17
Kassius
Shock tore through me like lightning.
Angel is dead.
Those words repeated in my mind, over and over, like a horrible intrusive thought that wouldn’t go away.
Angel is dead Angel is dead Angel is -
Grief and anger surged in my blood so strongly that I nearly snapped the cuffs around my wrists as I stood, wavering. My torn voice echoed through the cavern. “What?”
The force of my emotion caused everyone to stop and turn to me - except Halo. Halo stared away, determined not to make eye contact.
“Tell me you’re lying, Halo,” I snarled.
Halo swallowed visibly. He still wouldn’t look at me. “I’m not lying, Kassius.”
Kassius.He only used that name when he was really serious. Or when we were fighting. I supposed this constituted as both.
Fury and agony ripped my heart to shreds. “No! This can’t be true! Tell me it’s not!”
I suddenly stopped. The day before… Everything made sense now.
“You were in such a bad mood,” I began slowly as the memories rushed back to me. “Your eyes were puffy and red, like you were crying, and you were so upset but wouldn’t tell me why. All you said was that you knew where Angel was and left it at that.” My voice raised in pitch and volume. “That’s why, isn’t it? Because she was dead? That’s why you wouldn’t tell me the truth?”
Halo closed his eyes, tears running down his face, and nodded.
I lost control. I broke down into tears of my own, collapsing to my knees. Zenon and Silas remained silent, watching the exchange.
Finally, Zenon sighed. “Pity. She was a beautiful child. So young, too.” He shook his head. “She would have been an aid to us, but alas. Still, having Halo Fire-Eater in my possession is fair enough.”
I didn’t care about what Zenon was saying. All I could think about was how my precious daughter was gone - and it was all Halo’s fault.
“Silas,” I said, my voice deadly quiet, “can you please remove these?”
His brows quirked with surprise, Silas asked, “And why is that?”
I shot Halo a hateful glance. “Because I don’t want to be nearhimanymore.”
Zenon waved a hand in my direction. “Let him go. We don’t need him.”
With his sword brandished in one hand, Silas braced himself as he undid my handcuffs and the bindings on my legs, as if he expected me to fight back as soon as I was released. I did no such thing. The cuffs fell and I was free to stand.
Silas looked surprised. “You don’t care what happens to your mate?”
“He’s not my mate anymore,” I growled.
Halo’s eyes widened as genuine hurt darted across his face.
Good,I thought bitterly.
“He’s hurt me for the last time,” I muttered. “You’ve done bad things before, Halo, but this is really the lowest you could go. Lying to me about our daughter? Not telling me she - ”
I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
Halo finally snapped and fought back. “Badthings? Kass, we talked about this! I told you what happened! Why are you acting like this?”
