A Crown Of Pride And Ruin - Sloane Murphy Page 0,2

to think you’re something more than you are. That this was all you. But it wasn't, was it? You’re nothing more than a puppet.” I grin as I say the words, because they feel right. They feel true. He’s not behind all of this. He might have played a part, and I still haven’t worked out why, but I feel a little better knowing he’s answering to someone. It doesn’t make much sense that I feel better, but I do.

“You have no fucking idea.” His words bounce off of me, which seems to rile him up further.

“Then why? Tell me why you would go through all of this? Do all of this? What the actual fuck did I ever do to you to deserve this hell?”

“It was always you,” he mutters and stands, starting to pace in front of me. “I tried everything to make him see me, but you were always there in the way. Then, I figured out a way to get rid of the problem. An arrow to the heart. Clean, simple, and done from far enough away that I wouldn’t be seen. I even aimed for him, because I just fucking knew you would be the martyr and take the hit. But you even had him in fucking death!”

“You killed Amantara? You shot that arrow? For Levi?”

“Yes, for fucking Levi. I have loved him since before he even knew you existed. I was his right-hand guy. And then, then there was fucking you. The Shadow Walker filth. I knew the only way to win him was if you were gone. But even in death, you had his heart. He created a whole fucking race for you.”

I sit, blinking at him, trying to take in what he’s saying, but shock keeps me quiet. All of this, because he’s in love with Levi. That’s why he’s been terrorizing us all? It doesn’t make any sense. Why would he try to keep the factions fighting if that was his goal? He could have just wiped me from the board.

I pinch the bridge of my nose and realize he’s still pacing in front of me. “Nevin…” his name comes out as barely more than a sigh.

“Don’t. Don’t try to twist this. This is all your fault. If you’d never come along, he would have loved me.”

I shake my head, because there's no reasoning with him. No way to tell him that Levi just isn’t that guy. Nevin storms from the room, slamming the door behind him.

I take the small win, I didn’t get dosed with whatever he’s been giving me, but my head is spinning with everything he just told me.

I guess it's true. Love really is War.

Fallon hasn’t become lucid again since that one moment, and I’m worried about her. I’m so close to breaking through that glass wall to my powers now I can feel it, but I need her to be okay. She’s in this mess because of me, and it breaks my heart that we’re here. I’ve seen her sleep, but every time she wakes, her eyes are still foggy, and she doesn’t move. She doesn’t talk. She just sits, like an empty shell, as if she’s waiting for something or someone to bring her back to life.

I’ve heard more activity outside the room we’re in the last couple of times I’ve been awake, but it’s all muffled words and banging, so I have no fucking clue what’s going on outside of here. My stomach cramps from the lack of food or drink I’ve had since I’ve been here, but I try not to think about it.

“Remy…” My gaze flicks over to Fallon, whose fog seems to be clear. “Remy, where are we?”

“Fallon. Thank fuck. We need to get out of here. Can you access your power?” Relief floods me, it's been a while since she was bought here… I think. She closes her eyes, but more tears stream down her face.

“I can’t feel it, Remy.” Her voice breaks and her body shakes as her tears turn to sobs.

“It’s okay. We’ll get out of here,” I try to reassure her while my heart sinks.

“I don’t remember… Remy, how did we get here?” Her eyes look wild, and I can tell she’s on the verge of breaking, when that fog descends over her again.

“No!” I scream, but it's no use. She’s gone from me again. Angry tears stream down my face. I don’t know if she’s going to survive this. She barely survived everything she went through