49. Chapter 49 #2
Yareli hesitated a moment longer; something about the painting called to her, a promising source of intel, but the ground trembled as though in warning, and she, lamentably, moved on.
Finally, she found it—a painting with her name on it, a collage of brown, black, and purple.
She touched it. Amazement filled her as the corridor disassembled in front of her, falling apart in blocks.
A familiar cafe sprung up, and she saw herself—frightened and crying—as he kidnapped her.
She swiped her hand, swiping the memory away.
That wasn’t the memory she was looking for.
She skipped through the memories she knew until she found one that she didn’t recognize.
Tuom was on an open-air balcony facing the sea.
The glass table he sat at was lined with the same iridescent seashells that covered the floor.
He took a sip of his coffee, the porcelain cup gleaming in the bright afternoon sun. He spoke out loud.
“What an ironic location you’ve chosen for this meeting.” He placed his cup down, clinking it against its small plate. “Although, given the meeting’s nature, it might be appropriate. So,” he said, turning to the dark entryway, “What do you wish for in exchange, Flame General Allyah?”
Sourness filled the pit of Yareli’s stomach. Allyah’s betrayal shouldn’t have come as a surprise, but still, it rocked her. She had urged Yareli to flee the Fire Court, to not fall into the hands of the enemy, but here it was—the evidence that she had betrayed them.
Allyah stepped into the patio, dressed in a dark travel robe. “Independence from Izmari.”
“What makes you believe I have the power to grant such a thing?” Tuom asked, amusement in his voice.
She scoffed. “I am not like the other fools in the trifecta; I’ve heard the rumors. You’ll soon overtake the queen and establish a new kingdom. I want the Fire Court’s independence."
“Even if those rumors were true, you believe a human girl is worth that much?”
Allyah slid her gaze to the sea, watching the waves crash onto the rocks below. Her voice was cool when she spoke. “You wouldn’t be here otherwise. Besides, the girl has magic now.”
Tuom’s eyebrow quirked up.
“I see. Then, I suppose it’s time she returns to my side; I allowed the leash to run too far. Don’t you agree?”
Allyah said nothing. “I want my name out of it. Let her complete the Fire Festival, then retrieve her. I’ve grown tired of her insolence.”
“She does have an attitude that gets under your skin.”
“I would have thought you’d have trained her better.”
Tuom shrugged. “A miscalculation on my end.” He handed her a scroll. “Here are the terms. Make sure she doesn’t die in the final challenge.”
Allyah skimmed the scroll’s contents. Her voice hardened. “You propose staging an attack on Andhar?”
“We must separate her from your ex-fiancé. His presence is meddlesome; he has a ward on her now, keeping me from approaching her without alerting him. It’s distance-based. I need you to separate them so I may break it.”
She leveled a cold stare at Tuom, saying, “If I agree to this, you will uphold your end of the bargain. After all, it’s my citizens I’m risking.”
Tuom smiled, sipping his coffee before responding. “Of course.”
“I’ll send a message.” Allyah stood, her robe flitting behind her as she walked away.
“This is where he ended the engagement, isn’t it?” Tuom’s words froze Allyah in place. “How fitting that you take something from him in the same place he took something from you.”
“You know nothing of what you speak about,” Allyah replied coldly and left.
Tuom chuckled, and his laughter stayed with Yareli as the memory faded. She panted for breath, placing her hand on the wall.
Save yourself, Allyah’s words came back to her.
She had known what was awaiting Yareli and had mocked her.
Any admiration and respect Yareli had for her dissipated.
Fury rose. Yareli should have known better than to trust a snake that had bitten her once already.
She was disgusted by how easily those in power had traded her around as if she were nothing.
And now, the coup that threatened the human world had begun.
Those same powerful Fae were poised to invade her world and trade humans like cattle.
She ground her teeth in frustration. Even with her newfound power, she had barely overpowered Tuom, and he was one of many strong enemies. Weni chimed in.
What you need is power.
“Shut up,” Yareli said. She was tired of being told what to do.
Then, become the one everyone answers to.
That gave her pause—Weni was right. Yareli wanted to laugh; she had spent so long debating the morality of power, about her rage, but she had failed to consider one thing—the powerful gave no fucks about the weak like her.
Why should she give a fuck about their lives? She would take what she was owed.
Weni echoed her sentiment, saying, Claim what’s yours. Go to the palace.
Yareli retreated from Tuom’s mind.
Returning to awareness in her own body was a jolting experience.
Gravity pulled her down, making her movements feel sluggish.
Tuom still struggled against his restraints; his face, red from exertion, was contorted by fury.
She straightened momentarily, cracking her neck, and stepped on him as she bent down.
She smirked, drawing a dagger from nothing—compressing magic into a tangible object—and plunged it into his side, between two ribs, stopping short of his heart.
“You don’t seem to understand.” She pressed her foot harder until he groaned in pain. “This was meant for me.”
He laughed, surprising her. “You’re a fool. In time, you will realize what I offered was a mercy. You will never be the same.”
Yareli raised her lip in disgust, tired of his cryptic sentences that meant nothing to her.
“Change happens much faster for humans. I’m not afraid of it anymore.”
His laughter was cut short by the sickening sound of gurgling liquid; the bleeding had reached his lungs.
“Fool. You may kill me, but they will come for you.”
“Let them come. I’ll kill them all,” she spat.
Yareli twisted the dagger. His laughter ceased, his body convulsing.
His eyes zeroed in on hers; hatred gleamed in them, hardening them like coal.
She held his stare as life drained out of him, holding the weight of his death in her hands.
The curse lifted off of her, the chain on her life force dissipating into nothingness.
His eyes, already cloudy, remained fixed on her as though his hatred had transcended death and promised to haunt her forever.
Disbelief at the scene before her held her captive.
He was dead. One glance told her Bri was unharmed and still unconscious.
She collapsed then, falling onto her hands and knees. Dead. He was dead.
Vomit rose hard and quick, and she emptied her stomach acid onto the floor, splashing the corpse beside her.
Her arms shook, and her wounds bled, dripping fat droplets of blood on the floor, mixing with her vomit.
She clenched her hands, dragging her nails across the floor.
She had done it; she had killed el hijo de puta. Another wave of nausea rocked her body.
She told herself it was because of the strain she had put her body through. Her magic was depleted, raw just like that time during the second challenge. He had deserved to die.
Good. You did great, little bird. Weni’s voice sounded stronger, clearer in her head than ever before. Now, save your friend and return to where it all started.
Yareli picked herself up, holding her hand to her wound.
She tried healing it, but it didn’t quite work like Erick’s healing.
It did stop bleeding, however, and that was enough for now.
She was free, but she found no happiness in that truth.
It had cost her. What it had, however, she didn’t want to think about it yet.
She glanced at Bri; it was time to free her friend.