To my shock, the vines are not a whirling violent mass. Of their place is a good looking feminine mendacity asleep on a mattress with the vines rising out of her womb. They don’t thrash or snap; as a substitute, they stand nonetheless and barely vibrate, like they’re holding again—ready for one thing.

I slowly stroll nearer, and that slight tug of apprehension returns to tug me again towards the vines—to this feminine.

“Rose!” Felix says, attempting to run up nearer to the aspect of the mattress. However the vines rear again, able to slice him in half.

I shortly run to get in entrance of him. They will’t take him from me. Not when I’ve lastly discovered him!

“MINE!” I scream, staring down the vines.

Ache radiates all through my whole being. The thorns pierce deeply into muscle and bone. The vines constrict round me, serving to my blood stream sooner into the grasping thorns.

“NO!” Felix screams from distant.

I attempt to discover him by means of the mass of violent foliage and my hair, however I can’t see him. I can solely hear his curses and threats.

I cease shifting. The ache is nearly insufferable as I’m held suspended above the feminine, her copper eyes brilliant and baring into my soul. She tears by means of recollections and feelings, trying to find one thing I can’t identify with a purpose to assist her discover it sooner. Black spots dance on the aspect of my imaginative and prescient, but she nonetheless claws her approach by means of reminiscence after reminiscence.

Lastly, she stops. All remains to be besides the screams and the mixed scent of blood and smoke that permeates the air. Our bodies litter the ground—their shredded organs and blood in swimming pools beneath them. My household and my pals condensed right down to mush beneath the toes of the monsters.

Dominic holds me in his arms and whispers threats in my ear in order that I can’t hear what my father says. However I do know he speaks. His lips transfer regardless of the blood pouring from them.

She doesn’t let go. She continues to drink from him. Felix’s father screams at her. However HE retains me from listening to any of it.

However then her Rose’s deep copper eyes meet mine, and my soul is sucked from my physique.

I observe a younger woman with snow-white hair watch me drink from her father. Dominic whispers issues in her ear to maintain her distracted. To maintain her from being traumatized by my father. She is so younger and doesn’t deserve this.

“You tore a home aside within the identify of your greed. Due to that, the shadows will deliver forth the sunshine wanted to indicate the reality. And as soon as the blood of a vengeful ghost is discovered, then this kingdom will lastly be freed from you,” the King shouts, pointing at my father.

However as quickly because the phrases are spoken, I really feel the magik slither into my womb and maintain on tight. I attempt to let go, however Father continues to scream at me to complete it. I can not disobey him, irrespective of how a lot I need to. He’s my King. If I present any form of weak point, he’ll kill me. It doesn’t matter if I’m the inheritor to the throne; he is not going to tolerate any ounce of disobedience. And if I give in now, every thing we’ve been working for can be in jeopardy.

The King goes limp in my arms, and my mouth goes dry as I swallow the final drop of his blood. I slowly lay him on the bottom with as a lot respect as doable. This household didn’t deserve this.

I put my impassive masks again in place earlier than I flip towards my father’s outstretched hand. However earlier than I can contact it, ache blasts by means of my physique and forces me to my knees. I attempt to push it away till I can get someplace personal. My screams pierce the air, and my flesh splits open. However there is no such thing as a blood. There isn’t any gore. Solely vines pour from my abdomen. It seems like they’re being ripped from my veins and organs. The vines get thicker and sooner as they devour the our bodies round me. I really feel their essence being fed again to me and setting my veins on fireplace.

I hear their screams now, their final moments, as a result of I maintain their souls inside me, holding them prisoner till the blood of a vengeful ghost is discovered. Till I drink each final drop.

However then there’s a reassuring voice that drowns out all of the terrifying screams. “I maintain no grudge towards you. I do know why you adopted his orders. The curse latched onto you due to your want to cease him. So use it. Wield it. Its energy is now yours.”

My soul shoots again into my physique, and I’m as soon as once more staring into the copper eyes on the mattress.

“Somebody desires to speak to you,” she whispers in a raspy voice.

The world shifts and contorts, making my abdomen cramp from preventing to carry on to something within it. Colours dance till I land softly on my toes in the identical room because the final imaginative and prescient. However there is no such thing as a blood, gore, or Keryth destroying a household. The darkish wooden floors are so clear they shine within the candlelight of the large chandeliers hanging from the impossibly excessive ceilings.

Reminiscences of this room come flooding again abruptly, enjoying earlier than me in blue smoke and shadows. I see myself at 5 years outdated, enjoying with small dolls within the nook whereas my mom had tea with the opposite women. Ten years outdated portray whereas my father held conferences concerning the winter months. Fifteen, lastly sufficiently old to go to my first ball. However then there’s solely my father standing earlier than me. His lengthy white hair is in intricate braids that hold on both sides of his type face. His eyes glow with an eerie gentle that grows brighter when he smiles and reaches for me.

“My daughter, look how a lot you might have grown,” his voice barely echoes, however remains to be the identical soothing cadence I’ve just lately remembered.

“Father!” I run to him and maintain on tight as his arms wrap round me.

“Oh, my stunning, stunning woman. I’ve been watching you as a lot as I can and am extremely happy with you!”

A bizarre sensation strikes by means of my bones, and tears pour from my eyes. My father rigorously lifts me into his lap, holding me towards his chest whereas rocking me forwards and backwards. He does this each time I’m scared. He by no means cares how foolish the factor that scared me is.

I look into his blue eyes and provides him my finest teary smile.

“Poppa, I’m sorry. I do know you might be busy.”

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