Page 45

"Now, it has been another beautiful year of love, and Amias becomes the lovely man he’s supposed to be. I feel honored to have my lineage grow up in such a loving place around such kindness."

She gives me a respectful nod. When I return the gesture, she looks back to the crowd.

"Now it's time for Amias’ wish. As a gift from Father Cosmo himself, he’s to grant us something that will help the kingdom thrive, just as Cosmo had done by making the Gifts.

At this time, Cosmo’s wish will float in front of Amias, as he senses that it is time. ”

There's creaking noises from above as the painted ceiling splits into multiple points. The opening forms a star in the middle as the ceiling moves back, making way for a speck of blue light. I gasp as it dwindles towards me.

Whoa!

The speck grows into an orb the size of my hand, like a falling star that had been outcasted from the sky.

My wish.

Once it floats in front of me, I see sparkles and galaxies slowly swirling inside. It's like the whole universe is in the palm of my hand. “Now it is time.” Grandmother nods.

I gulp as I raise my hands to cup it. The wish buzzes against my hands.

“I wish…”

As I speak, a sudden rage makes my heart hammer, like it were a ticking time bomb, ready to explode. Those creatures don't deserve to live!

No! That thought isn't true! Focus.

“I wish…” My heart thumps harder, drawing my lip back into a sneer. Dreamscreechers should suffer!

No. That thought doesn't make sense! I know the truth! I know dreamscreecher aren't evil!.

But why is the bitterness in my throat the same as before? Why are fingers curling like I could smite the wish? Why does anger burn and tighten my body like I could strangle a dreamscreecher to death?

Had I not learned?

"I wish…" I try to say my wish but I can't think through the rage smothering my thoughts. "I…."

Dreamscreechers are monsters!

They would all be so proud of me if I let it take over, wouldn't they? They would praise me. Dreamscreechers would be dead. All the people staring at me. They would love me. My family would cry of joy.

I squeeze my eyes shut. No! Fight it! It's not right! “I wish…” Dreamscreechers should be tortured. “I wish to see the truth!”

Grandmother gasps. “What?”

I hold the ball of magic tighter between my hands. “I want the truth. Show me the truth! Show the kingdom what really happened with dreamscreechers and Godusa! Show Grandmother!”

Dreamscreechers deserve to be torn apart!

“I wish for you to show us the truth!” I nearly scream the wish as my body tenses like my muscle would burst from my skin.

My eyes strain and the wish glows brighter, the voice still loud in my head. I struggle to suppress it as the orb begins to shake and glow brighter.

Will it work?

The ball grows, rays of blue light flashing out of it. I shield my eyes with an arm to keep from getting blinded.

The wish isn't supposed to do this, is it?

Boom!

I duck and cover my ears at the noise. A few seconds go by as my lungs try to capture more air.

Is it okay now?

I look at where the wish once stood, only to see it's floating remains, now only glowing particles, fizzling out. My jaw hangs, my hands buzzing.

What just happened?

“Your wish…” I look over to Grandmother, her eyes narrowed on the remaining dust.

I step towards her, needing reassurance. My words didn't do that, right? There's no way that…“Grandmother?”

She doesn't even look my way as she watches the fading particles drift past her. Once the final specks dissipate, she gasps. “It got… corrupted…”

“What?” I whisper.

I stare at the crowd. To everyone staring at me. My throat tightens, strangling itself. Each heartbeat hurts. My stomach ties into a knot and squeezes up bile.

The crowd murmurs among themselves, raising their brows at me.

No. No way this is happening.

“The wish doesn't work if someone does it with malice. All wishes must be pure of heart…” Grandmother's eyes slowly widen, her lips twisting in revolution when she turns to me. She holds a hand to her chest, as she speaks loud and clear. “Which means… you're corrupt.”

My body solidifies. My lungs completely deflate.

What? No. I didn't…

No!

I refused those hateful thoughts! How could seeing the truth be corrupt?

“You wanted to hurt our people!” Grandmother yells. Everyone must've heard.

People yell and gasp at her statement. My glance darts between different parts of the crowd as they angrily point at me.

“I told you he was evil!”

“There's no way he would've been refused the gift otherwise!”

“He's a dreamscreecher fucker! That's what he is!”

My throat releases hoarse pathetic breaths as the maids and servers rush over to comfort Grandmother. Her breath is heavy too, tears streaming down her cheeks. “After all I've done…” She whispers, hunching over the balcony.

No! This can't be real! Am I really corrupt? Did I learn nothing?

“Dove!” Hands grab my stiff shoulders and twist me around to face Mother. Her eyes scan my face. “Are you okay?”

I can't respond. I step back from her, nearly falling from how numb and weak my buckling legs are. I shouldn't have let that voice in! It changed everything! Now Grandmother thinks I'm corrupt and everyone else in this room thinks I'm a sick monster and Cosmo has-

“It's okay little dove. We'll fix this! I'm sure you didn't mean-”

“It's all falling apart,” I murmur, my lips trembling with each word. “It's all falling apart.”

Mother embraces me. “I know little dove. I know. It's okay…”

“Am I evil?” I whisper, stepping back from her embrace again. This time, I look down to my hand where I had felt a buzz after the wish first exploded.

A flower had grown. A black star-shaped flower. It's no longer a loving pink. A mutant corrupted version of the amare flower.

The tenebris flower…

No! How did I become corrupt? Why am I growing such a poisonous flower?

I need to get away from everyone. I'm a threat!

“No, little dove!” Mother hushes and steps towards me. “Everything is-”

“Get away from me!” Just as I finish my sentence, black flowers break the floor and twist around Mother, wrapping around her stomach and wrists. She gasps before trying to rip through them, but they're too strong.

Shit!

“Amias, calm down!” I glance over to see Erasmus and Glaide approaching, both putting their hands up defensively.

No! I need to leave! Now! “I'm sorry!” I cry.

“Brother!”

“Amias! You're only making it-”

I dash past Mother and shove myself from between Erasmus and Glaide. They grab my arms and I tug myself away, only for the flowers to twist around them too and pull them back.

“Amias!”

Fuck! What am I doing?

I sprint past them and rush out of the closest door. From there, my feet take me running through dark and silent hallways and stairs, suffocating on my choking throat. I don't know where I'm going but I need to be out of here.

My legs wobble and damn near collapse with each step. Tears threaten to spill.

Why am I evil? How do I fix it? Is it even fixable? Am I too far gone? If I needed anymore evidence that I had become a vile disgusting creature, it's this! I have learned nothing!

I burst through large double doors to the outside and sprint when I realize too late there's a figure in front of me. I crash into it, slamming us to the ground.

I immediately push myself off of them when I look at the face and realize its familiarity. The long brown hair, the slight fire in her eyes caught from a dim lamp post close by.

No. No way. She can't be… Not when I'm like this…

Clara?