Page 54 of War of Her Heart

“No, because you’re evil and . . . and cruel,” I answered, keeping my eyes on the ground.

“Really? You didn’t seem to feel that way when I told you about my father. It’s almost like you’re trying to convince yourself I’m bad.”

“You are,” I said as I laid my hand on the ground before me, where that creature lay before disappearing into nothing. I was doing everything I could to not look at him.

“You’re right. I am. But do we not all have a little darkness in us?”

“No,” I mumbled.

“You mean to tell me you’ve never had . . . bad thoughts?” he asked.

I had. When something upset me and I couldn’t show how I felt, it would build inside of me. I would run scenarios in my head of what I wish I had said or did. And it would fester and grow darker and darker the longer I thought about it.

Usually those thoughts were about Celine. Or, during the times I’d hidden behind the curtains and watched Calum at his mother’s parties, about the beautiful females that would fawn over him, begging for his attention. I wanted them all to die.

“I thought so,” he said as if he could hear what I was thinking. I knew I didn’t say it out loud, but he must have taken my moment of silence as confirmation.

“It is still wrong,” I said as I stood up and crossed my arms, locking eyes with him.

“Why, though? Because someone said it is? That we should fight against our true nature because someone tells us to?” He took a step closer to me, but I didn’t back away. I kept my head high, holding my ground. “I have darkness in me. The darkness from my mother and power from my father made me who I am. Should I not use the gifts I was given to get what I want?”

He was right. If I was given even an ounce of the power he had, I would use it. But I said nothing. Instead, I kept his glare as he continued to inch closer to me.

“Tell me, love, if you had my gifts, would you not use them to get rid of the ones standing between you and your Sovereign? Or . . .” He grabbed my neck and pulled my face until it was only inches from his before he said, “The other things you feel deep inside?”

My eyes widened at what he had done for a moment before I quickly changed my expression, knowing I was giving him what he wanted. “I’d let them burn,” I whispered.

“Just say the word,” he said as a wicked grin came across his face.

I rolled my eyes and pushed him away. “I came out here to be alone, not to be followed by you.”

“You spend all day alone in your room,” he said.

“I wanted a change of scenery.”

Sebastian bowed as he said, “As you wish, love,” and disappeared before my eyes.

He was such an ass.

Even so, I couldn’t help but smile.

23

Chapter 23

Calum

“Are you even listening to me?”

No. I wasn’t. I zoned out of the conversation the second I saw Violet walking through the garden and into the woods. Where was she going?

All I wanted to do was to follow her. To protect her.

But I couldn’t.

Nathara and I had been on the balcony for what seemed like hours looking at flowers.

She had a florist brought in from the Flower Realm to show us every type of red flower possible for our wedding ceremony.

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