Page 75 of Bound Paths
Cassandra hadn’t felt her sister’s presence beyond the veil—but it had only been a few days since the Lake of Spirits had been stolen. Celeste may never recover from the power she wielded. Cassandra wasn’t sure she felt anything one way or the other.
“Andie?” The governor’s use of her pet name was all she needed to hear.
“Eric,” she replied.
His head tilted as if surprised by the greeting.
“I’m no longer who I was. Celeste’s actions have consequences you can’t even begin to understand. I should take back everything that was stolen and leave this village to the fate the gods have in store for the continent.”
Her father’s eyes widened in surprise. “We hoped you were returning to us.”
“Hope is not a strategy,” Cassandra replied, pulling the sword from its sheath at her hip. “When I last arrived on the continent, these villagers”—her gaze lingered on Garth over her father’s shoulder, and she gestured with her weapon—“tried to trap me. I know Celeste told you more about the spirits and veil cats than she let on.” Cassandra’s sigh was deep. It was unclear if Celeste had known the implications of her actions. Cassandra wasn’t sure what to believe. It was another knot in her chest where all her feelings about her sister should be.
The reasons didn’t matter.
The damage had been done.
“Veil cats will no longer travel between realms. I keep telling myself this isn’t your fault. You are reacting to the situation the gods put you in, but every time I think about the devastation you have wrought…I have a hard time remembering that.”
“Cassandra,” her father tried.
“Please don’t.” Cassandra shook her head. “You’ve made your choices, and I’ve made mine. Celeste knew what her actions would cost me. She took them anyway.” Cassandra lifted her chin. “Now, we must each play the parts we chose.”
“And what part is that?” her father asked.
“You may call me the Lady of the Veil. I rule the next phase of human existence, and I will not take kindly to any interruption of a spirit’s journey to my realm.”
Her father swallowed.
“Remember,”—she pointed again with her sword—“each of you will end up in my realm someday. Any actions you take against helpless spirits will be paid back tenfold.”
This was why she was here. These villagers were the only ones who knew about the magic of the spirits. She needed to ensure the information didn’t spread. Spirits needed to remain protected on their journey. The wide-eyed villagers, herfather included, seemed to understand her threat. All would be residents of the veil at some point.
It was inescapable.
“I see we understand each other.” Cassandra didn’t wait for the villagers to finish nodding. As their heads dipped in understanding, the Lady of the Veil returned to her realm.
CHAPTER THIRTY
“That makes a lot of sense, actually.”Luc’s voice broke through the stillness in Rose’s head after reading the journal entry that used Andie’s full name.
Her suspicions had been confirmed. The how was more devastating than she could have imagined.
“Which part?”she asked. The entire thing made perfect sense. It wrapped all the pieces they had together in a nice, neat bow. Rose didn’t have siblings, she couldn’t even begin to imagine Cassandra’s heartbreak. She’d suspected Celeste had done something terrible, but this surpassed her expectations. Celeste and Andie’s—Cassandra’s—journal was part research, part confession.
Cassandra had been human once.
Her entries stopped after waking up beyond the veil with a host of veil cats surrounding her and calling her one of their own. What followed was wholly different. A confession of a woman responsible for the lives of many and deciding their care was worth the existence of others—was worth the price of her sister’s human life. It took Rose longer than she cared to acceptwho Andie was—what Andie would become based on Celeste’s actions.
Taking it all? Desperation could drive one to reckless actions. She knew that. But this seemed particularly careless.
The gods’ carelessness had driven Cassandra’s twin sister to a level of desperation Rose couldn’t comprehend. To steal her sister’s decision from her—to force her to a life beyond the veil. No wonder Cassandra didn’t take kindly to visitors.
“The Suden only have these journals because they were encased within a protected area on the continent, even after the Flood. It took a lot of earth magic to…excavate them,”he replied.
The fortress Celeste built around her village with the magic from the spirits she stole would have been the only thing protecting the text. No wonder so few remain. How could Arie and Aurora not have known this had happened? She shook her head, realizing this was further proof of their negligence.
Her gaze raised to meet Arie’s. Seated next to her, he looked a little sad, but not like he wanted her pity. Next to him, Aurora’s shoulders fell as she finished the last passage.
