24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

A black vortex swirled quickly around Cassius and his guards. My heart nearly stopped. He looked around the crowd before his golden eyes found mine. King Sybrien gave Cassius a subtle head nod, but I saw it.

"Sorry, I’m late,” he said, smiling toward Jesper. “You wrote the wrong time on my invitation. An honest mistake, I’m sure.”

“What the fuck are you doing, Cassius?” Jesper’s guards had already lifted their weapons, but Cassius paid no attention to them. His eyes lingered on my face, tracing over each bruise and cut. His gaze snapped to Jesper with deep hatred. My eyes shifted to Haden, Kace, and Zade behind him. They were all looking at me with no emotion. How was he here? He said he couldn’t cross into Cerithia lands without dying, unless it was war. For fuck’s sake, was he declaring war right now?

I shifted my attention to Cassius when I felt his eyes on me.

“My gods above, Jesper, I didn't know you could afford such a pretty dress." Cassius' smiled at me. "You look stunning, my love, but gray does not suit you. This would be perfect if it were crimson red."

“Leave,” Jesper warned.

“I was invited,” he smiled. Realization set in. He could cross the border if he was invited. In Jesper’s desperate attempt to be petty, he gave Cassius an opening to come to Cerithia. “Besides, I’m not here for the wedding festivities. I’ve come for my prisoner. I’ll leave once they are handcuffed.”

Prisoner?

Did he mean me? It had to be. I glanced around as if I would find an answer to my question in the crowd. My father was glaring daggers at me as if I had concocted this whole thing. Jesper was losing his patience, but Cassius looked amused by the whole exchange. Please take me out of this hell.

“What are you talking about?” Jesper glared at Cassius, enraged by this intrusion.

Cassius looked around at the crowd and sighed heavily. His golden eyes turned black as his shadows swarmed around him. He was putting on a show; why?

“A few days ago, Cerithia broke the peace treaty,” he declared.

An uproar ensued in the crowded room. Jesper froze tensely next to me. That was a very big accusation to say out loud. Had guards snuck onto Crimson lands and been caught?

“That’s bullshit!” My father cursed Cassius.

“Oh, but it’s not,” Cassius tisked at my father like he was an idiot. My father’s hands fisted at his sides. “You have not declared war, so any unprovoked attack on my land is considered a peace treaty violation, is it not?”

“My men have not crossed into your lands, Cassius. What lies are you trying to spin here?”

Cassius’ eyes met mine, and I immediately understood what he was talking about.

Me. I broke the treaty.

“Thea, my love, did you not tell anyone where you were a few days ago?” Cassius smiled smugly at me. “I can tell Jesper probably found out, seeing as your face is covered with cuts and bruises.”

“Jesper?” My father questioned.

Jesper said nothing to my father, but his hand squeezed mine so painfully that I whimpered under the pain.

“Thea crossed into Crimson lands, killed my guards, held a dagger to my throat, and threatened to harm me. She is from Cerithia, and I do believe she is the captain of your guard, is she not?”

My heart hammered in my chest. What was this? Was he going to really sit here and intentionally get me in trouble? What if they did let him take me?

“Yes,” my father ground out. Both he and Gwyn looked like they would kill me.

“Tell them, Thea,” Cassius said with a sweet smile.

My eyes scanned the angry faces of my father and the queen. But when I glanced at Haden, he gave me a subtle nod and smirk.

“Yes, I did what he is accusing me of.”

The other kingdoms whispered as they watched the exchange. I didn’t know it was a treaty violation. Not that it would have stopped me.

“You can’t just fucking listen, can you?” Jesper snarled at me. He had dropped my hand, but only to smack me across the face, making me fall against the table. A loud gasp came from the royal families. Blood dripped from a cut on my lip that had been split open. Jesper tangled his hand into my hair to stand me up, then punched me so hard in the stomach that I fell flat on my back and saw black edging around my vision.

“If you want to keep your hands, Jesper, I suggest you not touch her again.” Cassius’ voice was dark, malicious in his warning. A moment later, shadows swarmed around me, lifting me back to my feet as blood poured from my split lip and onto the gray dress I wore. Cassius then stepped to Jesper and grabbed him by the throat, slamming him against the wall.

Cassius whispered, so only the three of us could hear.

“If you ever touch her like that again, I will cut your fucking head off.” Then he grabbed his dagger and slammed it into Jesper’s thigh before yanking it right back out. Jesper’s pained yell echoed in the silent space. No one dared move or breathe. Cassius’ chest rose and fell in angry puffs as his black eyes turned to inspect me. Then he turned his attention back to the crowd and stepped toward my father.

“As the treaty states, the land that was violated gets to choose the punishment. Thea will be imprisoned in the Crimson kingdom until her violation is paid off.”

“Fuck you, Cassius!” Jesper bellowed. “You are not taking her.”

“But I am Jesper, and there isn’t a fucking thing you can do to stop me. If you try to keep me from enacting my punishment, then I have grounds to kill you right here, right now. And I would gladly rip you apart. Actually, I think I would let Thea do the honors.”

I stood very still. Cassius was taking me. He was taking me to Crimson and away from this nightmare. Even if I were a prisoner, it would be better than being here. Relief flooded me at this news.

“You just can’t stand that she chose me over you,” Jesper hissed.

Cassius laughed loudly.

Haden and the other guards scoffed at Jesper. Haden glanced over at me and frowned at the sight of me. My eyes flickered to Wisp. She was twirling around Cassius, but I didn’t know if this was a good thing yet or not.

“You think that is the face of a woman who chose to marry you? Don’t flatter yourself, Jesper; Thea has better taste than a coward who raises his hand to her. Don’t you, my love ?”

His eyes flickered to mine, but I didn’t speak.

I could feel a shot of calmness running up my arm. Cassius was trying to soothe me through the bond, but it wasn’t working. What if they didn’t let him take me? Would I be tortured slowly? Images of Jesper carving into my flesh and holding me under the bath water plagued me. I saw Cassius wince, and I wondered if he saw it too.

His shadows pushed out farther around him, like he couldn’t help it. They knocked Jesper forcefully so that he stumbled into the table behind him.

“You have to give a length of time for the punishment.” My father stared at me like he would come up and stab me if he could. “A reasonable time.”

“Three months.” Cassius looked at me.

“Two,” my father bit back.

“Deal.” Cassius smiled like he got more time than he thought he would. “I guess you’ll have to postpone the wedding.”

“We can just do it now,” Jesper said harshly.

“Over my dead body.” Cassius came up and grabbed my hand, his thumb rubbing my skin in a quick, gentle movement. He held up a pair of iron cuffs and then attached them to my wrists.

“Take these magic barbs off of her, now.”

Jesper did what he asked but did so roughly that I started bleeding again. Cassius’ eyes watched Jesper closely, and as soon as his hands were off mine, he stumbled backwards as Cassius punched him square in the face. He then wrapped Jesper up in his shadows, his smile menacing as Jesper called out in pain.

“I should gut you right this second.” But instead, he tossed Jesper across the room. Jesper bounced onto the floor after hitting the wall.

I watched Jesper hold his bleeding nose, his eyes wild with anger. I saw his fingers bent at odd angles from Cassius’ shadows. My lips twitched at the sight of him as he cradled his mutilated fingers.

“If you touch him, if you even think about it, I will make your life more unbearable than you could ever imagine.” Jesper glared at me.

“Someone’s possessive,” Cassius whistled mockingly. “Are you ready, little viper?” He spoke the term of endearment just to piss off Jesper, and it worked.

“You have no idea what you’ve done.” Jesper looked at Cassius. “Wait until I have her back and I send pieces of her back to you until there is nothing left of this Crimson whore.”

My eyes flashed back to Cassius, who was very still, his jaw and fists clenched tightly at Jesper’s threat. Cassius gripped his dagger in his hand, and it was obvious that he was contemplating killing Jesper right then. Before he could move, Jesper was lying flat on his back as Haden’s frost shot at him and hit him in the chest. When my eyes found Haden, his face was full of so much anger and rage that I took a hesitant step backward.

Cassius stepped forward, shielding me from Jesper.

“Oh, I know what I’m doing, Jesper. You won’t declare war without her. I just bought myself two extra months of preparations for when you do declare. When I return her to you, Jesper, it will be without her magic barbs, and I hope she uses that chance to rip the limbs from your body.”

Cassius returned to me and took my hand in his softly. I could feel my magic stirring as I realized the cuffs he placed on me didn’t smother my magic.

“Oh, Luren, I almost forgot. I brought you a lovely gift as a congratulations for your daughter's engagement.” He dropped my hand. He got my father a gift. Haden smiled as Cassius grabbed a sack from Kace. Was that blood dripping out of it? Cassius’ eyes flicked to mine, and he gave me a menacing smile as he reached into the bag and pulled Lavtan’s severed head from it. Cassius tossed it to my father. The disgusting thudding noise of Lavtan’s head hitting the table Luren was sitting at made me recoil.

“What the fuck?” The queen screamed.

“I brought your friend to you,” Cassius said with a smile as he crossed his arms over his chest. “A traitor of Crimson. Someone who will never help you take what belongs to me again.” My father’s eyes glanced at me as Cassius walked up to me, his shadows caressing me gently. He leaned in and softly, sensuously pressed his lips to mine.

Before anyone could respond, black shadows rose up and swirled around us. When they disappeared, we were standing back in Crimson. I looked over to see a room full of people staring at me. The king, the queen, Cassius’ siblings, and even the guards. They all smiled when they saw me, but I couldn’t smile back.

I looked at Cassius, who was staring at me oddly. His golden eyes dim in color.

“How long?” The king finally broke the tension.

“Two months,” Cassius answered without looking away from me.

“I was expecting only a month, so that’s good.” His dark eyes looked at me. “Welcome home, Thea.”

But I said nothing. I wasn't sure if I was in shock or if the poison from Jesper's blade still lingered in my mind.

Cassius frowned at me briefly before looking away.

“Let’s get you situated,” he sighed and grabbed my hand, slipping the cuffs off. I pulled it away from him but followed. I knew where he was taking me, and I didn’t want to stay there. I stopped and refused to move when he looked back at me.

“I will stay somewhere else. You are staying in our room," he spoke as if he heard my thoughts.

Fine. I would stay if he were not. Anger was simmering in my chest. I started walking again, and he followed me this time. My body burned in agony. The pain of beatings and torture made me ache all over. I needed a hot shower and sleep. My fire mist rose up and swarmed around me, happy to be free. I couldn’t control it right now, even if I wanted to. Then I felt it—happiness followed by sadness—through the bond. I turned to see my fire mist swirling around Cassius, caressing him like it had missed him.

His eyes found mine, but I turned away from him and continued up the stairs. I hated that I instantly relaxed when I stepped into the space. It smelled like night and rain. It smelled like home, and that pissed me off. I stopped and turned when Cassius followed me inside.

“You shouldn't have taken me!"

“Thea, you didn't want to go back. That was all I needed to hear from you. You are where you belong."

“They have Sybil's family. They have all of their families, and now they will be slaughtered because you took me!"

"That is why you thought you had to go back," he said with a frown. Cassius moved toward me, but I stepped backward. "My love, they do not have their families. Most of them left Cerithia and came to Crimson and Falgon. They lied."

Emotions clouded his handsome features.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I would never let them harm elite magic fae or their families."

Relief filled me. It was just another lie. Fuck, I could have stayed and not endured the beating from Jesper. I nodded and stared into his eyes. Gods, I felt like I was home. But my body and mind ached with everything I had been through.

“You must be exhausted. I will have food brought up for you. Rest. Relax. If you need anything, call for me, and I will come immediately.”

I turned away from him and went to the bedroom. My eyes took in the space, and I felt like the walls were closing in. It looked just as it did when I left. I spotted a piece of paper on his bedside table and walked to it cautiously. It was the note I had scribbled before I left to get the bloodstone. My chest felt heavy after seeing it again. Being here was not easy. The memories of Cassius clouded my mind.

I stripped my ruined dress off and stood in the hot shower for a long time, trying not to think of anything. I didn’t want to feel at all right now. I wanted all my memories to disappear again so I didn't have to remember what Jesper and my family had done to me. Cassius had saved me, but what happened when he didn't return me?

I shook the thoughts away and wrapped myself in a towel. Once I found clothing to sleep in, I hurried into the bed. It was so large that I could stretch out in it comfortably.

I looked at the ceiling and saw no cracks or nails sticking out. Then I fell asleep.