Chapter Forty-One
“If there is even one shred of good inside of you, please let me say goodbye to Shad; he is dying,” I mumbled as Cade again stood over me, and I was too weak to even move my head to see what he was doing.
“Sweet, dearest Emma. My brother is a pathetic excuse for a prince. He would make a terrible king. I am doing you a favor. In a few years, once we figure out how, you and I will bond into our own soul song; you and I will be inseparable. You will see; I can be patient. I can wait, but I have plans for Embra—and for you, big plans.”
“I won’t watch you as you destroy a world.
What is your plan? To make everyone soulless?
” I spat at him. I had awakened from my dream of Shad, a memory I cringed at because I had disappointed him with my reaction.
I didn't realize that he loved me then. If I had known, the yellow rose would have brought me more joy than confusion and sadness.
“Of course not,” he smiled and folded his arms. “Soulless are not helpful on Terra, not in the slightest.
“But they are here? Why are you making soulless here, then?”
“Ah, I wished to tell you everything, and then you chose to deceive me, Emma. The time for spilling truths and secrets is over. I have my soul and I have you, my song, and soon we will reach Terra; that is what I will tell you.”
“How can you say it is yours?” I snapped.
“I have preparations to make, sweetheart, as much as I love this chat—” He walked closer to me, and I moved across the bed, pushing my back against the wall.
I realized that I had more strength than I had previously thought, and I knew what he wanted from me.
He wanted the one note of Shad’s, the one note that Shad had put inside of me, that he was missing.
I shook my head. He chuckled. “It's funny how you think you have a say in any of this.”
“No! You can’t have it,” I cried, and I tried to hit him, but his hands held mine down.
I was his prisoner. He was corrupt. I paid attention to his melody as it tried to connect with mine, and as his gaze locked onto mine.
I listened as I felt and heard his need for the one note that Shad had left inside of me.
He wanted that one note; then he wanted to mark me.
I would not let him. That note was all I had left of Shad.
He wasn't in love with me—he wanted to use me.
“That hurts, love,” he said, pulling away from me, touching my hair and my neck with his hands. “I care for you very much.” He kissed my jaw, and I stiffened.
“Leave me alone, Cade.”
He pulled away, just for a moment.
“I know you see me as the bad guy. Is it my fault—” He stopped talking, and I could hear his melody complete the words he wouldn't say out loud. Is it my fault I was beaten as a child by my Father, in an attempt to force a melody out of me? No, Emma, it is not.”
“Those things may not have been your fault—but what you have done to your brother, to me—those acts, are your fault. No matter your past, you always have a choice.”
He laughed, pulling away even further.
“A choice, you say? Well, sure, yes, I chose to take the beatings; I chose to let the two of them manipulate me over and over again. But, not anymore. I won't let them manipulate me again.”
I saw the little boy who he had been, along with two men, sitting in a darkened room. I saw the blood splatters on the floor and the voices shouting, ‘Where is your melody!’ Then another smack ‘Restore it now!’ a second voice said. The scene was gone, and I looked at him.
“Cade, I am so sorry that happened to you—those were evil men; they never should have done that to you.”
He turned his back on me.
“Evil? Yes, corrupt—I didn't know what that was at first—I didn't understand that I wasn't a child of the corruptor, myself.”
“You are an heir, Cade—there is more good than bad.”
“Maybe once, but this is all I have.” He turned to face me and clutched the crystal in his hands at the nape of his neck. “I care for you, Emma, and I don't want to hurt you—and I do believe that if you give us a chance, we could be incredible—unstoppable, together.”
“No,” I said softly
“No? Just like that?”
“You stole your brother's melody, Cade—his soul.” I reached out to touch his shoulder, surprising myself at the softness I offered him, and also the understanding.
But what I witnessed in his memories was brutal and horrible, and it never should have happened to him in the first place.
Maybe he needed to be shown some kindness and gentleness.
He didn't need to steal love and connection.
He needed someone to give something kind to him.
He pulled away from me.
“Don't feel sorry for me, Emma. I can feel the pity in your melody—I don't need pity.” He turned around and smirked at me, moving closer, pushing my back onto the bed. “What I need is that note and your kisses.”
“I’m not kissing you.”
“You will.”
I felt all his pain flow into me from his melody, I felt his pain, his despair and his desire for love. I wished that he had never experienced such sorrow. I leaned closer to him but paused. His eyes were locked on mine beckoning for me to heal him.
His melody was confusing me—blurring lines and making it seem easy to switch sides, but I wouldn't; I couldn't. He flinched away, and I kicked him in the stomach.
He stood up and walked to the door. He did need someone to love him, someone to actually care about him, but that person was never going to be me.
“Until next time, Emma, and be assured, I don’t mind taming you.” There was no light in his voice nor in his eyes as he spoke, and I wondered what that darkness would do to Shad's beautiful melody over time.
I lay there on the bed in a ball and sobbed. Nothing was ever easy; everything was always so darn complicated.