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I’ve only left to ease my hunger before coming back and continuing to practice controlling my power. It’s draining. One night, I broke out in a cold sweat from how hard I was straining my psyche to keep the darkness at bay. It’s easier than before, but I want to master this. To know it can never sneak up and steal my sanity again.
There has been a constant pounding in my skull that shoots pain of exhaustion behind my eyes since my first attempt. Despite the throbbing, at least I’m managing to hold control over my power for the longest stretch of time from the help of the Masiren. Each power flares to life in my hands faster and steadier with every time I command it.
I head towards the balcony doors to stare up at the sky in hopes of seeing him. With my mind currently clear of the poisoned fog, all I can think of is the betrayal Whiro demands me to commit. I might as well drive the sharpest wyvern sword into his heart and then twist deeper. For that would be a better ending than whatever my father has planned. I’d force myself to watch until the final drop of blood leaves his body as punishment if it came to that. But I can’t let that happen. I need to figure out what the fuck to do.
I thought it was a blessing to have a mate, but instead, it feels like a curse; a weakness to be threatened into hurting the one who is bound to your soul. My heart might as well be carved out of my chest and burned to ash because it doesn’t deserve to feel his love. I’m exactly what I look like…a monster.
My foot is one step over the threshold to the open balcony when thunderous boots echo outside my room. I spin around right as my door slams open, smashing into the wall, and I’m surprised it doesn’t rip off the hinges.
Calloway barrels inside and my defenses instantly rise. His face is flaming, with sharp lines turned inward and his mouth seething with harsh breaths. I suppose he is now ready to speak to me, but it feels more like he’s looking for a fight and I’m the chosen opponent.
“You,” he snarls.
His steps eat up the distance and my eye catches something glinting in his hand when he starts to raise it. Before I realize what he’s doing, the hard bottom of his shoe connects with the center of my chest, knocking the wind out of me. The sharp pain that spears through me along my side has my lungs tightening as I fly backward, managing to twist at the last second to try and stop my spine from splintering. Instead, I smack sideways into one of the balcony doors with the handle jabbing in between my ribs. Right in the spot that’s already screaming as it starts to burn, and I immediately regret trying to suck in a breath.
My hand clutches my side when I regain balance, wetness seeping through my fingers as I watch Calloway’s face morph into one that relishes in the affliction he caused. My eyes drop down to the small dagger dangling from his fingers, and I curse myself for not seeing it.
“You need to remember your place, Princess,” he spits. “You are only considered one now because of me and my allowance of you being engaged to my son.” A scratchy, mirthful laugh leaves him as his eyes flare with what I can only imagine are thoughts of my death.
But in case he forgot to realize, I can heal from his afflictions without that necklace sucking away my powers. Already, I can feel my flesh stitching itself back together.
His arm whips out, throwing the dagger straight towards me. I swiftly duck to the side, letting it land its mark in the door before clattering to the ground. “You are not above me, nor even equal to me and my rule.”
The silence throughout the palace these past few days must have been him brewing to reach this point of spilling over and unleashing the monster that lives within. I straighten my spine, ignoring the pang of agony that’s still raging along my ribs. My hands fall to my side as I curl my fingers tightly, causing my nails to imprint into my palm—the one hand dripping black with my blood. The repercussion from Calloway’s vicious deeds.
“Are you sure about that?” I hedge, the edge of my lip tipping up at the way his eyes widen. The darkness in me that I’ve been keeping under control is starting to seep in. The darkness used to be a friend that never left and gave me comfort. But maybe if I accept this power and its presence, it will work with me instead of against me.
So, I fall into it. Letting it rise and not holding it back, so that Calloway can see the true monster I can become. Shadows whip out and dance around me, lashing out and causing Calloway to take an unsteady step back. His fingers tremble at his sides as he starts to realize his mistake.
A demonic chuckle grazes up my throat as I follow suit and take a step forward. “You seem frightened, King,” I mock at his title, while he continues to cower away from me. He’s one of the weak ones, fearing death and never accepting that one day his time in this world will come to an end. He will forever cower away from death.
The room grows darker, colder, as I showcase the power I hold as a reminder that he won’t ever be able to break me like he thought he could before. I command a tendril of shadows to wrap around his throat, lifting him until his feet dangle in the air. He tries to grab hold of my power, but his hands fall straight through it and I smirk.
“You will do good to remember that I could end you before you have a chance to beg me to stop.” His face starts to turn a light shade of red as I squeeze his throat tighter. “You have a truce with my father, but the next time you think you have the right to touch me, I won’t hesitate or think twice about snapping your neck.”
I release him as he drops to the floor with a loud thud. His hands grapple for his neck as he desperately sucks in the air to the point of wheezing. He tries to speak, but it causes him to cough until he has to gasp for air again. The sight of him struggling on the ground comes nowhere near to what he deserves.
Boots pounding down the hall grow louder before Aiden rushes in and skids to a stop at the scene before him. His green eyes are wild as they dart back and forth between his father and me.
“Emma, what are you doing?” he hurries to ask, kneeling to help Calloway up to his feet.
My eyes pin on him, slowly cocking my head to the side. “Of course, you would assume I’m the one at fault at this moment.”
His brows pull together while continuing to assess us both, and that’s when his eyes drop to my side. Even though the stab wound from the dagger is already starting to clot and heal, since the pain stings a bit less. Still, the proof is there.
Aiden’s eyes stay locked on my side as he speaks so softly, I almost don’t hear him. “Father, did you harm my fiancée?”
Calloway shoves his son off him, brushing his hands down the lapels of his ivory tunic as he regains himself. He glares daggers at me, before dragging them to Aiden. “She’s lucky that’s all I did.”
Aiden’s face drains of color as he finally rips his eyes away from my ribs to stare at his father’s retreating back that’s now passing through the doorway.
“Emma…” Aiden’s voice is soft, hesitant, matching his body when he steps closer to me.
My shadows are still raging around me, ready to strike if I feel threatened. I keep the darkness close, letting it numb the sliver of throbbing in my side and erase how I might feel with the way Aiden is looking at me, as if I’m weak.
He chances another step closer with his mouth opening to speak, his hands reaching out to me. Before he can get any closer, a roar tears through the sky outside. Aiden’s neck twists to look out the open balcony doors, and I reel in my power to unblock the view. The moment my power clears, Draven slams down on the balcony so fiercely, I’m shocked it didn’t crumble the siding of the palace.
Draven stands there in all his glory. Silver-slitted eyes are shining brighter than the moon on a clear night. Shadows ripple around him and dance along the reflective silver sheen of scales that cover the areas where his tattoos decorate his skin. And he’s shirtless, the perfectly sculpted lines of his muscles straining with every rough inhale he releases. He looks wild and unhinged. But his wings… His wings are flared out in a powerful stance and their silver veining glow starkly against the black.
