Page 173 of Her Dark Promise

“Emilia! Are you still in there?” Bastian called. “Fight her!”

Circe rolled her glowing golden eyes and flicked her fingers. Both of the brothers were flung backward and slid along the polished floor.

I gasped and turned to find Bastian had collided with the table, breaking a piece of the leg off. He made a small sound, and staggered to get up. Soren had flown over the table, knocking into a chair and slamming into the floor.

My shadows roared to my lifted palm, ready to defend them and fight Circe to ensure that no one else got harmed by her hand. I flung my shadows toward Circe, but she sighed, not worried in the slightest. I wasn’t sure when she erected a barrier, but my shadows hit something and swirled around her body, unable to strike her.

“Are you done with your tantrum?”

I ground my teeth together, and called upon every shred of power I possessed. My body was overheating, and my head was pounding under the pressure my power was exerting.

I was almost brought to my knees as I pushed every ounce of my energy at Circe, willing her barrier to break. Her smirk waned slightly. She put her hands up in front of her and chanted something under her breath as cuts began to show up along her pale skin. I smiled wickedly; I could see she was almost broughtdown to her knees. She fisted her hands, and the shadows evaporated into nothing.

Blood leaked from Circe’s nose. She wiped it off with the back of her hand and said, “Now now, Callie, you don’t want to hurt your precious Emilia, do you?”

My shadows immediately dispersed. I focused back on Circe and remembered that it was Emilia’s face that was staring right back. How could I have forgotten that?

I could sense Bastian and Soren getting back up, ready to fight right alongside me, but I couldn’t allow them to get in the way. I couldn’t allow them to be hurt. Before I could do anything, they both collapsed where they stood. Not moving.

“Bastian! Soren!” I almost ran to them, but didn’t want to turn my back on Circe. “What did you do?”

“They are just resting for a moment while the women speak.”

I wanted to give Circe a chance to do the right thing, so I pleaded to her, “Atone for your sins, Circe. Depart from this world doing something good for a change.”

“Good?” She played around with the word, as if tasting it on her tongue. “Good? What a callous word it is. It could mean many things to different people. To me, I was doing something good for my people. I broke all the rules because I believed in you.”

“I know you did,” I uttered, desperately trying to appeal to the softer side of her. The very side that had wanted to spare me so long ago. “I made a mistake. I was young and scared. You were trying to save me from my father.” My vision grew cloudy. “I am sorry, Circe. I am so sorry. But, please… Please spare Emilia.”

“I begged your father to spare my people… You know what he did?”

I didn’t answer her.

“Nothing.”

I couldn’t hold it in any longer. I propelled my shadows to her once more and just as they were about to strike, she deflected them and shot a blast of energy my way. I wasn’t expecting it and was hit in the head, and knocked over. My wrist bent back at an ungodly angle, and I screamed at the pain.

I moved to stand quickly, getting my bearings, cradling my wrist into my chest as the healing process took effect, but not as quickly as before.

What was happening?

Before I could call my shadows again, Circe flicked her wrist to the right, and my head whipped with her movement. She flicked her hand to the left and my head followed the direction. She squeezed her hand, staring at my leg, and I could feel the bones crunching together as if an invisible hand were squeezing it.

The pain surged through me like a relentless tide, each wave threatening to pull me under. I could feel the familiar darkness closing in; if it didn’t stop, I knew I’d slip into oblivion. Desperate for a lifeline, I clung to the fading echoes of my loved ones—their laughter, their warmth, despite everything that had transpired between us. But as the shooting pain intensified, one face rose above the rest, sharp and clear amid the chaos—Annabelle. I clung to her memory in the darkness, using it as my anchor to climb out of the pit Circe had tried to keep me in, driving me forward with an unyielding force. I refused to allow Circe to win; I would fight through this torment, fueled by the ghost of Annabelle’s presence.

I shrieked, “You murdered Annabelle!” The words that I knew to be true. “I know you did; I heard you. You were going to kill my entire family.”

Her lip pulled back, baring her teeth at me. “I was going to save you. I was going to give you a home! A family that understood you, that was like you. One who loved you, not in spite of, but because of what you are.”

“You never asked me if that’s what I wanted.” I could feel my bones healing itself, but slowly. I needed a little more time.

“Your ancestors killed thousands of my people, but even worse, many of your own people. Hysteria has killed for centuries. Even now, it rules in that little village who sacrifices children to the beast. I wanted to end it and thought you had the nerve to do it with me. But you don’t. You never had courage. Emilia, on the other hand? She yearned for revenge. She wanted the same thing I did, and I felt her pain when you denied her. When you kept her hidden in these walls instead of giving her the strength she needed to fight her demons.”

My vision grew hazy, and through the pain, I felt longing. “I was trying to protect her.”

“You wanted to keep her to yourself. You couldn’t let her go.” Her voice cracked. “I felt the same about you… I didn’t want to let you go. I had grown to care for you. I swore to my coven you were different from your father. That you would save us. But you betrayed me, and you betrayed Emilia.”

I pulled my power to me, discreetly gathering as much as I could. “I love Emilia.”

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