Page 21 of Secrets Of Blackwood

“Enjoy this moment,” I whisper to the night, my voice as sharp as the blade of revenge I wield. “It will be your last.”

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The crisp air bites at my skin as I stalk away from the lovers’ hideaway, each step a silent vow. The shadows of the towering oak trees stretch across the path like dark fingers, grasping at the remnants of my composure, but I’m beyond the reach of remorse now. My mind is a maelstrom of chaos and cunning, every thought sharpened to a fine point—revenge.

I know Damien’s secrets, the skeletons he keeps locked away, and with this knowledge comes power. Power to crush, to sever, to manipulate the strings of his fate until he dances to my tune. A wicked smile curls my lips; it’s time to orchestrate the end of Damien Blackwood and Lily Whitfield’s tragic little romance.

“Damien,” I call out, striding into the moonlit clearing where he stands alone, lost in thought. My voice slices through the silence, loaded with a venom that would make a viper envious.

He turns, his piercing gray eyes locking onto mine, and for a moment, there’s a flicker of something vulnerable in his gaze. But it’s gone as quickly as it came, replaced by the stony facade I know all too well.

“Victoria,” he says, his tone guarded. “What are you doing here?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” I step closer, letting the moonlight illuminate my face, casting half of it in shadow. “I know about you and Lily. Your sordid little affair.”

His jaw clenches, and there’s a flash of anger in his eyes before he schools his features into indifference. “There’s nothing to know.”

“Please.” I scoff, circling him like a predator sizing up its prey. “Spare me the lies. I’ve seen enough. And unless you want your dirty laundry aired before the entire academy…”

“Victoria,” he cuts in, a hint of desperation creeping into his voice. “You wouldn’t.”

“Try me.” The words are ice, and they hang between us like a guillotine blade poised to fall. “End it with her, or everyone will know about the darkness you hide, the past you’ve tried so hard to bury. I can ruin you, Damien. Don’t doubt that for a second.”

Our gazes lock, an electric current of tension crackling in the air. He knows I hold the power now. And as much as it kills him, he also knows he has no choice but to bend to my will. With one final glance, filled with a storm of emotions I refuse to decipher, he strides past me, leaving me victorious yet hollow.

I’ve won, but the taste of triumph is ashen on my tongue.

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Damien

My pulse hammers in my ears, every beat a stark reminder of what’s at stake. Victoria’s threat slices through the silence of the secluded spot like a blade, and I can almost see the future crumbling—our future, mine and Lily’s. If word gets out about us, if it paints the academy walls with scandal, it could mean expulsion. Worse, it could shatter Lily, who is too pure for the ugliness that would follow.

“Victoria, listen to me,” I say, voice steady despite the chaos raging within. “You don’t understand what you’re threatening. Lily… she’s not like the rest of us. She’s good, genuine. We’re not playing games here.”

She stands there, arms crossed over her chest, her eyes devoid of warmth. It’s as if the girl I once knew has been encased in ice, her heart shielded behind a fortress of frost.

“Real?” Victoria’s laugh is a cold snap echoing between us. “Your idea of real is warped, Damien. You think you love her? That this little affair is anything but a ticking time bomb?”

“Love isn’t a weakness, Victoria.” I step closer, searching for a flicker of the person she used to be, someone who might have understood. “It’s strength. Lily gives me strength.”

“Strength?” Her lips twist into a sneer. “Let’s see how strong you feel when everything comes crashing down around you.”

Her resolve is a palpable force, and I know then that she won’t relent. This is no idle threat; this is war. But I can’t let Lily become collateral damage. I can’t let her softness be torn apart by the jagged edges of our past.

“Please, for whatever we once had…” My plea hangs heavy in the cool evening air, but it’s met with a gaze as chilling as the stone statues that line the academy’s ancient halls.

“Whatever we had died long ago, Damien.” Victoria’s voice is flat, unforgiving. “And now, so will your romance with Lily unless you end it. Tonight.”

I’m no stranger to darkness. It lives within me, a constant companion whispering sinister paths and easy escapes. But Lily, she’s the light that keeps the shadows at bay. And now, because of my own mistakes, because of a past that refuses to stay buried, I must choose between the darkness and the only brightness I’ve ever known.

“Fine,” I grind out the word, each syllable laced with defeat. “I’ll do it. I’ll end it.”

The triumph in Victoria’s smile doesn’t reach her eyes. They remain as desolate as a winter’s night, reflecting none of the fire that victory should ignite. I turn away, feeling her eyes on my back, knowing that even though I walk away from her, it’s towards an even greater agony—the agony of breaking Lily’s heart.

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I watch her, the way the moonlight casts shadows over her angular face, turning her expression into something cruel and beautiful all at once. Victoria’s lips twist into a smirk as she draws a thin envelope from the folds of her jacket.

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