Page 10 of Heart of the Villain

Fucking asshole. The thought raced through her oxygen-deprived brain—but the words had to stay safely tucked inside, never allowed to see the light of day.

Marlena coughed up water, despite having fought off the urge to inhale. “I was sick for a whole week. I don’t think my lungs are ready for this yet.”

“Excuses,” Jonan drawled, rolling his eyes and resetting the watch on his wrist. “Go again.”

Marlena kept her distance, shaking her head erratically. “I can’t.”

“You will,” he growled, prowling over to her with his hands extended, sending a gust of wind to disturb the calm waters surrounding Marlena. “If you can’t learn to control every piece of your power, you’ll never amount to anything. You’ll never be able to lead when it’s time.”

Before Jonan could reach Marlena, an alarm rang through the secret training chamber they'd built for Marlena’s grueling lessons.

Jonan stilled, his jaw dropping in surprise. The alarm blared softly, quiet and cautious enough that no one outside this room could hear it. Marlena knew it was also sounding off in her parents’ office and every other Curia member’s private rooms too.

Because this particular siren, the drawn-out beginning followed by five quick beeps, meant a territory’s leader pulled their emergency alarm and was looking for immediate backup.

Jonan turned away from Marlena, making for a quick exit while she fought to pull herself together and get out of the torture pool.

She knew what territory had sounded the alarm. “Father, wait!” she called, pushing against the weakness in her muscles.

“Go back to your room, Marlena!” he boomed, never looking back at her.

She ignored the chill in her bones and rolled her shoulders back, ready to argue. “It’s Vates. They’ve fallen.”

Jonan stopped, glancing over his shoulder at Marlena. “Who told you?” he asked through gritted teeth.

“Sage. I heard it from Sage the night she came begging for Mother’s help,” Marlena spilled.

Footsteps echoed down the hall, and by the sound of the heels, Marlena knew her mother would appear seconds later.

“Let me help,” Marlena pleaded on a breath.

“No,” Ryanna answered when she appeared at the threshold.

“Pleas—”

“I said no!” her mother interrupted, her screech echoing against the stone walls. “Go home. Lock the doors. We will have guards around the entire estate. Tell Vega nothing.” Ryanna turned, ready to end the conversation.

But Marlena wouldn’t give up so easily.

“Arlet,” she squeaked… which did exactly what she hoped it would do. It stopped her parents from rushing off without her. They both slowly turned to face her, and before she lost her nerve, Marlena continued. “Imagine what losing Arlet would do to Vega.”

They would do anything for their youngest daughter—she was their true weakness, and Marlena wasn’t opposed to using her against them.

I’ll do anything to have them pay attention.

Her parents shared a sidelong glance. Jonan raised a brow, and Ryanna nodded before turning her attention to Marlena. “You have one job and one job only. Find Arlet. Do not get in the way, and if something goes wrong, you leave her. We aren’t losing you.”

“We’ve put too much effort into training you,” Jonan groaned.

They didn’t want her to be careful because Marlena was their daughter, but because they’d invested too much of their precious time into making Marlena the obedient pet she was now.

Marlena ran through the halls of the Videris’ burning home, pushing against the smoke with her fresh wind and air. “Arlet!” she screamed, placing her hand on a doorknob so hot it singed her skin.

She pulled back with a hiss, shaking her wrist out to ignore the pain shooting up her arm.

Everyone in Vates was gone. Marlena passed not a single soul on her way in. But Sage had told Marlena to look after Arlet… She’d begged her to watch over the daughter she planned to leave behind.

Arlet was here—she had to be. Marlena wouldn’t leave without her.