Page 138 of Trial of Thorns
Caelynn
“Cae?” A sweet voicecalls, but my focus is on my prey.
The red-headed girl who will pay for what she’s taken from me. She will die, slow and painful. I don’t care what it costs. I don’t care what happens to me after.
She’s already covered in blood from the small slices I’ve taken. Her eyes are covered in black shadows, seeping deeper and deeper into her mind. Soon, she’ll go insane. I’ll watch with glee as my magic takes over her brain. The moment she lets go, I’ll control her. I’ll own her soul.
“Please!” she cries.
I laugh. “If I had begged for Raven’s life, would you have had mercy?”
“I didn’t know! Please!”
“Didn’t know what?”
I slowly wrap my fingers around her throat, watching closely as her body twitches.
“She’s a child,” Brielle barely gets out, her body slack. She doesn’t fight back.
“She’s the same age I was when my life was taken. Or perhaps what you didn’t know was simply that I was stronger than you?” I lift her into the air. Her throat gurgles pathetically. Legs swinging only slightly.
I smile, even though I know she can’t see it.
Behind me the sound of blade striking blade alerts me that my other opponents are fighting again. It’s time for me to end this, so I can finish them all.
“Cae!” the sweet voice calls again.
I turn, ever so slightly to see a flash of blue-black hair, and my stomach drops. My hand slackens, and Brielle falls, crumpling into a ball at my feet.
My vision clears, eyes focusing on the entire scene before me.
The arena with slack-jawed spectators.
Raven is on her knees in the very corner of the platform, eyes wide in fear. Only feet from her, Rev and Drake twist and turn, blades swinging.
“Raven?” I say, all my rage dissipating, and with it, the fuel for my magic. She scrambles to me, and I meet her halfway, bringing her into my arms. I sob into her hair as she clings tightly to me.
My hands pat her back and neck, uncertain she’s even real.
“Get her out of here, Caelynn!” Rev screams to me.
I pull back. “Go,” I tell Raven, still unsure exactly what happened. I consider going with her, just so I don’t have to release my desperate grip, but no, I still have unfinished business here. “Hop off the edge,” I instruct her. “It’s not a long drop. I’ll be with you soon.”
