ra'

ill came to my mind, and with each passing second, the pieces of the puzzle started to click together. His curse, t

ng in front of me. I could understand it, I could even feel the weight of it, but it didn't change t

eing. His harsh words from last night still burned, and the way he treated me like a tool, like I was nothing more than an o

e pity I f

s the urge to sympathize with him. It wasn't my place to pity him. Not when he had been nothin

had softened, just for a moment, when he spoke about his curse. The hesitation in his voice when

last night meant nothing," he said, his tone like a blade. "You shouldn't think for a

ing. His cold attitude stung, bu

where I stood in his twisted world. If he wanted to pu

y from him. Slow

ring

rm as I walked away. Every instinct screamed to look back, To make hi

s echoing off the stone walls as he followed me. B

every step I took. He didn't say anything at first. He just watched, as

I re

to give him tha

rl, barely a sound, escaped his l

my sides to keep from trembling. I could hear his bre

ing. I could feel it. He was used to being in control, used to

e fight he w

ld feel t

unspoken tension. I let my hand hover just above the doorknob before I spoke, my voice cal

nd stepped inside, leav

an's

I was expecting her to scream, to throw something at me, or at the

gnore

my mind. Something unsettling,

ked away from me like that. Not even the ones I hu

y from the door, my hands curling into fists. I wanted to

I suppose

ed to feeli

ustration, either. No, it was something e

t have the luxury

away from the questions that were in my mind. The air was sharp, biting at my skin, but

I had lost, pushing me further. Each step felt heavier, the forest clo

the sky. The moon was high, distant, like a cold reminder of everything I could never t

ar

ked at me, the way she'd walked away, like I wasn't worth the fight. She wasn't scared of me, not

worse than a

ightening as I pressed my back ag

couldn't afford to let her get

might be able to push her

es. A faint rust

ne of my instinc

voice. A voice I ha

Look what the

nife at my side. The voice was like poison, laced

Hollow

best frien

who betr

athed, my teeth

ong black hair falling loosely around his face. His eyes-onc

he said, his lips curling into a twisted s

I'd buried deep resurfaced. T

n?" My voice was like s

sperate with hunger. "I want your title, your land, your people. I

shook with the need to rip him apart. He had the nerve to show up here, after everyth

nsion, but I kept my eyes on him, never breaking contac

ever loyal to you? No, Kieran, I was loyal to power. And now you have none. You're noth

nt-up fury. He dodged, but I didn't stop. The memory of his betrayal fueled every stri

just as vicious. We were like animals, locked in

, his voice dripping with bitterness. "You're w

with rage. "You don't know

king across my chest, and I growled in pain, but I didn