“I don’t understand.”
The guards descended, leaving the three of us Alone.
“Tell me the Truth!” he shouted, and Circe stepped back from it. “I would have brought something of his to show proof of his death, but the man has nothing.”
“What are you talking about?”
“My men killed him.”
Absolute rage consumed Circe in that moment, and she attacked her husband, her fists flying into his chest, beating him as heart-fisting pain spilled out of her. “Please, no. Tell me you didn’t!”
He snatched her up by her throat. “You see, I have the truth now.” He walked her backward toward the spring. “You committed adultery and treason, and you tried to escape with my daughter!”
Mr. Cantini dropped Circe onto the ground, and her spine slammed against rock. “How dare you whore around in my name,” he spat, saliva spraying across her face. “I will see to it that your daughter will not remember you. That your existence will be wiped from this town. Thatyourname will be forgotten.”
Circe clawed at his hand, then pushed her chin down until she found skin and bit him. Her husband pulled back, taking her necklace with him. The chain ripped from her neck, and he threw it against the stone wall.
The sapphire broke into pieces, sinking into the spring.
Devastation stole her entire being.
“You cannot erase me,” she cried. “My love for Hedera and Alec is far more fierce than your evil. Our love casts shadows, demanding to be seen. Even if you look away, these shadows will grow cold until you have no choice but to feel it. Bereave my blood with my blood in your hands, no one can escape it.”
With a snarl, her husband grabbed her throat again and dragged her across rock, the roughness of it scraping against her spine, until half of her was suspended in air, Hovering the spring.
Circe’s eyes went wide, and she reached for Lacie, wishing she’d do anything but stand there. But Lacie did nothing but watch as Mr. Cantini squeezed her throat and plunged Circe’s head under water, holding it there.
Circe screamed under the water, bubbles floating around her, the spring rushing into her mouth, swimming down her throat. She screamed, hatred for him filling her chest. This hatred sank its claws inside her, latched on, buried. Though, so did love for her little girl and Alec, a peaceful warmth sliding through her.
Their happily ever after was so close, she thought.
They were so close.
Once the pieces of the broken sapphire hit the floor of the spring, everything went still.
Circe stopped struggling.
Her arms lay limp at her sides.
Her hair floated with the gentle rocking of the spring.
CHAPTER 56
STONE
One final breath.
Conspirare. Perspirare. Inspirare.
Breathe together, breathe through, breathe into you.
Ontil thy finneuma.
These words bled in my mind, ink splashing across my white skull, dripping behind my lids, as we traveled through the tunnels, hollow bones beneath the town. Inside, the stagnant air fell sticky and lush.
The Heathens walked with a stride between a march and a glide. Heavy steps on light feet, an echo, a tell that they weren’t slowing down. A shaky flame from a kerosene lamp lit our way, all eyes pointing to what was ahead. Except for Beck.
He walked with his head down, his hands in his pockets. The wings of bats tattooed on his neck flexed each time he tightened his jaw, his mind disturbed waters. Among the five of us, Beck was the only one who could hold his breath long enough to retrieve the sapphire from the bottom of the spring in the Forbidden Caverns.
