Page 31 of Secrets & Curses of Crimson (Secrets & Curses Trilogy #3)

Chapter 31

Thea

I scanned the guests of the wedding. It was customary for royal families to show up, especially for a wedding between two royal families. My father had come to check on me first thing this morning, which was odd. Then he surprised me with a dress—the one from my damn vision. Cassius was supposed to die today.

My father almost seemed surprised to see me in my room but played it off as making sure I was helping with the wedding. I didn’t help, and there had been no plans for me to help, so I knew he was lying. Then Gwyn hovered around me all morning, and if she had to leave, Mae came to watch me.

Something odd was happening.

“Where is Cassius?” Sy asked without moving his lips .

“I assume they aren’t coming to the wedding,” I responded. Thank the gods and stars. If he stayed away today, then the vision wouldn’t come true.

The sun was too hot for an outside wedding, but here we were, cooking in this heat. “My family has been odd all morning.”

Sy sighed as his eyes glanced around at the ridiculous amount of fae here. Kizar and Cerithian fae mingled as the ceremony started. I couldn’t focus on how ugly Tally’s dress was or how Jesper stared at me when he should be focusing on his future wife.

“Well, that’s probably for the best. Is the plan still a go?” he asked.

“Yes. I want to be done with this. Don’t worry, I have it under control.”

As the priestess spoke their vows, I felt an odd chill on my neck. I ignored it until it happened again. My eyes darted around the castle gardens, and I spotted him. Haden. He was hiding in the woods that lined the grounds. My heart stopped when I saw the blood running down from his nose. I turned forward so I wouldn’t attract attention. I would slip away as soon as I got a moment.

“What’s wrong?” Sy asked.

“Haden is in the woods wounded. He wants me to go to him. ”

Sy didn’t respond at first.

“Well, that can’t be a good sign.”

“It’s not.”

A sinking pit formed in my stomach. I couldn’t stand not knowing how Cassius was. I wanted to check on him this morning, but my family had hovered around me too much to sneak away.

“Fuck,” he sighed as everyone cheered loudly at Tally and Jesper kissing. They were married, which meant my plan was already in play. “I will support you any way I can.”

“Tell Valor that it’s going to get messy.”

Then I followed my family down the aisle like I was supposed to. However, it was easy to sneak away once the fae lined up to give their congratulations to the couple. I slipped from the crowd and headed straight to the woods.

“Haden?”

I didn’t see him at first, but then he appeared bloodied more than I had even realized. Haden had a dagger out like he wasn’t sure if I was here to kill him.

“Your father had Crimson attacked.”

“Fuck,” I sighed as my darkness exploded from me. It wanted us to burn everyone alive. “How bad is it?”

I turned to Haden, who stared at me oddly. His dagger fell to his side .

“Aren’t you going to ask why I came to you?” he questioned.

I reached forward and healed his wounds.

“No,” I sighed. “I was planning on fulfilling my prophecy today. This just pisses me off more.”

Haden watched me oddly when I gave him a small smile.

“Cassius was right. You really broke your curse.”

My whole body went rigid.

“Cassius knows?” I asked. I could hardly hear anything past my heart pounding in my ears. My vision pulsed red as visions of Cassius hit me over and over again. My throat was closing as fear ran through my veins and squeezed my lungs. I was going to pass the fuck out.

“Yes, he found out the morning he was doing the peace treaty with your father. He could hear your thoughts.”

My darkness swarmed around me, making the trees sway in a frenzy. No, this couldn’t be fucking happening. I tried everything to keep him safe. He was telling me goodbye when I visited him. Tears sprang into my eyes as his words sank into me. Cassius was saying goodbye because he knew that there was a real chance that he didn't make it out of this.

“He knows that you saw him dying today, so he was going to stay away, but Kizar and Cerithia attacked us last night. They are here somewhere.”

“My vision is coming true, and I don’t know how to stop it, Haden. I could never save him in time in my visions.”

I glanced over his shoulder when I saw movement. I grabbed my dagger and held it out before she stepped out. Della held up her hands like she was showing me she wasn’t armed. Her eyes immediately flickered to Haden, and I saw sadness and longing in them. Well, this was awkward knowing that he was her fated mate and that he fucking hated her.

“Della?” I dropped my dagger. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve been waiting a long time to see you fulfill the prophecy. I didn’t want to miss it. Besides, I will be needed once fae start dying.” Her gaze wandered back to Haden.

Haden turned to see where she was, but his eyes flickered around like he couldn’t see her. I looked at her for an answer.

“Ardella is here?” Haden asked me confused.

“Yes, she’s standing right in front of me.” I looked at her as she stared openly at him with devastation filling her eyes. “You can’t see her?”

“No.” He tried to hide the emotions but didn’t do it quickly enough.

“He can’t hear me either,” Della whispered to me .

“Why?” I asked her, and Haden frowned.

“Because he told me that he never wanted to see my face again, and I realized the last time I saw him that he meant it. So, he will never have to see or hear from me again.”

I frowned at her and felt my tears well in my eyes for her.

“Della…” I started, but she shook her head.

“What is she saying?” Haden frowned. “You can show yourself to me.” He glanced around, but Della didn’t appear to him. Haden closed his eyes tightly before turning them to the ground. When he looked back at me, I saw the heartbreak on his face.

“Cassius knows I broke my curse, and my father has him somewhere in the castle,” I told her in a hurry.

“The vision...” she started.

“I know. I’m going to go see if I can free him. Will you make sure Haden is safe?”

“I will always make sure he is safe,” she frowned.

Haden scoffed even though he couldn’t hear her.

“Don’t worry, Thea, I can’t die.” Haden glanced at me, then glared around us to show Della he was pissed off. His eyes held such hate for her. “Right, Ardella?”

She flinched at the use of her full name.

“You aren’t the only one that the Goddess of Life cursed.”

He snapped towards her, and I could feel her heart breaking from here. He was being cruel to her. “Remind me to ask you about that later,” I muttered as I back to the crowd of the wedding guests.

“They have Cassius and the entire Crimson royal family.” Haden frowned. “So many guards died. Cassius tried to negotiate his family's release in exchange for himself, but they ended up taking all of them.”

Gods above, why was I cursed with such an evil father?

“Did Zade and Leer survive?” I glanced at him. Haden frowned.

“Leer is alright. Zade is wounded badly, but he should be alright.”

My chest tightened at this news. My fire burst from me as grief hit me. Why? This would all end today. I would stop all this violence.

“I have to get back, but I will save Cassius and his family. I will kill everyone for Crimson, for Exile, and for my mother,” I promised.

Haden and Della looked at me with pride as I turned and went back to the wedding reception. My family hadn’t known I disappeared, but all I could think of was how happy they could be as they killed innocent fae.

★★?★ ★

When a guard found me in the hallway, on my way to find Cassius, he told me that the prisoners had been taken outside. I swallowed hard as I made my way outside but paused when I saw the amount of fae gathered. All I could picture was Cassius being taken from me. He knew.

My heart pounded violently. My hands clenched tightly as I walked toward the crowd slowly as if it were a dream—a nightmare. I didn’t know what to expect.

This was not how I was going to do this. I wanted to do it without Cassius near me. He needed to stay out of it. What if they hurt him already? Would I know if Cassius died? I shook the thoughts from my mind.

Fulfill the prophecy. Prophecy. Prophecy. Prophecy.

My darkness was excited. It wanted the blood of every fae that had kept my husband from me. The sun blistered to an uncomfortable heat as I made my way toward my father.

“Thea, my dear, come join me.” My father called from beside me. I hurried to him and looked at the arena-like structure I had seen in my vision. Gods, there had to be thousands of fae gathered here. My father must have used magic of some sort to transform it into an arena.

He had been planning this and didn’t tell me .

Was he suspicious of me and my loyalties? When I reached my father, he stood with Jesper and the girls. He smiled at me proudly and it pissed me off.

“Father, what is going on?”

He grabbed my hand and squeezed it tightly in his before turning to the crowd.

“Fae of Cerithia and Kizar!” he bellowed. “Today is the day that my dear Thea fulfills her prophecy!”

The crowd went wild. I flinched at the noise. After a moment, my father raised his hands to silence them.

“Father?” I asked softly.

“Thea has tried to break her curse and come back home to us for eight years, but now... we bring her every royal family so that she can end this once and for all!”

All the families.

Just then the crowd of Cerithian guards split, and every royal family member kneeled, bloodied and tied up. My eyes met Sybrien’s first before moving to Cassius’ family—my family. My darkness burst from me without warning. My father smiled as if I were doing this because I wanted to kill them all. The guards holding Cassius shoved him so forcefully that he fell to the ground in front of the rest of the prisoners.

I took a step forward, ready to beat the shit out of the guard, but stopped. Cassius was kneeling with his family at the center of the royal families. My darkness immediately swarmed around me in angry black wisps of my magic. I’m sure my father thought it was a reaction to seeing Cassius and wanting revenge. But this was pure rage at the sight of my mate bleeding, bound, and looking at me like I would end him.

My eyes pulsed red with my rage. They flickered at each member of my family that was bound. Each one of them was terrified and hurt. Cassius stared at me oddly as if he were trying to tell me something. Tell me what Cassius is thinking, I begged my magic.

I'm sorry.

I could feel the tears sting my eyes.

You will let me die if you have to. You need to save everyone else, even if that means I do not live.

I shook my head no.

You can survive without me, my love. His eyes filled with tears as he stared at me. How could he think I could survive without him? If something happens to me, it is not your fault. Don't blame yourself. It has been an honor to call you my wife, Thea. You have always been my purpose for living, but this is your destiny. This is your purpose. I love you. I will always be with you.

Tears gathered in my eyes, and my throat burned as I tried to hold them in. Cassius was wrong. He was my destiny. He was my purpose. Cassius living—having a life with him was all I ever wanted. If he died, I would fulfill the prophecy before I followed him in death. I could never exist where Cassius did not.

“Cassius will be the first to die!” The crowd cheered, pulling me from his thoughts. I would fucking slaughter every single one of them. “And after everything he did to my Thea, she deserves to be the one to kill him and break her curse.” He lied through his teeth.

Cassius struggled against his restraints as he glanced at me. My blood witch markings glowed brightly at the sight of him. Darkness clouded my mind as I stood and watched his golden eyes watch me with terror and longing. Fuck, I didn’t like feeling his fear. He had never been scared of me before. My chest tightened when the guards I trained yanked up the Crimson family with more force than necessary. I took note of the guards so I could kill them too.

When I turned to Jesper, my family smiled at me. Cassius and his family were brought out to the front of the royal families, who all cried silently, thinking their fates were sealed. They were thrown to the ground, unable to catch themselves because of their bound hands. I took a step towards the guards to kill them but stopped. My father was making an announcement to the common fae who had gathered for the celebration. I heard nothing he said as I focused on Cassius’ cut lip and the blood that dripped from it.

“Kill Cassius,” my father suddenly demanded of me. Urging me to kill my husband—the last fae I would ever hurt. Cassius would not die today.

I smiled because I was almost done with this. Tonight, I would fall asleep in his bed and sleep soundly, knowing I killed every bastard that tricked me. My left leg took a step, revealing the slit in the dress, pulling my dagger from its hiding place. My viper-handled dagger sat heavy in my hand. My eyes stared at it, realizing that both Cassius and I had been stabbed by this blade, but now I would use it to kill everyone who tried to stop me.

There was no reasoning with me anymore. Everyone here had already sealed their fate. These disgusting fae of Cerithia and Kizar showing up to watch me slaughter innocent royal families. My rage could not be contained. Now their kingdoms would crumble, and I would stand in the rubble with Cassius. Together we would rebuild this realm.

“With pleasure.” I smiled at Cassius as I stepped toward him menacingly. His golden eyes watched me, but he did not flinch at my appearance. His fear hit me and made me flinch in disgust with myself. Slowly, I walked around him as if I were inspecting my prey. I stopped when I was behind him, where he kneeled in the dirt.

I leaned down and held the dagger at his throat, my mouth brushing against the shell of his ear. I pulled the gag from his mouth. My eyes found my father, who looked as if he was about to win all of this.

“Any last words?” I asked loudly just for the show. The crowd went wild, but all I could focus on was the way Cassius trembled against me. I grabbed his hair and yanked it back, so his ear was against my mouth and my dagger was sitting at his throat.

Before he could answer, I let my darkness take over. It burst around me without being detected, and I smiled as it circled every fae so they wouldn’t be able to leave.

“I love you,” he whispered. I pulled his gag up over his mouth again.

“I love you too, husband,” I answered back in a whisper, making him let out a sigh of relief. “This will be over soon, but you need to stay out of my way. I will not live without you. If you go, I will follow."

The tears silently slid down his cheeks as he shook his head no.

Once I was confident that I had everyone in my trap, I released the magic that allowed me to freeze everyone. At once, the entire gathering became absolutely still and quiet. I took a deep breath as I looked around, readying myself to fulfill my destiny.

I stood and walked toward Tally and Mae.

I wrapped them up in my darkness and carried them to where Cassius and all the other prisoners were kneeling, frozen in time.

My eyes immediately found Cassius’ golden ones, and I smiled at him. My eyes were burning red, and my blood witch markings glowed brightly on my skin.

My darkness was in complete control as I smiled wickedly.

I moved toward Cassius and kneeled down, so I was face to face with him and unfroze him.

“I don’t like feeling your fear.” I lifted my hand and caressed his face as he pressed himself harder into my touch. “I need all of you safe and hidden by my illusion magic. I will not risk losing you.”

I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his, then used my darkness to move all of the royal families to the side and out of the way. I stood, walking toward Tally and Mae as I unfroze them. It took them a confused moment to realize I had them. They glanced around and noticed that everyone around us was frozen.

“What are you doing?” Mae hissed.

“Father will kill all of them slowly in front of you before killing you, you Crimson whore!” Tally spit toward me as I smiled at her.

“You’ll be dead first, Tally, but gods above, I wish I could torture you until you’re begging for death.”

Tally and Mae both stumbled backward, and I let them think they were going to get away. As soon as they almost made it back to their father, I wrapped them up in my darkness and forced them to kneel where Cassius and his father had been.

Come to Cerithia. I summoned the blood witches through the bloodstone that I now had hanging on a chain around my neck. It was tucked in the top of my dress, hidden.

I unfroze the prisoners so they could see what I was doing. My eyes glanced at Cassius as he watched me closely. I felt bad seeing them all tied and bound, but this was for the best. My eyes shifted to his younger brothers and the few other small children that were bound alongside him.

“Children, close your eyes,” I demanded, and they all did. A moment later, my bloodstone pulsed violently around my neck as I forced illusion magic out. It spread in front of Cassius and all the real prisoners, making them disappear as if they weren’t there at all. I smiled when I walked in front of Tally and Mae .

My illusion magic had made Tally look like Cassius and Mae look like the king of Crimson. My father wanted a show, and he would get one. I glanced to where I could feel Cassius watching me, hidden by my illusion magic.

“Illusion magic,” I spoke to him. “No one can see any of you.”

I glanced at Tally, who looked like Cassius, and smiled. “I just want you to know that I caught Jesper fucking Mae in the dining hall last night, and your parents both knew.” She sobbed loudly, and it made me smile.

Then I took my spot behind Tally and held my dagger to her throat like I had been to Cassius only minutes ago. I unfroze everyone and smiled when my father and Gwyn glanced at me like I was about to destroy everything precious to me. They were none the wiser that Tally and Mae had assumed the identities of Cassius and his father.

“This is everything Thea has been working for, so Thea, please break your curse once and for all.” My father urged me. “Make them suffer.”

“Gladly!” I called out, but before I killed Tally, I leaned down to her ear. “I want you to know before I kill you that my husband, Cassius, and I will dance on the ruins of this shitty kingdom.”

Tally started crying and begging behind her gag, but I just chuckled as my darkness begged me to do the honors. So, I stood and tucked my dagger back in its sheath. Then, my darkness formed into a huge black cloud in front of me. The crowd made noises that let me know they approved of the show I was putting on.

Even though I knew this was really Tally in front of me, my darkness hesitated at the sight of a fake Cassius crying and begging in front of me. It’s not him. He’s safe.

Then my darkness reared back before ramming into Tally’s back, piercing completely through her, making a hole big enough you could see through her. Tally didn’t die right away. I could see her gasping for air, but she would never take a breath again. She slumped over dead, still looking like Cassius. I looked at my father, my breathing labored. My wicked smile widened because he looked fucking proud of me.

Gwyn smiled at me for the first time in my life where it wasn’t her being a sarcastic bitch. I couldn’t wait to see their faces when they realized it was their disgusting heirs I was killing. I focused on Mae, who looked at me horrified. I paused for a moment to take in the uncanniness of her looking like Rylan. Glancing around me, I realized that in a few moments, all of these fae would realize they cheered me on to kill Tally and Mae. I smiled.

Mae was shaking her head violently, trying to call out to her mother. My darkness took a step back as my fire came forth. I summoned a ball of fire in front of me, and the crowd died down. They were enjoying this. Sick fucks.

“Burn in hell, Mae,” I whispered so only she could hear. I focused on her rapid breathing and summoned my fire to start inside of her chest. Mae stopped crying almost immediately. My fire was starting to burn brightly under her skin, cooking her from the inside out. A moment later, the flames exploded out of her, leaving a charred hole, and she fell over dead.

The crowd roared with applause. I turned to my father and sneered at him.

“Are you proud of me?” I asked. I could feel myself slipping farther and farther into my darkness. I was hardly in control of myself now.

“Our entire kingdom is proud of you!” My father raised his hands in the air and looked around proudly. Jesper looked at me as if he couldn’t believe I just did that. My red eyes met his, and I glared, full of hatred.

He and my father would die last. The crowd was cheering my name. This was something I could have only dreamed of as a child—to belong here. Now I hated it. I hated every fae in front of me. But I let them cheer me on so that they would feel disgusted with themselves once they realized who I killed .

It was Jesper who realized something felt wrong about this. He always seemed to be the more observant one of the group. He seemed panicked as he turned around, looking for his wife. His eyes found mine, and I gave him a knowing smile.

“What did you do?” he snapped.

My father and Gwyn looked at Jesper like he had lost his mind. The crowd quieted down at the tension. I just stared at him.

“Jesper?” Gwyn asked.

“Where are Tally and Mae?” Jesper yelled.

My father and Gwyn immediately started looking around them but looked to me when they realized the girls were missing. The crowd didn’t make a noise.

"Thea,” my father said.

“You guys were watching me the whole time; I didn’t do anything,” I said innocently. “Except kill Cassius and Rylan, just like you asked me to.”

I cocked my head to the side as I released the illusion magic and focused on Gwyn and my father, wanting to see every detail of their reactions. Their minds took a moment to register what they were looking at before their faces fell in horror at what they saw behind me.