CHAPTER 16 #3
“So you took it?” He was shouting now. “Ripped it from my head whilst I was trapped in that cursed sleep you forced on me?”
“Yes – but I was careful, I only looked for that–”
He laughed once, a cold humourless sound. “Well, that’s better then.”
She moved closer without conscious thought. “I saw it. What you’re trying to stop. The vision. You’re not trying to hurt Vallenna. You’re trying to save it.”
He stepped back. His magic flared around him, a warning – crimson and unsettled.
Kara’s breath trembled. “You’re so brave.”
“Don’t say that.”
She edged towards him. “Please–”
She laid a hand on his arm. It was pure instinct, not strategy. Just regret. He recoiled like she’d struck him.
“Don’t touch me. Not with your hands or your magic.”
Sebastian whipped around, turning his back to her, but the movement had made his sleeve fall back, revealing the smooth, unmarked skin beneath.
He stared. Then slowly – as if afraid of what he’d find – he lifted his arm and turned it over.
Kara’s stomach plummeted. He looked at it like it belonged to someone else.
Then he checked his other arm. His hands.
Reached up to feel his chin. But there was nothing there for him to find.
He staggered back a step, his breath stuttering.
His voice, when it came, was strangled. “What did you do?”
“Sebastian–”
And then he exploded.
“What the hells have you done to me?” he roared, as he spun and closed the gap between them, his crimson flaring up his arms. “Where are my scars? Where are they?”
She backed up fast to put distance between them, stumbling slightly, until her shoulders hit the tree.
Oh.
And suddenly she saw it. What everyone else now saw when they looked at Sebastian Thorne. What they feared.
A killer.
But just as her panic spiked, he stopped.
Didn’t come closer. Didn’t put his hands on her.
He stood there, magic spitting off him in violent crimson sparks.
The heat of it seared her skin. His fists were rigid at his sides, but they were trembling.
Kara could tell it was only sheer willpower holding him still.
She had never seen him look so terrifying.
He could kill me. Right now. Easily.
If anyone else had erased his scars, violated his body in that way, she did not think he would have found the restraint–
They would not still be standing.
She stammered. “I–I didn’t mean to–”
“You erased everything I survived!” he snarled. “Every mark I earned! Everything you didn’t like.”
The accusation shocked her. She hadn’t done it on purpose.
“I was trying to help,” she shouted desperately. “You were seizing! The mind magic hurt you. I had to heal you, I didn’t know it would–”
“You stripped me,” he hissed. “Do you even understand what those scars meant?”
She did. Every mark was a battle. Proof of survival. A piece of his history written on his skin. And she’d erased it all.
“It was an accident,” Kara cried, tears spilling. “My magic went out of control. I swear, I tried to stop it – I know what they meant–”
“You were only healing pain you caused,” Sebastian spat, his face now inches from hers, rage barely controlled. “You bound me. Violated me. Hurt me. Don’t you dare call it kindness.”
“I’m not,” she said through her tears. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Sebastian! For all of it.”
For a moment, there was only silence, his gaze burning into her. Then he hissed, “Not good enough, Kara.”
That hit something sharp inside of her. But then her anger flared in return. She shoved him away from her, harder than she meant to.
“We’re only here,” she snapped, “because you decided to play the hero.”
The force of it rocked him back a step, his boots scraping in the dirt. But he looked more shocked than angry. He clearly hadn’t expected her to fight him. His crimson fizzled out.
“You didn’t tell anyone. Not me. Not the Council. You took the Shards, lit the world on fire, and expected us to understand afterwards?” She carried on, unable to stop herself. “People have died because of what you’ve done.”
He stared at her like he’d never seen her before. When he spoke again, the words were quiet. “I tried to warn them. Do you think I wanted this?” he asked. “To be hunted? Hated? To have innocent blood on my hands?”
“No, I don’t,” Kara said fiercely. “But would you rather I’d accepted the Council’s orders without question? Taken you back to the City? They would do so much worse to you. Just like you said.”
He faltered. The fear he was trying so hard to bury flashing across his face.
“They say a ‘trial,’” she added bitterly, “but we both know what the sentence would have been.”
His eyes searched hers, wary and furious all at once.
“I wasn’t going to take you back unless I was sure,” she said, voice trembling. “I knew you must have had a reason. I never believed you were doing it to hurt us, but I had to be certain. I asked you Sebastian before I cast–” She broke off. “You wouldn’t tell me.”
Sebastian held her gaze. He remembered that she’d asked him, she could tell. The fire in him cooled, and something flashed across his expression, understanding and then... relief? He hid it so quickly that she couldn’t be sure.
“You weren’t going to take me to the Council?” he asked in disbelief.
“I never wanted to,” she promised. “Never.”
He stepped closer, opening his mouth to speak, then–
“What the hells is going on?”
Henry.
Kara spun around. He stood with a sack of supplies slung over his shoulder, taking in the scene. Sebastian awake, unbound and standing far too close to Kara.
Well, this looks bad.
The sack slipped from his grip, thudding to the ground. “Gods above, Kara. What did you do?”
Kara stepped towards him. “Henry–”
“You untied him?” His voice was rising now. “Are you insane?”
“He’s not going to hurt us,” she said.
“You don’t know that,” Henry snapped. “He could kill you–”
Beside her, Sebastian shifted. Kara didn’t need to look to know his magic had flared again – there was a sudden heat in the air, a crackle of power.
“If I wanted her dead, she’d be dead already,” Sebastian growled.
Kara shot him an exasperated look she hadn’t meant to give.
Not helping, Sebastian.
“You don’t understand, Henry. He’s doing this for Vallenna!”
“What?” Henry asked, incredulous.
“He had a vision,” she blurted out. “He hasn’t betrayed–”
Henry’s laugh was sharp and humourless. “A vision? Kara. He’s Thorne, not Fatàn. Either he’s lying to you, or he’s lost his mind.”
Panic seized her. “No, I saw–”
Henry’s hand sparked ice-white. “Put him under again. Now.”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Kara–”
“I said no.”
She moved without conscious thought.
Kara stepped directly between them, putting her body between Henry and Sebastian.
A shield.
Sebastian inhaled sharply behind her and, despite herself, she glanced back. He looked stunned, staring at her like she’d done something completely impossible.
“Kara,” Henry said, shock flashing across his face as his hand lowered. “Do you even hear yourself? He’s a traitor. A murderer. Do you know what will happen to you?”
“I told you, it’s not what you think–” she began.
“You’re betraying everything. Your House. Your father. Me–”
“Please just listen, let me explain,” she begged.
Henry’s gaze darkened. “I should have known.” His eyes lingered on Sebastian, venomous, then back to Kara. “I saw the way you looked at him during the trials.”
Her cheeks flushed. “No, Henry, you don’t understand–”
But Henry looked furious. “You’ve been lying to me, Kara. One look at his face and I know I’m right.”
Sebastian’s magic flared hotter behind her, and he actually laughed, low and merciless. “Sounds like you’re jealous, Caldris.”
Kara’s head whipped towards him. “Sebastian, shut up!”
You absolute bastard.
“Henry, please–” she started, but it was too late. The decision was written in his face. He wasn’t listening anymore.
“If you won’t put him under, I’ll do it myself.” Henry’s voice dropped, cold as iron. “He’ll wish it had been you.”
Don’t you dare use–
“Get out of the way, Kara,” Henry ordered. He was shaking with rage.
She didn’t move.
“Kara. Last chance.”
Still, she stood firm.
White-hot light flared brighter in Henry’s palm as he lifted it high, the tendrils curling violently around him. They pulsed once – then launched at them.
“No!” Kara cried.
She felt Sebastian shift, reaching to pull her back – but Henry’s magic struck too fast, slamming into her forehead with terrifying force. Agony lanced through her skull, the pain clawing like ice picks behind her eyes. Her vision exploded in brilliant light, then–
It was gone. There was nothing but darkness. Complete and total darkness.
I can’t see.
A scream ripped from her as her legs crumpled, hands flying to her face as she fell to the ground. He’d used it. The magic he had warned her about.
He’d blinded her.
Her breathing turned ragged, shallow, panicked. “I can’t – I can’t see.”