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Alaric came up behind me, his body warming my back. “Cerise,” he murmured softly. “You are not nothing, and you are not worthless. Think of all you’ve been able to do without her. All we’ve done together.”

I shook my head, turning to face him and thumping my tight fists against his chest. “We haven’t done anything. We’ve found answers, but we haven’t solved anything! Your king is still dead, my father is still dead, and the entire realm is just… burning. There is no good left in this world.” I angrily swiped fresh tears from my cheeks, but I couldn’t keep them from spilling onto Alaric’s chest. “The witches still hate the Mages, and the Mages still hate the witches, and where do I fit in? I’m a product of both sides, despised by everyone.”

“You’re not despised by me,” Alaric said, his voice low.

I shook my head, face crumpling as I looked up at him. “But why? She was my grandmother. I grew up with her. You should loathe me entirely.”

“But I don’t.”

I shoved his chest again, but he didn’t move. “You’re infuriating, Alaric. You’re so damn calm.”

“This is about you unleashing, not me.”

“You said you would scream with me.”

He arched an eyebrow. “You want me to scream?” When I nodded, he threw his head back and let out a loud, powerful cry. It filled the air, resonating in my chest and through my bones. It sounded like a battle cry, spearing right through me and urging on the beast inside me.

I shouted, too. Together, we both screamed into the night, our voices mingling, the anguish inside both of us bursting free.

When we finally fell silent, my throat was raw, and I was gasping for breath. But violence still roared in my blood.

More, the voice within me said. More.

They must pay. Kill them all. Kill them!

I gritted my teeth so hard my temples throbbed. It wasn’t enough. Nothing I could do was enough.

Alaric’s arms came around me, his hand stroking my hair. Storms, I didn’t deserve his tenderness right now. It was too much. I swatted his arms away and staggered to my feet, nearly tripping in the sand as I resumed my pacing.

“Don’t coddle me,” I said to him. “I’m not a child who needs to be protected.”

He climbed to his feet and watched me carefully. “I never said you were.”

“You’re treating me like I’m something delicate!”

“How would you like me to treat you?”

“I don’t know!” I shrieked, tugging at my hair. I felt like I was going insane. The logical side of me registered how wild and unhinged I was behaving, but I couldn’t control myself. All I knew was this desperate wriggling thing in my chest needed to be let out, but I had no idea how to do that. “You shouldn’t have brought me to the Isle, Alaric. I don’t belong in this world.”

He frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Your people hate me! And you’re the king! How exactly do you expect us to be together?”

His mouth opened then closed again. “I don’t know. But we’ll figure it out, Cerise.”

“No, don’t do that,” I snarled. “Don’t brush this aside like it’s an idle concern. I have no home. And you dare to bring me here, claiming I can live with you? Don’t fill me with false promises when you’re just going to rip it all away from me later.”

His brows lowered. “I’m not.”

“But you are! What will happen when your people demand for me to be imprisoned or killed? Will you defy them?”

“Yes!” he said, his voice rising. “I will not let anyone hurt you, Cerise.”

“So, what, you’ll give up your crown for me?”

“Yes,” he said angrily.

“You’ll be imprisoned alongside me? Executed with me?”