Remember Me

17

"I want you to kill Joénna-Bry Terrin."

"Excuse me?" He was vibrating with anger and took a step in front of Jo even though he knew she could take care of herself. He didn't like the look his father gave him, or the look Tark gave Jo.

"She is holding you back, Eris. Even when you didn't remember her, a part of you longed for her. She holds you back from being a true High Lord, one like me." He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He never wanted to be like his father. Never! "She makes you soft and weak."

"You are mental." He seethed. "Jo makes me stronger. I would rather die than kill her."

"Eris." She whispered, tugging on his arm.

"If you don't, -" Beron seethed, his eyes turning fire. "Tark will be the next High Lord."

Jo stepped forward before he could stop her. "That is the best and fastest way to destroy the Autumn Court." She sneered at both his father and his brother.

"Shut the fuck up, bitch. I remembered what you did to me." Tark stepped forward.

"And you deserved even worse." She shot back.

"Son, please." Beron said, looking back at him. "You are the rightful heir to take over. But it can't be with her by your side."

"I won't do it." He snapped.

"Then you leave me no choice." He said and conjured a flame in his hand.

Eris blocked it as he shot it straight in the direction of Jo's heart. Without thinking he conjured two of his own flames and send them to his father. He rolled out of the way, still fast for a man his age. He didn't see Jo walk away from him and become invisible. He had his attention on his father and his father alone. His rage coursed through his body, filling his veins with searing fire. He wouldn't let him touch her with on finger. His plan on getting rid of his father had sped up immensely.

His father had two fire balls in his hands right now and was ready to throw it at him when Jo appeared behind him, a knife to his throat. "Drop your hands." She growled.

He did but the fire didn't extinguish, and a smirk played on his lips. "You grew up in my home, Joénna. I know you."

Suddenly Tark was behind her, fire burning against her arm. She hissed at the burn. "Too bad the curse didn't work better." He growled in her ear. And fury burned through Eris. "All that work Ellopé and I did, and we still didn't get what we wanted." He let his tongue slide over her neck. Tark worked with Ellopé to curse him and Jo? So, Ellopé could have him and Tark could have Jo. 'He was vibrating with anger, the fire in his hands growing larger. Tark would meet the same fate he had set for his father.

Jo must have thought the same because she turned and tackled his brother to the ground. He focussed back on his power, sending fire at him once again before he ran up to his father and pushed him to the ground. He clamped his burning hand around his throat, pinning his arms between his legs.

"You made me remember her just to kill her? Why?" He snarled at him. "It would have been easier to kill her if I didn't know her."

"That would have been too easy. I needed you to kill the one you loved, so you would become a ruthless leader. A real leader doesn't love, son. Marriage is just to produce an heir, then they are nothing to us."

"You are a vile and cruel male, who has never loved anything in his life."

"I love my sons." His voice softened and stupidly he relaxed his hold on his throat. Beron saw his opening and pushed him off him. Hot flames circled in his palm, and he raised his hand to throw it at him, but his eyes were fixed on Jo. She was still fighting Tark, who had several bleeding wounds on him.