“No. I’ll let you live with this decision, and you can spend the rest of your days agonizing over whether or not it was the right one. My father sentenced me to your service alone, but you know what, Eddie? I don’t want it anymore.”
“So you will abandon me, like you’ve abandoned so many others?” Eddie accused. “And you’ll do so for simply disagreeing with you. That is what cruel leaders do, Charlie.”
“I’m not a leader anymore. I’m just a guy trying to keep his friends alive, and I’m failing spectacularly at it! The least I can do is let you go before you’re slaughtered, too. I always hated our bond anyway, Eddie. It’s not right to bind you to this life-long service you had no choice in.”
“It was an honor I was grateful to have— until you became a raging madman!” Eddie shouted.
“If that’s what you think I am, then you’ll have no problem being set free. I don’t want to owe you anything, Eddie. It’s time you find a purpose without me.”
“Don’t you dare make this out to be a gift, as if you’re doing this for me and not some pathetic attempt to ensure you die alone!” Eddie yelled. “You push everyone away, Charlie! Your friends, your family, especially the people you love the most!”
“As I should!” Tears welled in my eyes, and I was glad it was dark enough that Eddie couldn’t see it. “I shouldn’t have to force people to stay at my side. I’m not going to keep you here, because you clearly don’t want to be around anymore. I’m not going to hold you to this bond like I tried to hold on to Ava. You wanted this connection before, but it’s clear you don’t want it now, and it’s not doing either of us any favors.”
Eddie began to sob. “Then break it, Charlie! Break it, like you break everything! If you wanted to destroy our bond, you should’ve done this before you ruined everyone’s life!”
“I’m not the only one to blame for this.” I was responsible for so much, but why did everyone insist on putting the worst of our downfall on my shoulders?
“You’re the catalyst. I lost my eye for you! Chancey lost his wing, and Ava lost her magic. How much more are you going to ask people to sacrifice for you?”
“I never asked for any of this! I don’t want it! So take your freedom, and leave me alone!”
“You’re setting me free to try and earn my favor back, but it’s not going to work, because it’s not genuine. You’ve abused our bond before, so this act of kindness means nothing. We aren’t friends, and we never will be. So just do it already and be done with it, because I am utterly tired of you.”
I’d already tangled my magic within our bond and tugged on the magical tether. Our bond was ripped beneath the weight of our strained friendship, so it took no effort at all to sever it.
It was easier to shatter than any bond I’d ever broken before, but that didn’t make the agony bearable. It was only so simple to crush because it had already wasted away, and that in itself was a poison I had to swallow.
Eddie must’ve felt the ache of it too, because he dropped to his knees. He drew a breath between clenched teeth. “Fuck. You. Charlie.”
“I think you’ve fucked us over enough,” I replied. “Why don’t you go find Alistair? I’m sure he’ll love your help escaping.”
I left Eddie alone in the dark.
As I made my way through the passage, I worried that Eddie was right and I was going to keep breaking bonds until I was left alone in a solitary, miserable existence. Perhaps I’d been too harsh, and I’d learned nothing from the mistakes of my past.
I thought I’d done the right thing releasing Eddie from my service. I knew he didn’t want to work for me anyway, and I couldn’t give a fuck less if my father would be mad that I’d done it.
But I didn’t want to continue being the cruel prince who had to make someone pay every time I found myself grieving. Hemlock was dead. I had to try and turn this bad thing into something good.
The palace was in an uproar when I made it out of the secret passageway. By now, everyone had heard there was a murderer running loose. My friends were still gathered around the passage entrance, speaking in low whispers about where to go next.
Ava’s voice bit through all the rest. “I need a map. There has to be one of the secret passageways. You can’t tell me Cassiel didn’t have one made. Somebody find me one, so I can root out this rat!”
I was surprised she was still here, though I supposed she couldn’t start looking without more information. I wanted to do whatever I could to help her, and was determined to locate someone who could find us that map before someone was calling my name. “Charlie!”
Professor Takahashi ran up to us. “There you all are! I’m so glad to see you’re all safe. All of you are wanted in the throne room right away. I think the Emperor wants your help bringing the culprit in.”
Cameron was actually taking action? That was a shock.
“Wow, he’s actually doing something?” Ava snarled bitterly. “I figured he’d be too busy partying to bother trying to locate a murderer.”
Takahashi’s response was meant to soothe, as it always was. “I understand you are grieving Professor Hemlock’s passing, my dear. She was a close friend to me as well, but we must do what we can to find her killer. The best thing we can do now is gather together, to plan how to catch Alistair before he escapes completely.”
“Then let’s hurry up and go,” Ava demanded, shoving her way to the head of the group.
Takahashi escorted us to the throne room. When we arrived, Cameron was waiting with his Associates. I heard several other voices, including Ava’s parents, standing nearby. They were still well-respected authority figures here in the palace, and Cameron would be an idiot to not consult with them on a matter like this.
“I hear you have found yourself tangled in another mess,” Cameron said nonchalantly, like news of a murder didn’t surprise him in the slightest. “Tell me everything.”
