because she was forced, not because she was broken, but because she chose to.

My chest rises and falls heavily as I stare at Sienna, still feeling the weight of what she’s entrusted to me settling into place.

I hear a shout, and then a barrier goes up, forcing the Dauntless back.

Then my attention shifts to Vincenzo, who is not smiling any longer, the barrier stopping the drakaths from getting any closer to them. Ares and the others fall back, still ready for any sudden attack.

Vincenzo simply stands there, his eyes burning into Sienna as if he can’t comprehend what just happened.

“You gave it away.”

“No, I entrusted it to the one man I trust above all.”

Disgust flashes across his face for a split second before settling into silent anger. The fact that the greatest source of power on this battlefield was willingly placed into someone else’s hands doesn’t sit right with him. His eyes snap to mine, and then he smiles.

“Ultimately, you will fail because you place foolish faith in those you shouldn’t. You entrusted the most dangerous power in existence to another person,” he says to Sienna. “And somehow you assume this is a victory.”

“It is,” Sienna says.

He scoffs. “You gave him something he can now use against you.”

“I won’t,” I cut in, my eyes flashing as I glare at him through the barrier.

He spares me a glance. “Of course you won’t, and that’s why you will ultimately lose. The fact that you won’t use that power is exactly what makes you weak.”

I clench my jaw as Sienna narrows her eyes.

“Bonds and unity are our greatest strength, and in the end, we will be victorious. Think what you want; you lost,” Sienna says quietly.

“The world doesn’t reward good people.” Something dark settles behind his eyes. “The world rewards those willing to take what others cannot.”

“I chose for myself.”

“Choice… You think you have choice, and yet every choice you made was expected of you.”

“I have chosen-”

He cuts Sienna off. “No. Even the powers you wield were chosen for you. The path you’re walking was chosen for you. The mate you are bonded to was chosen for you. Even now, there are forces far greater than either of us trying to shape the future into something they find acceptable, and you think you have a choice.”

“You’re wrong,” I say sharply.

“Am I? How so? Tell me, what did you choose?”

“I chose to trust Jayce with myself, with my power, not you,” Sienna says before I can respond, the defiance in her eyes burning bright.

And I’m pretty fucking satisfied when I see irritation seep into those dark eyes.

“Then you’ve already made the same mistake as the gods before you.”

Ideals

Sienna

“You’re one to talk about gods. What god would favour a monster like you?” Jayce asks icily, the scorn in his voice crystal clear.

For a moment, Vincenzo says nothing.