In the distance I can hear Callence's answering roar, trees shaking from the fury that was probably emanating off of him. Still, my mind didn't go to him, my mind was trapped at the scene unfurling in front of me.

Kilian clicks his tongue slowly, stopping the blade just as he nicks my dad, not enough to kill him. Then, he observes me quietly.

"What do you want?" I manage to whisper, voice shaking along with my hands as he raises an eyebrow at me; the eyebrow that I'd touched gently during our lovemaking.

He grins slowly as he gestures at me.

"Me?" I say shakily, swallowing sharply as my eyes flicker around the campsite. Had he known that I'd already considered it while running here? That the thought filled me with unease?

"We can go to your castle once I find my grimoire I-" I'm interrupted by his dark chuckle.

"Vi," he says, his voice a deep grating sound.

"Oh sweet Viola— almost as sweet as your cunt." He says wickedly as I still, embarrassment heating every pore as my eyes fill with salty tears.

Then— understanding toward his mocking tone, as if I was a misguided child saying something absurd.

"Not—Not me." I say thickly, realization coming as an even sharper stab. He laughs again.

"No. It's a sweet thought— but I have my queen already." He says softly.

"You've actually met her once before." He says after a moments pause.

I become very still as a woman walks out from the shaded trees, a cunning grin on her pale face; recognition in my mind.

Echo. The demon we'd faced that day on our way to the portal— the woman who'd pleaded for Kilian to come home.

Brutal betrayal is burning through me, as is rage as the sky begins to fill with snow clouds, a cold wind filling my lungs.

"You tricked me." I say softly, understanding dawning my eyes as my father shakes.

"You used me to get back at my father." I say, tears trailing down my cheeks. Although my bond to Callence had already begun, the hurt from this revelation still cascaded through me in waves of unfiltered betrayal and disgust.

"Well," his eyes sparkle as he licks his lips.

"At first that was the plan. A petty misguided thing, just as everyone would expect from me—" he starts as I interrupt him.

"And the humans?" I ask quietly. His face contorts in confusion, eyebrows furrowing and looking just a bit like the Kilian I'd come to know. Except, the Kilian I knew didn't exist. He was just a ploy at revenge.

"Humans?" He repeats as I begin to shake in anger and hurt.

"The humans that you worked as a doctor in that village for? That your father killed because you cared for them? Those humans!" I snap, emotion swelling my chest as realization dawn on his features, and then— humor.

He was laughing before I could take my next breath.

All our experiences together— talking about things, teasing each other, feelings growing; It'd been a lie. An act.

Disbelief churns through me as I think of all the bright moments we'd had together— the feeling of trusting him.

"I'm a fool." I say quietly as Kilian sobers up.

"I wouldn't say a fool— maybe just young." He says, licking his lips again.

"Ah, well it'll become funny to you once you realize— that wasn't even my memory." He chuckles and eyes me expectantly, as if I was supposed to laugh at his cruel jest as well.

"That was lover boy Callence's. And it'll become even more humorous when you realize, my father didn't slaughter the humans." He says as I glance up at him quickly, hope spreading through me like a wildfire, untamed and messy.

"No, he just made the order for the kill. I'm the one that actually killed all of the weaklings." He says, a smile curving onto his face, and a light of desire flickering in his eyes.

A desire for bloodshed I realize as disgust churns once more, bile rising in my throat as Echo laughs at my apparent distress. My dad lets out a strangled grunt as Kilian pushes the blade further in his throat, absolute horror pushing through my senses.

"Ok," I say, straightening. I didn't have as much time to dwell on the deceit, although I'd been warned by so many people I should've expected it; it still hurt.

"What do you want from me then? Release my dad and I'll do whatever." I say, hardening my eyes as the corner of Kilian's lip tilts up.

"Mmm." He says. "It's actually funny you say that— I don't actually want you to do anything." Confusion fills my face as he eyes the scales spreading throughout my arms, interest gleaming in his eyes.

"It's what I'll gain if I kill you." He says lowly, my fathers struggle more apparent as kilian shushes him softly.

My blood is already cold, but those words fill me with even more dread.

Had he figured a way to take my abilities from me through death? Stupid. Stupid. Stupid girl.

I should've believed the witches.

Echo and Kilian eye me as I assess the situation.

"Just— just let him go." I plead, actual fear lacing my words.

To that, Kilian begins to lower his blade.

"Actually," he says. "I don't think I will."

His next action is swift and silent as the blade slices across my dads throat.

I jerk into motion too late, the words 'No' forming onto my lips in a silent scream as my father's eye meets mine, gurgling noises let loose from his blood filled mouth.

Terrified, gruesome pain— and then, eyes glazed over in death.

I'm quick to crumple onto my knees as agony hits me full force, emotion instant as my hands dig into the fresh dirt.

An ear shattering screech is let loose from my body as my fathers gurgling noises stop; and in it, something dies in me as well.

I don't think I've ever hated someone in my life— but I'm this moment, hatred was a crumb of what I felt for the two demons in front of me.

The sounds escaping me were foreign, even as I watched Callence breakthrough the tree line, having escaped my solid ice and found our location.

But it was too late.

I had frozen him, and because of me— it was too fucking late.

This was all because of me.

I was the one that let Kilian out of the book— I was the one who left my fathers side to find my grimoire and deal with boy troubles.

I was the one who didn't move quick enough— didn't bargain enough for his salvation.

I expect pain and sadness to fill me as Callence's infuriated gaze reaches me, but instead— all I feel is something foreign to me. Something Callence recognizes, and drinks in.

What I feel is Vengeance.

Callence had been right about one thing; a villain is indeed one of us.

But not between the two brothers.

And with delight licking up my spine I think to myself:

A villain would be I.

•

•

•

•

•