Their father shot out of his seat. “I am yourfatherand I—”
With a flick of his wrist, Stellan had him wrapped in an invisible rope. Their father snarled and struggled against the binds. Stellan tightened them. “It’s time, Deckard. I know you thought you could outsmart fate, but it’s here. It’s time to accept it. There’s nothing more you can do.”
“What’s he talking about?” Bridget asked, trying to get closer. Finn pushed her behind him.
Cassia’s throat was a hard knot. “I don’t know.”
“Cassia, maybe you should take a step back,” Castor said, tugging on her arm. Since they’d arrived at the study, he hadn’t strayed more than a few inches from her. “You don’t have to be here.”
“Yes… I do.”
There was something in her father’s eyes she’d never seen before. Something he was trying to hide, but failing.
Fear.
His throat bobbed as his gaze flickered between Stellan and Cade. Cassia wasn’t sure which one was making him nervous. Still, he continued to thrash against the invisible binds. At his hip, his obsidian dagger practically vibrated from the power he was trying to channel.
“Elyria is on the brink of ruin,” her father bellowed. “War is coming. It might already be here. I’m doing what I can to prevent it and make sure the continent stays as stable as possible.” His fiery gaze cut to Cade. “And you think running off to Andarre with your girlfriend is the answer? Remember, we have a deal.”
“Do we?” Cade narrowed his eyes, then cocked his head toward Stellan. “If he’s to be believed, I’m technically already married. There is no deal.”
Beside her, Cassia heard Bridget choke. Her father glowered.
Cade barked a humorless laugh. “Which you already know, apparently. I should have known. You already had Stellan camouflage me at birth to hide who I was. Have you ever told me the truth about anything?”
The slight break in his voice pierced a hole through Cassia’s heart.
Her father let out a roar. The binds around his feet broke free. “I did all of that to protect you. I’ve shown you what she’ll do.”
A bead of sweat rolled down Stellan’s temple as he tried to keep her father contained. Cade noticed and sent a wave of roaring wind at hisfather. He stumbled back a step. The whiskey glass and pens on his desk slammed to the ground.
“It’s not going to happen,” Cade hissed.
A drop of blood escaped Cade’s nose. Cassia’s stomach swooped to the floor. He was going to push himself too hard to prove a point.
“In every vision, it’s never changed. Not once,” their father hoarsely choked out.
Bridget broke free from Finn and darted toward Cade. Stellan raised a hand and blocked her from reaching him. She glared at him and pushed at the barrier, even as Archer and Finn tried to pull her back again. The wind around Stellan and Cade had picked up tremendously, swirling around them like a terrible storm. Cassia could almost taste the magic buzzing around them. The air was heavy with it. Her blood began to sing.
“What is it?” Bridget demanded, having to shout to be heard. “Cade, what will I do?”
Cassia saw her brother hesitate before a vision flooded her senses. She grabbed Bridget’s hand, just in case, but she had a feeling Cade was unloading it on everyone. It felt too messy, too raw, like he was struggling to share it and maintain control.
They were no longer in Astraeus, but Cavamyne. Cassia could tell by the runes in front of her. She’d seen them sketched in a book. Cade and Bridget stood in a low pit, between two stone thrones. They circled each other. The sword in Bridget’s hand gleamed in the moonlight. All of a sudden, Cade stopped. The moment he did, Bridget thrust the sword through the center of his chest.
Cassia struggled for air when it finally ended. Her fingers clawed at her chest. She’d felt the sword as if it’d struck her. Thatcouldn’thappen. Cade couldn’t die. And Bridget would never—
“No,” Bridget gasped.
Cassia had forgotten she’d taken her hand. It trembled in her grasp. She squeezed it tightly as she watched Bridget stare at Cade in horror. Herbrother glanced over his shoulder at them. The wind lessened slightly as the power radiating in his eyes flickered.
“I would never…” Bridget rasped.
Cassia silently agreed. She’d seen what the two of them would do for each other. She couldn’t fathom a world where the vision would ever come true.
“Enough,” Stellan hissed. The blue tattoos snaking around his neck turned the brightest blue. “You’re not in control of the future. How many times have I told you our visions aren’t to be trusted?”
Cassia narrowed her eyes. But hadn’t he been asking them to trust him based on his visions almost the entire time? What madethisone so different?”
