Page 129 of Secrets & Curses of Fate

She was in love with a monster, and the day she figured it out would be the end of us. But would I survive the wrath of a goddess who loved and sacrificed everything for the wrong man?

Chapter 33

Haden; 7 years later

My body ached as I opened my eyes. I glanced up at the cliff high above me, the one I had just hurled myself off of. Like all the other attempts to end it all, I failed and didn’t die. Fucking Ardella had stolen my only way out of this shitty life when she saved me.

I groaned as I stood up like I hadn’t just jumped from a cliff. My body ached, but I could not die, no matter how many times I tried. It had been seven years since Ardella took everything away from me.

Images of her crying and begging me not to leave her plagued me, but I shoved them away.

Her words from that night replayed over and over in my head. My chest ached like it did every time I thought about what she did to me. Part of me couldn’t believe that I made it seven years without her. Then the logical part of my brain kicked in. I should not miss a woman who was a cruel, heartless monster.

“I fucking hate you,” I hissed to the sky, hoping she heard me. “I hope you are fucking miserable wherever you are. You are a coward to never show your face to me!”?

She had not shown herself once in the past seven years. I didn’t feel her lurking in the shadows, and I hadn’t felt her close to me since the night she murdered Remy. I walked through the silent woods toward the small cabin I lived in. It was secluded and away from everyone, far from my old life.

Ardella was probably living a wonderful fucking life. She had probably forgotten about how she murdered Remiah and that she ripped apart my entire fucking heart and lit it on fire. I hated myself for missing her. I hated myself for wondering where life could have been now if she hadn’t destroyed us.?

I sighed heavily as the tugging in my chest became too much. Gods, it felt like I was going to fucking die. I prayed I would. This life was like living in fucking hell, my own personal one. I had just started walking again when dark clouds suddenly moved over me. For a brief moment I glanced around, wondering if it was her. Was this her storm that moved across the sunny sky? I let myself be hopeful for a moment before wrath like I had never felt before gripped that hope and tore it into tiny shreds.

Ardella did not deserve my hope. She didn’t get my happiness. She didn’t get to have any part of me ever again. A sudden, sharp pain deep in my chest had me bending over to catch my breath. Fuck, that hurt. When I glanced up toward my cabin, I felt dread. Loneliness was the worst torture on a soul.

The silence was the worst part of it. I woke up each morning to a deafening silence. I went to bed with the same thing. I did not look forward to anything. My life was pointless. I started walking forward again.?

A flash of red stopped me immediately as I approached my cabin. A moment later, Nev popped his head around the corner. Relief filled me for a brief moment before irritation. I was notsure I could handle Nev and his crazy fucking plans today. The man was always scheming, and I did not want to be involved in it.?

“You look like shit.” Nev eyed me.

“Thanks.” I glared. “What do I owe the pleasure of your visit to?” I sighed as I walked inside. Nev followed without an invitation, which was nothing new. The guy really fucking annoyed me, but he was the only one that seemed to know I was alive and that checked on me. It was the only time my home was not silent.?

“I have a business opportunity for us.” His blue eyes shone brightly.

“No thanks.” I tossed my boots off and sat on my chair, where I would probably sit until I passed out. Gods, this guy really was fucking persistent. I stared up at him as he watched me curiously.

“You didn’t even hear me out.” Nev glared as he stole my bread and ate it. “We can make a lot of money.”

“I have no use for money.” I had no one to spend it on.

Nev rolled his eyes and walked toward the front door like he might leave, but instead, he shut the door and turned toward me with a mischievous smile.

“Everyone has a need for money.” He watched me as I ignored him before sighing. “Alright, what about a need for a wish?”

Great, he had completely gone mad since I saw him last. I said nothing. His eyes looked at me carefully as I watched. Nev was completely crazy. I knew this, and I should have told him to get the fuck away from me.Maybe I will move. Yeah, I could pack up my belongings and move away so he could never find me again. Gods, that sounded fucking tempting.?

“Crimson is doing trials, and the winners get a wish granted,” he said.?

I stared at him, wondering if I should kick him out or if I should indulge in this madness. Fuck it, I was bored.

“How hard are these trials?” I asked, intrigued.

“Hard, but Prince Jesper asked for me to go help stop one of the other contestants from finishing. He said I could bring a friend.” His eyes glanced at my sad cabin before looking back at me. “It’s not like you’re doing anything else with your time.”

Prince Jesper. Why the hell would he care about the Crimson trials? Jesper was not his father in the slightest. He would be a poor ruler when the time came, which seemed to be soon because his father was ill.Maybe I should leave Kizar before he ruins it.Crimson sounded nice.?

“Who is the contestant we’re stopping?”

“Thea Alzara from Cerithia.”

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