My back slammed into the ground, making me groan in pain. Cassius stood up and towered over me.?
“Stand up so I can kick your fucking ass,” he sneered.?
I was looking for a fucking fight. I stood up and shot my frost magic out and tried to freeze him to his spot, but Cassius shot his shadows out to block it, which gave me the perfect opportunity to punch him in the face.?
He stumbled, and I tackled his ass to the ground. I punched him again and again before he finally punched me, knocking me off of him.?
“Fuck.” I grabbed my face as we both struggled to stand. Cassius’ chest was heaving as we stared each other down.?
“I know you are here to stop her from completing the trials.” There was a flash of hurt in his eyes as he said it that made me pause. Misery recognized misery. “You aren’t Cerithian, so which kingdom is teaming up with Luren this time?”?
I hesitated, confused. Something inside of me told me to tell him.
“Kizar.”?
His jaw clenched tightly.?
“Jesper?” he said.?
I nodded.?
“That little fucking bastard. What did he offer you?”?
“Nothing. Nev approached me and said we got a wish. I need that wish,” I confessed.?
Cassius shook his head.?
“There is no wish.” He looked over at me. “These trials are so Thea will break her curse.”?
Why did this sound familiar? Disappointment coursed through me when I realized my only chance at fixing my shitty life was not real. I stared at him and realized he was possessive of her because hewasin love with her.?
“You do love her.”?
Cassius sighed heavily.?There had been rumors going on with the contestants, but as soon as they started, the Crimson contestants had stopped them.
“Of course I do. She is my wife.” He stared at me. “She just doesn’t remember; that is why we are doing these trials, so she will break the curse and come home to me.”?
“But isn’t she from Cerithia?”?
“Yes, it's a long story.” Cassius looked at me with defeat in his eyes. “You have two options. You keep helping your fucking psychotic friend, Nev, and I will skin you both alive. Or you switch sides and help my wife come back to me.”?
“Why would I do that?”?
Cassius looked at me.?
“Because you pity me, and I am so tired of doing these trials. I will give you anything you want if you switch sides and help me.”?
I wasn’t sure what to do.?Did Nev know that she was his wife? I would have never agreed to help him if I had known that this man was suffering like this. I could feel his desperation—his devastation.
“Or I can kill you right fucking now.” His eyes flashed black as I took too long to answer him.?
“Nev is not my friend.” I smiled and saw a bit of relief flit through his golden eyes. “I will help you if you promise me that I can start over in Crimson. I want a job in the guard and a big piece of property of my choosing.”?
“That is all you want?” Cassius questioned.?His dark brow raised at my odd request.
“No, but it's the only thing you can give me, unless you can bring someone back from the dead and change the fact that the woman I loved destroyed me?”?
Cassius stared at me oddly. I could see questions swarming in his eyes, but he wouldn’t ask. ?
