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A smirk settles over my face. He’s not much of a king anymore. I knock on their coffins. “What say you now, Your Majesties? You were warned when you came against my family. Now your grandson’s wife lies cold nearby. Your kingdom is in tatters, the land dying under my poison. Your people are fleeing, while others rot in the fields. And Silas is nothing more than a drooling moron, a puppet for me to play with.”
I imagine their faces pale with despair. Oh, how their knees would wobble, their cries would rent the skies with their grief. They would have bowed before me, begging my forgiveness.
But it would never come. They took from me the only thing I could have loved. Their arrogance, their greed, cost me everything. Now, their kingdom will pay for their mistakes, and their descendants will feel the force of my wrath.
Myeyesflickoverthe man lying on the cobblestones as he uses his arms to drag himself over the uneven ground. His muffled mouth makes whiny, pleading noises, which I ignore. He’s already forgotten. Loud cawing snaps my head up and my spine straightens when ravens pour into the courtyard, screeching at me. Lifting my skirts, I race up the stairs and through the palace. Huntsmen throw themselves out of my way as I storm up one flight and then another before climbing the steep, twisty steps of the tower.
“Show me,” I demand the mirror, and its foggy surface begins to glow. Slowly, the fog dissipates, and my heart freezes in my chest when an incredibly beautiful woman aims a bow at me, her eyes flashing with a golden fire. My body freezes, and I stare at Snow White incredulously.
Gone is the skeletal waif that languished in a huddled ball in the dungeon. Her ebony hair shines in the sunlight, her cheeks rosy with health. But it’s the look in her eyes that arrests me. It is one of determination and retribution, one that promises vengeance. She cocks her head to the side, a defiant slant to her brows as she stares at me through the raven.
Her arm draws the bowstring back before releasing it. The arrow flies toward me, breaching the mirror’s surface. I duck, the arrow whistling over my head before it lodges in the wall, vibrating from the impact. Bloodied feathers rain from the ceiling, carpeting the floor just before the raven’s body drops to my feet.
I slowly stand, my brows deeply furrowed. What she just did is impossible. Nothing can come out of the glass. Whirling around, I dash down the stairs, my hair flying out behind me. I stumble to a stop outside a locked door and fumble in my pocket for the key. I open it with shaky hands, tamping down on the confusion and fear racing through my mind.
Stepping quickly inside, I lock the door behind me and take a moment to catch my breath. The circular room was once used for storage, but I had it cleared out years ago. On the left is a narrow but tall fireplace, a heavy wrought-iron hook attached to the side, waiting for a cauldron to be placed on it. A long wooden table made from thick planks sits to the right, its surface covered in beakers and bowls. A chest sits nearby, filled to the brim with all sorts of potions and poisons.
Animosity and enmity replace the fear as I gaze over my precious stash. I breathe deeply of the herby scents and an evil smile grows on my face as a plan forms in my mind.
I pluck a dozen apples out of the air, red and ripe, each one perfect in form and size. Flinging an arm up, they settle into a basket as flames burst to life in the fireplace. I toss various ingredients into the cauldron, chanting ancient words over the potion. Steam rises from the pot, its whorls shaping into a screaming skull. When it’s ready, I dip all but one of the apples into the poison, marking the safe one with my fingernail.
Striding over to the ordinary mirror hanging on the wall, I stretch my fingers out and wave them over my face. I watch in satisfaction as my height lowers several inches. Heavy lines appear around my eyes and forehead, my teeth yellow, and my shoulders slump. My dark hair turns gray and my eyes turn cloudy.
You want to come for me, Snow White?I throw my head back, cackling.You don’t stand a chance.
Chapter 24
Cassian
Glancingupfromthebook I’m reading, I get lost in the fire crackling in the fireplace. The dancing flames and sparks hypnotize and entice me, and the scents of burning wood and pine cones fill my senses. The orange glow barely lights the room, providing just enough light to see by.
Besides the low sizzling and snapping of the fire consuming the logs, the rest of the cottage is hushed. Merlin retired to his tent several hours ago, and Snow White followed shortly after, peeking shyly over her shoulder at me as she ascended the stairs. I had not yet been tired enough to find my own bed, and instead, got lost in a story about love and revenge, pirates and giants, princesses, deadly poisons, and rodents of unusual size.
A deep yawn threatens to crack my jaw, and I lean back in the chair, the book dropping to my chest. The warmth of the fire seeps into my bones, my eyes grow heavy, and a wave of exhaustion hits me with the force of a blow.
A loud piercing cry startles me out of my dreams, jerking me painfully awake. I jump to my feet as it comes again, my head turning toward the ceiling. The weariness vanishes immediately as the cries turn into terrified screams. My heart leaps into my chest and I tear out of the room, swing around the banister, and race up the stairs.
I don’t bother to knock. Throwing Snow’s door open, I skid to a stop when I see her scraping her nails against the wall. “Let me out!” she cries, the terror and desperation clear in her voice. She spins around, her eyes wide and unseeing. “No,” she moans, backing into the wall. “Papa, no, please!” Her head thrashes from side to side and tears course down her face. She slides down the wall and hugs her knees to her chest. “Cassian, where are you?”
The plaintive sorrow in her voice breaks me, the searing pain in my chest enough to make my head spin. Rushing to her side, I gently scoop her up. She freezes in my arms, her body stiff and unyielding. “Gone, gone, gone,” she whispers, still caught in the grip of her nightmare.
Laying Snow carefully on the bed, I place the heavy feather quilts over her before crawling in beside her. She shivers violently, sobs racking her shoulders. I pull her into my arms and cradle her gently, murmuring softly to her. She quietens and her body relaxes against mine.
“Please don’t leave me,” she whispers against my neck, and I flinch, the old shame and guilt rearing their ugly heads.
“Never. I’ll never leave you again.” I pull her tighter to me, and her arm comes around my neck as she nuzzles into my chest. She sighs and slips back into sleep, while I stay awake to protect her from the demons that haunt her dreams.
Thedawnchoruspullsme from my dreams, and I groan, rolling onto my back. Patting around the bed, my brows furrow when my questing hand finds only cool sheets, and no Snow. Squinting my eyes open, I peer around the empty room. “Snow?”
The door to the bathing chamber creaks open, and Snow White sticks her head out. Her eyes darken with anxiety, and she chews on her bottom lip, a blush staining her cheeks a deep burgundy.
Pushing myself up, I swing my legs over the side of the bed and rub a hand over my face. “What’s wrong?” Snow ducks her head, then straightens and meets my eye. She takes a hesitant step forward, then another, clothed only in a towel wrapped tightly around her. Her bare feet pad quietly over the hardwood floors until she comes to a stop in front of me.
Her hand nervously clutches the towel as she meets my confused gaze. She takes a deep breath, then blurts out, “I can’t do this anymore, Cass. Every night I’m terrified of going to sleep. I relive his touch over and over.” I reach out and take her hand, rubbing my thumb over her knuckles. “I need—”
“What do you need?” I ask quietly when she pauses.
She pulls her lips into her mouth while her eyes plead with mine. “I-I need you to take it away.” She drops my hand, then lets go of the towel. It drops to the floor in a puddle at her feet, and it takes everything in me to keep my eyes firmly on hers. “Please, Cassian. Make me forget. Help me erase the memory and replace it with you.”
