Darkness Falls, Light Rises #Wattys2015

Ch.26

Ch.26
"I love you, okay?" He said telepathically.
Biting my lip, I stared at the sand grains in front of me. I knew how to respond and I knew how it felt. It was definitely not a side effect from the sex. I loved him and I hoped that he knew it. I had given myself up and had taken half of his soul for his safety. If that doesn't say commitment, then I don't know why does.
It was an unsaid devotion between us.
"I love you too." I replied, gripping his hand tighter.
Smiling, I was proud of myself. Not because I was able to profess my love for someone without breaking down or shutting down, but because I hadn't messed up the one good thing I had going for myself.
Of course, the coup could easily end badly and he could die, but I did my best not to think about that. I refused to think about the crown that was supposed to be on my head and what would happen if Mason found out.
"Mason? Brandy?" James called out, his voice uneasy.
Turning around quickly, I looked up to see him standing there, his eyes wild, full of agony and jealousy.
"James?" Mason said, sounding more enraged than surprised. "Why are you here? You're supposed to be with Anya."
James sighed and started pacing, his entire body trembling. "I-I tried to-" he began before putting both hands to his ears as if trying to block everything out.
Not bothering with putting on my clothes, I easily used magic to form clothes on my body as I walked over to him. Placing a hand on his back, I extracted the memory from his mind, shocked by what I saw.
Gathering my thoughts, I helped him up, not needing him to be all misty eyed.
"We need to go back." I stated simply before trudging into the woods, dropping a strong dark magic invincibility shield over us.
Catching up to me, Mason pulled me back, confusion and anxiety written all over his chiseled face. With his blonde locks over his eyes, he looked like such a lost puppy.
"What happened to her?" He demanded, his voice cracking at the end.
"She was out with James and one of the members. One of the townspeople recognized her and reported her to the officials. They got to them, Anya couldn't get away and James came here to alert us." Seeing the rage return to his face as he turned toward James, I grasped his arm. "He did the right thing. I wish we could've been together longer, but we need to do this now. Don't get in the way."
Pushing forward, we reached the motel in no time, my body already tensing for any type of attack. Dropping the shield, we went inside and I immediately went for the back room where the armory was. Mason refused to fight with magic, since that would turn him dark, so we had hired people to make steel and iron weapons.
"Hurry up and grab something. I'll get the other supplies." I spouted out, grabbing two daggers and a labrys from the table. Turning on my heel, I walked purposefully into the kitchen. Throwing random things into a bag, I hastily tied it to one of the horses out back.
"I'm ready." Mason and James said in unison, Mason sporting much more weapons than James who seemed to rely on magic than physical objects.
"Good, it'll be a day's ride without any stops. We'll reach by midnight and that's when we'll attack. Tell the others the plan." I ordered, sitting on the ground.
Once I was sure that they had left, I quickly made a slash on my left hand. Letting the blood seep into the already moist soil, I shut my eyes, allowing a portion of dark magic to take over. Mason had stopped pestering me about using my dark magic, but I knew that if I went too far, he would address it immediately.
As the magic flowed out of me, I held the knife tightly, more blood soaking the soil. Chanting in ancient Rideran, I felt the tethering between my brother and I snap, telling me that the spell had worked.
The dagger would be able to kill my brother.
***
Arriving at the castle, we quickly dismounted from our horses, my invincibility falling over us.
Walking into the south end, we encountered minimal soldiers and servants, which made Mason feel better about killing.
The less there were, the better.
"Stay here." I whispered as I eyed one of my former advisors.
Taking out a cloth, I came out of the reach of the invincibility spell, vaulting up and onto the advisor's back, the cloth muffling his screams.
"Edwin, shut up or get your throat cut." I growled into his ear, pulling him into the shadows.
Opening a closet door, I shoved him inside, Mason close behind. Shutting the door, I pressed my dagger into his neck, drawing some blood.
"My-" he began before I cut him off.
"Kevin. Where is he?"
"He's in the ritual room with guests. He's sacrificing the pregnant Sedentian girl for stronger magic. He says that it'll help defeat them." He answered quickly, his Adams Apple bobbing.
"Don't lie to me. You know what I'll do." I threatened, not needing a false location that led to two deaths on my hands.
"It's all I know! I swear. I was just with him!"
Narrowing my eyes, I reached into his mind, making sure that he was telling the truth. This method was easier and less violent, but I liked seeing them snitch on people when their lives depended on it. Once I extracted enough information, I pulled the knife away from his neck and stepped behind him, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck.
"Brandy-" Mason began, stepping forward to stop me.
Before he could reach me, I twisted, the sound of bone cracking sending a shiver of pleasure down my spine.
I missed this.
"You didn't have to do that." He mumbled, following my out the room.
"I do what I need to to survive. Stop being a wuss." I stated coldly, not needing my feeling for him to get in the way.
"I still don't agree with your methods."
"I would be worried if you did." I replied, opening a door to the Hall of Rituals. "There are a bunch of rooms that are designated for rituals. Take James and the others and take the first five rooms and I'll take the rest."
"I'm not leaving you." He said, gripping my hands tightly, his eyes burning with something I couldn't comprehend.
"Mason, I love you." Pausing, I pulled my hands out of his, stopping to peck him on the lips. "But you need to trust me. I can take care of myself."
"But-"
"Shut the fuck up and go sitzpinkler." I snapped playfully, pushing him towards James, who was waiting patiently.
Watching them go into the first room, I sprinted to the farthest room, knowing that Kevin would be there. There was no doubt about it.
Throwing the doors open with my magic, I stepped inside just as he pulled the ritualistic sword from its sheath.
"We meet again." He laughed, placing the sword against Anya's stomach.
"Indeed. Now let her go." I demanded, gripping my axe tighter as I moved forward.
"You don't just get to barge in here like you own the place. This girl will be sacrificed on behalf of the gods." He snapped, his eyes boring holes into me.
"Kevin, if you touch her I'll-"
"What? What will you do? You've certainly gotten cozy with your little Sedentian pets. But isn't the best part when you get to kill them?" He laughed menacingly, twirling the sword over her stomach as he walked in my direction. "You've gotten soft, sis."
Grinding my teeth, I let my magic wrap around the sword, confident that I was stronger than him. "Anya, go get your brother." I barked out, watching in my peripheral as she left.
"That's your plan? Kill me so no one finds out about your little secret? You don't want little Mason finding out how cold and broken you are?"
Saying nothing, I allowed my magic to flow back to me. "Don't make me kill you." I growled, my muscles tensing significantly.
"You already severed our bond! You're going to kill me either way." He said, his voice full of betrayal. "But I guess whatever makes you sleep at night."
"You don't get to lecture me, Kevin. I'm not the one who betrayed their twin first. I never hurt you. I protected you."
"You really are delusional. I guess Uncle Theo really messed with your head. Or was that out daddy?" He taunted, smirking as he spoke. "Don't pretend that you didn't bring it upon yourself. You made him want to do those things to you. You seduced him. That's why they got rid of us. Because you're so damn horny all the time!"
Without a word, I moved my body behind him, my darkness carrying me through the shadows. Throwing myself into him, I pressed the cursed blade onto his neck.
"Shut up, Kevin. You don't know shit." I scoffed, hating myself for even believing that he actually cared about me at some point. In hindsight I saw the pity and anger swirling in our matching grey orbs.
"Brandy?"
"Katya!"