Page 68 of Cruelest Kiss and Fairest Blood (Tales So Wicked #2)

“I will finish this and return to you.” Taking off my amulet, I hang it over Lenore’s head. It drops down below her breasts, glowing brightly. “I’ll find my way back to you. No matter what.”

Her fair hand clutches the jewel. “Make her suffer.”

There’s my little raven. “Anything for you.”

The wards have vanished by the time I return to the castle. They were created to keep Lenore in. Now that she’s escaped, the magic serves no purpose.

Walking into the castle is completely unlike the last time.

Dread and death fill every room and darkened hallway.

Catreena must be trying to start her own underworld here in the mortal realm.

From the energy stagnating in the shadowy corners, I would venture to guess no less than a hundred people have perished within these walls in the last few days.

Their energy signatures are fresh. Catreena has barely sat the throne a week. She hasn’t wasted any time.

A soft whimpering reaches me from near the front door.

A subtle light alerts me that something living is hiding in the darkness.

I pull the shadows from the corner, revealing the figure.

A large black dog cowers, ears down, tail tucked between its legs.

I recognize the massive guard dog from its encounters with Lenore.

“Heelin,” I call quietly. The frightened animal looks around. It can’t see me, but must sense me.

Opening the front door, I usher it outside. Heelin turns back to look the way he came, then darts off toward the tree line. Poor creature will be scarred for life. When I find Lenore, I know it will bring her comfort to know he escaped. I sense no others as I move through the castle.

The element of surprise is my best bet when dealing with those who are magically inclined. Visualizing the castle layout, I shadow into the queen’s quarters.

If I thought the essence of death was overpowering before, I was mistaken.

The queen’s bedroom is a butcher’s playground.

Bodies and parts are littered throughout.

I don’t know what color the floors were before.

They’ve been stained red beneath a layer of mist that hovers several inches above the wood.

Lenore’s scent still lingers in the room. Her blood was spilt here. The iron tang is potent.

Catreena is gazing in the mirror when she spies me. Her eyes double in size as she whips around. Energy crackles through the room.

“Who the hell are you?” She studies my wings. “Is it you, Harbinger of Death?”

“It is.”

“Hmm.” She sucks her teeth. “And are you the one who granted the princess the ability to cheat death?”

I don’t want our conversation coming close to Lenore. “Why have you come to Roseheart, Catreena, keeper of the mirror?”

“You know my name? How flattered I am that my reputation precedes me. Roseheart is just another kingdom. My reign is endless but my resources, not so much.”

“How long do you plan to stay?” My questions are meaningless.

But while Catreena is busy talking, I’m sensing her magic to find out what I’m up against. It takes more probing than usual.

She has incredibly strong walls up. Cassius is probably the same.

The fact that I never sensed his powers before eats me up.

“It’s different with every kingdom. Some I tire of quicker than others. When that happens, Cassius finds us a new place to live.”

She certainly likes to hear herself talk. Time to test a theory.

Palming a dagger from the table of torture tools, I send it straight into the heart of the mirror.

Catreena shuts up. Her mouth drops wide as she looks from me to the hilt that’s jutting out from the ornate fixture. There’s no crack. Not a single sound of shattering glass.

“How dare you!” Her outrage reveals a character flaw. She’s embarrassed. Her face reddens. I caught her off guard. How easily I could have sent that dagger through her heart. She knows it.

The dagger shudders once before being absorbed into the mirror. The top of the hilt vanishes into a sea of black. I assumed as much. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t hope I was wrong. Shattering the mirror and keeping the monster from reentering the mortal world would have been a whole lot easier.

“That’s not how things are going to work.” Catreena uses one of her own long nails to slice into her palm. She smears a bloody print on the mirror, then retreats to sit on the bed. Leaning back on her arms, legs crossed, she looks completely confident in her ability to best me.

“Magic mirror, come to call. Let darkness rise and cover all.” A smirk lines her painted lips as she speaks the incantation. The mist covering the floor thickens and rises. Swirling darkness spreads across the reflective surface. The frame gradually expands to the size of the wall.

Catreena laughs behind me. “I think it’s time the two of you met.”

Lenore

Exhaustion has reduced me to a slumped pile in the corner of the gardens. My fingers slide mindlessly back and forth along the skull of a small fox. Harrow is something of a god, but I’m still worried for him. That thing in the mirror is too terrifying to rationalize.

Mytha is coiled up in a corner, watching me. I get the distinct feeling she’s unhappy with her current circumstances. She doesn’t enjoy my company. That much is obvious.

“You don’t like me,” I intuit.

Her eyes remain fixed on me, unblinking. “It’sss nothing persssonal.”

“What is it then? Are you and Harrow…” I choose my words carefully. “Were you two together before?”

In a shocking twist, Mytha actually smiles. More than that, she laughs. It’s a resonant sound, as if the laughter of many are ringing through her voice. Her grin stretches wider than a normal human’s and reveals her lengthy white fangs. “Harrow isss not my type.”

I’m not sure how he couldn’t be. I’ve never seen anyone more attractive. “Because he is a god?”

“Becaussse he isss a man.”

My cheeks heat. That’s not the answer I was expecting. “Oh.”

Mytha smirks. I think she enjoys watching me squirm.

“Do you have someone in the Underworld? Is there…” What the hell am I trying to say? “Do people date a lot there?”

She arches a brow. “You are trying to make sssmall talk?”

An awkward laugh bubbles up. “I guess so. Small talk has never been my forte.”

“Nor mine,” she concedes.

My shoulders droop. “I’m just trying to distract myself. I’m worried about Harrow.”

“He is the Prince of the Underworld.”

“But he’s not invincible. He’s told me that. What if he can’t defeat Catreena?”

“He mussst.” Her tone turns ominous.

“Because they’ll kill me if he doesn’t?”

Worry lines her fearfully lovely face. “There isss much more at ssstake than you know, mortal.”

Warning bells chime within me. “What does that mean?”

Before she can answer, her body goes rigid. That eerie glowing gaze shoots toward the entrance. “On your feet. He’sss coming.”

“Harrow?” I stand.

“Casssiusss.” Shifting into a raven, Mytha soars above the wall. Several silent moments pass before she swoops back into the gardens.

“He doesn’t know about this place,” I try to reassure her.

She takes her human form once more. “He’sss coming this way and fassst. We cannot keep you here. There isss only one entrance and exit. It will be too easssy for him to trap you inssside. Quickly!”

Transforming into her Serpien form before I can blink, Mytha slithers out the secret entrance. I follow without argument. Harrow entrusted her with my life. I’ll do what she says.

Her serpent body winds across the ground. We sneak through the gardens, making our way silently into the courtyard. She stops to listen. “He’sss ssstill following.”

I grip the edge of the well for support. My legs are so shaky. “He’s tracking me? But Harrow covered up the wound so the mirror monster couldn’t use it to find me.”

“He isss no mirror monster. The prince hasss ssstrange magic of hisss own.”

“What do we do?” We could hide in the labyrinth, but Cassius has already found me in there twice.

Which makes a lot more sense now that I know he’s magically inclined.

Going back inside the castle is not an option either.

My head swivels toward the dark forest. Maybe I’d survive a place like that with Mytha by my side.

“ How the hell did you survive that fall ?” Cassius roars as he stomps into the courtyard. “Resurrect yourself again?”

“Stay away from me!” It’s a challenge to keep my voice steady.

“I thought I would find you in a pile of blood and guts, but look at you, not a scratch.” His darkened gaze cuts to the shadows wrapped around my arm. “Who gave you that?”

Mytha slithers between us. “Back away.”

Cassius’s eyes grow wide. He hadn’t noticed Mytha before. She looks menacing. Her scaly body is coiled up, fangs bared. I expect Cassius to scream or at least take a few hasty steps back.

He must be more accustomed to monsters and mythical creatures than I am because it only takes him a second to recover. “Out of my way, serpent demon, or I’ll mount your head to my wall.”

Mytha strikes without warning, her jaws clamping onto his shoulder. She releases him and coils back up before he can even yell out in surprise.

Steam rises from the two holes in his clothing. Bubbling white foam follows. Cassius clutches his shoulder, grunting in pain. The color drains from his skin. Holy hell. I wonder what kind of bite she gave him. I still know so little about her. Mytha smirks.

Cassius makes small choking sounds. His chest heaves, but the next time he looks our way, he’s smiling.

“Venom? As masters of poison, rare venom is one of our favorite ingredients.” He brushes his shoulder off. “You can never be too careful when you’re working with such vile substances. My sister and I learned that trick years ago. I’ll admit, that was a pretty nasty bite.”

Mytha’s smirk falls.

Cassius moves with haste, charging Mytha. Clutching her, he bashes her head against the well’s edge once, twice.

“Stop it!” I shriek. Dark green blood oozes from Mytha’s face and head.

Jumping on Cassius’s back, I reach for his eyes. I’ve just found the soft indentations when he grips my arm, flinging me to the ground. He turns on me, eyes fiery with malice. “Did you think you could blind me?”

My first instinct is to get to my feet, but Cassius hovers over me.

What will I do when I rise? Rolling to my right hip, I wince.

My dagger . I never got the chance to have Melly sew pockets into my clothes like Harrow wanted.

I was poisoned too soon after our conversation.

I’ll have to resort to my original plan.

“My leg!” I cry out in pain. Cassius grins as he watches me pull my nightgown up to my knees.

Grasping my right leg, I continue to wail.

My hand finds the dagger but it’s hard to slide free from this angle.

Harrow was right, this plan has always been foolish.

Rocking on my hips a bit, I turn my body away from Cassius’s prying eyes.

The massive fist that closes around my throat momentarily steals my focus. Cassius lifts me off the ground, blocking my air supply and making me see spots. My left hand claws at his hold. My right still works to wiggle the dagger free. Almost there, almost there…

“It’s too bad I don’t have more time to play with you. My sister wants you dead. You wasted my time trying to escape. Can’t you see that was never an option? All these years and my sister and I have never failed.”

“Fuck…” I gasp. “…you.” The dagger jams into his carotid. Unlike with Harrow, I don’t leave it in. My muscles burn as I yank it free.

Cassius’s blood sprays onto my face. He drops me. The impact on the unforgiving stones of the courtyard floor sends knife-like pain slicing through my left hip. Cassius stumbles away, cradling his neck. His blood rains down, painting the gray stones.

Mytha slithers toward me. “We mussst get you to sssafety.”

Her face is badly brutalized. The green of her eyes is muted compared to its usual, ethereal brilliance.

She reaches a hand to me, but the boot that comes slamming down on the back of her head sends her straight to the ground.

Cassius kicks her again. Mytha never cries out, but the light in her eyes dims further.

Laughter gurgles out of Cassius’s blood-filled mouth. He spits, wiping his chin with the back of his hand.

“Stupid little girl. Haven’t you figured it out? I may not be able to come back from the dead like you but channeling magic allows me to heal. Your efforts are a waste.”

A fresh wave of fear spills through me. How am I supposed to fight someone who can heal after every attack? Out of the corner of my eye, I see Mytha’s body shrink down. Black feathers explode outward as she takes to the sky. Her raven form is wobbly but fast. Where is she going ?

“Abandoned. Too bad. I wouldn’t mind an audience.” He looms over me, extending his hand. “Why don’t you give that little knife to me before you hurt yourself.”

My hands shake, but my mind is sharp. I merely blink up at him, and I know what to do .

The sound Cassius makes when I jam the dagger into his balls is unlike anything I’ve heard. Inhuman anguish . Wrenching it free, I crawl backward and launch to my feet.

A wailing Cassius crumbles bone over bone to the hard stones. He rolls back and forth, clutching his mutilated groin.

That felt amazing .