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“What do you mean?” I snapped at him. “I don’t understand... you're Cassius Valeska? You’re the fucking Prince of Crimson?”

His handsome face fell at how angry I was. How could I have been so stupid? Not only was I sleeping with the enemy, but I was also sleeping with the fucking prince who hated my family. Suddenly, I felt sick to my stomach at how much of a traitor this made me.

“Was this some plan? Make the daughter of your enemy fall in love with you!”

Cassius smirked slightly.

“You love me?”

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. Gods above, just strike me down with a bolt of lightning now.

“No,” I lied.

Cassius’ eyes shined brightly.

“I love you too, Thea.”

My heart beat so frantically at his words. He was the first fae to ever say that to me, and I couldn’t tell if he meant it or was just using me.

“I don’t believe you.” I frowned and looked away. “You should go, and this...” I gestured between us. “Is over.”

“My love, please don’t do this. I know I should have told you who I was, but I didn’t want you to react this way. Our families may hate each other, but we love each other. You can’t deny that.”

“And what happens now? You betray your family and come live in Cerithia with me? Or you probably want me to betray my family and move to Crimson with you! This isn’t ever going to work.”

His face fell.

“Please,” he whispered. “I waited years for you. Since I first saw you, I’ve thought of nothing but you. Don’t push me away. I love you.”

He shouldn’t love me. He had no future with me. Not only because he was my enemy, but because I wouldn’t be around much longer. Death was coming for me, and I knew it. I should have never gotten involved with him when I knew my future was short. This wasn’t fair to him. Guilt settled in my chest.

“I can’t do this.” I turned my face away from his so he wouldn’t see my tears. His sadness filled the air around us.

“Alright,” he muttered. “I’ll see you on the battlefield.”

I waited until his footsteps were gone before I let the sob escape me. Why did my fate have to be so cruel? My head was dizzy, and my body was sore. I wasn’t sure I could keep doing this.

?????

My father’s eyes narrowed on me. “What the fuck are you doing here? Why aren’t you leading my men into war?”

My body swayed slightly.

“I can’t anymore.” I frowned. As my father, he should have noticed how pale my skin was and how dull my green eyes had become. Did he notice how much weight I had lost?

“Your sickness?” he sighed. I nodded yes. “That stupid whore-witch did this to spite me!”

I flinched at the nasty names he called my mother, even though I had only ever heard him call her such.

“Binds your magic within you so I can’t use all of it.” His green eyes looked at me with hatred, because my mother had ensured that my power was beyond his reach. But now, it was slowly killing me. Too much magic had formed inside, stuck, and it was taking from my body. It was taking from my soul.

“If I could kill her again, I would,” he spat out at me. I stumbled backward at his words, and he realized his mistake. “I-I mean…”

“You killed my mother?” I whispered. My eyes widened at this declaration. “You said Crimson killed her.”

“They did…” he stuttered, but I already saw past his lie.

He killed my mother.