Love Comes In Many Dangerous Forms

Silence settled among us, until I decided to break it, “May I talk to Tristan now?”

He nodded his head and left Tristan’s body.

I examined him more clearly, noticing that his clothes were ripped and tattered like Athen’s. His eyes were confused and untrusting and his jaw tightened as I walked towards him.

I reached out to touch his cheek, smiling lightly as my fingers registered his cold skin. But then I frowned, tilting my head to the side, “You really don’t remember me.”

He stayed silent; his eyes tightened the slightest bit.

I sighed and started humming my lullaby, hoping that he would recognize it.

And he did, and I smiled as recognition spread across his face, “How do you know that?”

“You use to sing it to me when I was little,” I told him. “Whenever I was upset or I couldn’t sleep, you would sing it to Hillary too.”

“Hillary…” he spoke our sister’s name and he blinked.

“I also know that when I was born you gave up your humanity and your life so that I could live. And the tattoo on your back is ‘2245’. And the reason why we have our eye color is because of a genetic defect that was passed down to us from our grandmother. Your full name is Tristan Isaac Brooklyn. The last time I saw you was when we were working in the kitchen, cleaning the floors and the guards took you away from me, I was five years old and you were nine, and the last thing you said to me was that you loved me,” I continued.

His eyes widened for a fraction of a second, “…Cassiel?”

I nodded, smiling as my eyes stung with fresh tears, “It’s really me.”

He wrapped his arms around the tops of my arms, examining me, “You’ve grown up so much.”

“Thirteen years is a long time,” I smiled weakly. “You’ve grown up yourself.”

He grinned at me, but then he looked over my shoulder and let out a growl, “Why is a werewolf here?”

“It’s okay,” I told him immediately. “This is Prince Colton Nevatrix.”

“Why are you with the prince of werewolves?” he frowned, not taking his eyes of Colton.

“Well… I’m the princess of the humans, and the only reason the werewolves are protecting us is because they need a queen. So I’m his fiancée,” I explained as I bit my bottom lip.

He looked back towards me, “Who are those two? And what is that thing?” he looked towards Shane and Zach then at Blaine.

“This is Shane Launer, he’s Athen’s son, and this is Zachary Stead – they’re slaves at the castle and they’re also two of my best friends. And that is Blaine, he led us to you… and his brother was the one that held you in that cell.”

“How’s Hillary? Mom, Dad?” he asked me.

“They’re fine,” I half-lied. “Vera’s still with us.”

He smiled, and then I heard Athen say, “You’re friends with a human? The princess none the less,” Athen didn’t sound pleased.

Shane sighed, “Yes, Father.”

His father narrowed his eyes at me, but then turned to Shane, “Where’s your mother, and where’s Carly?”

“They’re both at the castle, and they’re both safe,” he explained.

“They’re slaves?” Athen growled.

“I’m the only one who’s the slave, Mom and Carly don’t work,” Shane explained calmly.

Athen sighed, “So you found them.”

“No,” Shane shook his head. “Cassiel found them.”

Athen turned to me, sneering, “Is he telling the truth?”

I frowned, slightly upset that he wouldn’t believe his son’s words, “Yes.”

Athen glared at me, and Zach stepped in front of me, “I think it’s best if we go back to camp.”

“I agree,” I pitched in, and faced Tristan. “We can give you a change of clothes and you wash up. So can you Athen.”

Tristan gave me a small smile, “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” I waving it off, he didn’t need to thank me.

I took Aiden’s reins and looked around at the destroyed city for what may have been the last time, and smiled as I walked away.

***

It was about an hour later when we reached camp and I collapsed onto the wooded ground, groaning, “I can’t feel my feet.”

Shane laughed, but quickly caught himself.

“You have to call Zane,” Zach reminded me. “He may think you’re dead.”

“Why would he think that? And who is he?” Tristan asked.

“We sort of ran into a little trouble on the way, and Zane is a merman,” I explained, getting up reluctantly and walked the few yards that seemed more like miles to the river bank.

I pricked my finger on a piece of bark and rinsed it the water, and waited.

Apparently, he was nearby and he broke through the surface of the water, his face was blank of all emotion.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” I asked concerned, I’ve never seen him no smile before.

“Where have you been? Do you know how worried sick Vera, Audrey and I have been?”

“You didn’t have to worry,” I told him.

He didn’t seem happy with my answer, “Like hell I did.”

Zach seemed almost as confused as me, “What happened to you?”

“What happened? I guess Cass didn’t tell you either,” Zane hissed.

“Tell us what?” Colton came up and stood next to me.

“Jimmy drew a picture of you the other day. Everything was normal about it… except your eyes,” he explained sourly.

“Oh God,” I wanted to curl up into a ball and die.

Shane looked at me apologetically.

“What do you mean?” Zach frowned, trying to make eye contact, but I couldn’t look at him.

“Why don’t you tell him Cass?”

I sighed, covering my face, “I have something that is called ‘The Death Eyes’. It’s this black stuff that is around my eyes, and it means that death will claim me. The more it covers my body, the closer my death is. And only demons can see it.

“Jimmy is one-fourth demon, and Blaine is his father.”

Everyone was silent.

“Please say something,” I pled as I looked between them.

“How long have you known about this?” Zach’s voice was thick; he was holding back his anger.

“About a month, maybe a month and a half,” I answered him honestly in a small voice.

“So you knew about this before we left,” his fists were clenched so tightly, his knuckles were pure white.

“Yes.”

I saw him glaring at me from the corner of my eye and heard him hiss at Shane, “Why are you just standing there?”

“Because I know.”

Those were the words that threw Zach off the edge.

“You… what?” he barred his fangs at him.

“He knows Zach,” I repeated, standing in front of Shane. “He’s known about it as long as I have. I made him promise that he wouldn’t tell, because Jimmy would be in danger if word got out that he was demon.”

He didn’t say anything, I didn’t think he could. His frame was shaking slightly and his eyes turned red.

“But,” I hesitated, and turned to Colton. “I’m not the only one who has it.”

“Why are you looking at me?” he demanded.

“I’m so sorry, Colton,” I bit my lip, touching his arm, but he jerked away from me.

“Leave me alone,” he growled walking away from us.

“See? She’s nothing but a liar, just like the rest of her worthless scum,” Athen scoffed.

I scowled at him as I walked up glaring daggers, “You can call me a liar all you want. But don’t you ever, ever call my people ‘worthless scum’. And you better be damn grateful that you’re here with your son, because I could have easily left you behind for dead. The only reason you’re here is because I needed to find my brother, and I wanted to bring your family back together. Remember that Athen.”

“Cassiel,” Shane cautioned me.

“How did you find out about their plan?” Zach suddenly grabbed my arm.

“What?”

“Your parents,” Zach answered frustrated.

“She doesn’t know,” Shane stepped in immediately.

“What don’t I know,” I crossed my arms over my chest. “And what about my parents?”

“Nothing, let’s get you back to camp,” Shane rushed, pulling me away from Zach.

“No,” I ripped my arm from his grasp. “What are my parents planning?”

He glowered at me, “You’re ‘parents’ are the ones that are going to kill you.”

I stared at him, my jaw went slack. Vaguely aware of Zane’s confused expression. “You’re lying.”

“Am I? Hillary tried to murder you a few months ago, why would your parents want you even more.”

My eyes started to shed bitter tears and my throat felt like it was inflamed.

“They have been planning this ever since you were chosen to become queen. The Nevatrixs are in on it too. You see the only reason you were chosen because you could create one of Colton’s little bastards faster than Hillary could, and once you had the little thing, your parents would kill you and all of us and make your death look like suicide.”

“You idiot,” Shane’s lips pulled back over his teeth.

“She deserves to know the truth,” Zach rolled his eyes.

I faced Shane, wiping my tears away with the back of my hand, “You knew?”

“Cassie...” he reached his hand out to me, I just shook my head at him.

“How could you?” were the last things I said before I ran towards camp, and locked myself in the carriage. I pulled the curtains over the windows and curled up as I could.

My sobs echoed throughout the tiny room, my tears fell to the wooden floor, one after the other. My hands were shaking as I wrapped my arms around myself, my head rested against the back of the seat. That is until Blaine entered.

I bent my head down so that my hair covered my face, not wanting anyone to see my tears – even if it was just Blaine. I saw him reach out to touch my shoulder, but I couldn’t feel anything.

“Y-you can see it, ca-can’t you?” I choked on my words.

He nodded.

“How f-far is it?” I really didn’t want to know, but I had to know how much time I had left.

He rested his hand on my knee, and I turned away not wanting to see anymore.

It was spreading faster than I expected. I pressed my face against the velvet cushion, attempting to smother my sobs. I regretted wanting to know how much death was on me, and I now I knew that I was running out of time.