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“Follow me,” she said, turning on her heels and walking back into the castle. I did as she obeyed, my footsteps just behind hers. The sword hung from her hip. It served to remind me of my failure, as well as the fact that if she was attacked she had a way to defend herself. Even though she turned her back on me I knew she was not defenseless. If I lunged forward and tried to kill her she would be able to turn the tables on me. I might have shown great prowess in violence and murder during my life, but my powers were still secondary to hers. She was the one above all, and I knew I could not defeat her in a straight fight. I did have a plan, but it required a specific set of circumstances, and I wasn’t sure such a situation was going to present itself.
As we walked through the castle my heart sank. Everywhere I looked I saw reminders of Willow. I remembered how I had first shown her the potion she could drink to nourish herself, as this barren world did not offer much in the way of delicious food. I thought about the music I created and her voice, a rich voice that soared through the castle and for a moment made everything glow brightly. I thought of us dancing, kissing, of falling into a bed with her and having her show me something entirely new after all these years.
“In time you will forget all that has come before,” Amara said, interrupting my thoughts. I winced a little, fearing for a moment that she might have had a window into my mind, but it just happened to be coincidence that she had spoken of something I had been thinking about. “It will be like a bad dream, fading into the mists of time. You do realize that the love you thought you had for this wolf was born from loneliness, yes? Vampires and wolves do not mix at all. There has never been a pairing of them in all the years.”
“Of course, my lady,” I said.
“It’s going to be well Cassius. Things are going to be as they should be. There is nothing you need to worry about. You shall see the world as it was always meant to be, with strong vampires spreading across all the continents of the world. It’s funny isn’t it, to think about all the people out there who are living their lives without knowing what’s coming next? That is real power you know, to bend fate into what you want it to be. That is what everyone else lacks.”
I nodded and swallowed a lump that had appeared in my throat. These words reminded me of a conversation we had had before. Not long after that I poisoned her and banished her and the other vampires. I did not have a recourse to do so this time. There was nothing I could do to stop her, so I stood there, mute and helpless. I wondered if Amara remembered the same thing, but if she did she did not make a mention of it.
“Cassius,” she began, but then her head tilted to the side. Her eyebrow arched. I sensed it too. My heart sank. Tension ran through my body. Amara reconsidered what she had been about to say and wore a wry smile. “It seems we have a guest. Why don’t you greet her and make her feel welcome.”
Amara patted me on the shoulder. I was crestfallen. Why had Willow come here now? Why had she put herself in danger for me? I trudged away, glancing at the walls that had ears and eyes, knowing there could be no secrets in this castle, not from Amara. And now I was about to have a fatal reunion with the woman I loved, a woman who may not be long for this world.
Chapter Eighteen
Willow
I felt nauseous after having been through the portal. A bitter taste lingered in my throat and the world spun a little as I crawled out of the pool and got to my feet. I looked up at the familiar room. The only thing that was different was that there was no book on the pedestal. I hadn’t brought it with me for fear that Amara might steal it. This was something of a one way trip; either Cassius and I would return (and he would know how) or I would meet my end here, and I would have the entire afterlife to rue my decision.
As I got to my feet I looked around, expecting the others to follow straight after me. I waited and waited, but there was nobody. I went back to the pool, staring into its dark depths, beating my fists against it, but I only succeeded in splashing some water about. I rocked back and clenched my fists in frustration, gritting my teeth. Somehow Amara was responsible for this. It had always been a long shot, thinking that we could come into this castle without being detected, but it was the only play I had. I just hoped that my Dad, Brandon, and the other wolves were okay.
Since there wasn’t anything I could do for them now, I had to try and put them out of my mind. I was here, alone, and Cassius depended on me. I looked to the doorway, knowing that I only had a short amount of time before Amara came to find me. I wondered if she would try to play with me first, or if she would just try and end it as quickly as possible. I stepped forward and began to embrace my wolf, knowing that I would have to count on her if I was to make it out of here alive. I tested the cord upon which my pendant hung. It was strong, and would not break easily. Amara had almost torn it from my neck before. I was not about to let that happen again.
I then caught the scent of a vampire in the air. I braced myself for battle, but it was not Amara who entered the room.
“No,” I gasped as I saw him, changed into what he had been when we had first met. His skin was pale, the spark in his eyes faded, his clothes darker than before. He was a vampire again. “Cassius… what has she done to you?” my voice ached with emotion.
He gave me a wan smile. “What she did before. I am a vampire again,” he said.
My heart broke for him. After everything we had been through to make him mortal she had just undone it as easily as cutting a sword through a ribbon. Breath escaped my lungs for a moment, but I rushed towards him, clasping his hands.
“It’s okay Cassius. This doesn’t matter. We can still get through this. We can find a way to defeat her. I’m so glad you’re alive. There’s so much I have to tell you. I’m-”
“Not welcome here,” Amara said, striding casually up the stairs behind Cassius. I felt him go rigid with tension at her appearance. He took his hands away from mine. Amara draped her hands across his shoulders and gave me a withering look. “You shouldn’t be here.”
Anger boiled inside me. “What have you done with the others?” I glared at her, my hands clenching into fists. The wolf was pressing under my skin now, eager to break free and resume our fight. Amara acted as though we were having a friendly chat.
“Oh, it’s a simple protection spell to block any unwanted visitors from coming through. You only made it because of that pendant. It belongs here you see,” she said.
“It’s mine,” I growled defensively, almost daring her to try and take it.
She waved a hand dismissively in the air. “Oh don’t you worry Willow, I’m not going to take that trinket from you. I have no use for it myself, of course, no, since you are here I’d much rather just take your life.”
She spoke about it as though it was just a mundane thing.
“No, you can’t. I won’t let you. Cassius, I came here to rescue you. We can still do this. We can still beat her,” I said desperately.
Amara just laughed. “It’s been a long time since I have met someone so naïve, but I suppose that is always a trait your people have had. I think it’s time for us to be done with this. We have plans to accomplish, and it’s not going to be possible with you hanging around. I think the best thing to do is to kill her, isn’t that right Cassius?”
He bowed his head. “Yes, my lady,” he said, and that was the moment that I knew I had truly lost him. He was a loyal servant again. Somehow she had twisted his mind or cast some gruesome spell on him, making him act this way. Was there anything I could say to change his mind? One thing, perhaps, but I dared not reveal the truth about our child in front of Amara. She might try and take it for herself. The last thing I would ever want for our child was to be raised as Amara’s. Perhaps it was better that I should die.
And there it was, my grand plan to save Cassius foiled in the first instance. There was no surprise to turn to my advantage. If I attacked then Amara would just defend herself, and she might even have enough control over Cassius to make him join the fight as well. I did not want to chance that, for if I fought him then I might as well be dead. I should have listened to my father. I hated myself for letting down my child. I just thought… I thought there had been a chance. I never realized it would all end like this. This wasn’t how Cassius and I were supposed to end up. We were in love… but maybe all this time love hadn’t been enough.
“Take her to the edge of the castle and fling her off the side. We do not have the time to make an example of her. Once we are done with her we shall return to her village and make slaves of her pack. We shall turn them into our willing servants and they shall help us conquer the world. This will be the end of the wolves and the rise of the vampires. The war shall finally be at an end, and there can only be one victor,” she spoke like a mad tyrant and I wasn’t sure I had ever truly known fear until that moment. I stared at Cassius, who averted his gaze from me.
“Perhaps, my lady, it might be more fitting if we took her to the tombs. She always had a dislike of that place,” Cassius said.
