*Theo*
I glared icily at Ciana and Sophia. They cowered before and I smirked as I started to remove my gloves.
At the last minute, I caught Ciana’s eye. She was afraid of for a mont, but I chuckled lightly again and I could tell she understood. She gave a slight nod.
I rounded on my father and jumped at him.
“What is this!?” Sebastian snarled. He glared at , then pointed at Sophia. “I told you to kill that witch!”
“I’m not going to do that, Father,” I snarled, holding my hands out toward him.
“You filthy little witch! How dare you lie to and go against my orders?” Sebastian roared, pointing at Sophia. He backed away as I stalked toward him.
I wasn’t going to let him get away this ti.
“You refused to help Warren. Why would I do anything to help you?” Sophia asked, her shrill voice breaking through the air. “You could have just been a decent father for once, then you might not be in this situation.”
“You’re all betrayers! That little witch betrayed her king. And you, Theo, betrayed your own father. I’ll have you all executed for this!” he cried.
I noticed for the first ti, my father had a flicker of fear in his eyes. He must have feared losing control, seeing all of us turning against him, even the people in his kingdom.
I shook my head, snarling. A tyrant could only hold so tightly before his victims started to fight against the squeezing pain.
“I’m not betraying my father. You are not my father because you never treated like a son. Since I’m nothing more than a tool to you, I can disown you as my father and feel no remorse in what I’m about to do,” I inford him coldly.
I raised my arms up, showing off my bare, uncovered hands. Smirking, I reached for my father.
Sebastian growled and turned on his heel. He ran fast.
As helpful as Sophia’s bandages and dicine were, I was still weak from my captivity. Growling, I jumped into action, chasing my father away from the altar. I couldn’t let him get away again!
I didn’t care if he was still the king, I’d make sure no one dared shield him or protect him.
He probably was feeling cornered, no doubt. Unfortunately, cornered animals were always more dangerous. I needed to end this before he did anything crazy.
“Face , coward!” I shouted.
“Who do you think you are to give orders?” Sebastian growled back. He disappeared into the crowd and I heard a startled cry from within.
“No!” I gasped, recognizing the voice. I raced into the crowd after him. Everyone imdiately parted for with terror in their eyes as I launched myself forward.
My father turned back to , a wild look on his face. He had his arms around a hostage. Sebastian glared at , a hand aid at her throat.
“Mother!” I stopped in my tracks.
“Don’t co any closer,” he snarled, spit flying from his mouth and landing on my mother’s face.
She made a disgusted look and shrank back within his hold.
“Don’t worry about , Theo, finish what you started!” my mother cried.
“Let her go. This is between you and !” I demanded.
Sebastian sneered and shook his head. “Look around, son. Guards are closing in from all sides, guards loyal to . If you even lift a finger, I will kill your mother.”
He raised a hand and held it inches above her chest. I recognized the hand position, like he was getting ready to suck the life out of her.
“No,” I muttered, shaking my head.
There were dozens of guards closing in around , but they didn’t concern . I couldn’t take my eyes off my father’s hand and how it dipped lower to my mother’s skin.
I almost forgot.
Just like , he had the ability to drain others’ lives. He was my father and it was his bloodline that was connected back to King Lycoan, the original Dark King.
However, he didn’t wear gloves all the ti. He didn’t need to because he had a lot better control over his power...
I narrowed my eyes, how could I forget about that?
He’d been ecstatic when he discovered my powers at a young age. He’d quickly turned into a weapon. I never understood why. If he’d had the sa power, why did he need ?
“Don’t be silly, my love,” My mother sneered in a condescending voice, especially when she said the word “love.”
“Shut up!” Sebastian snapped, shaking her in his grasp.
I clenched my fists, ready to tear his head off for touching her and threatening her.
“You won’t kill , Sebastian, you can’t. Don’t fool yourself and don’t try to bluff my son. He’s smarter than that,” she went on, laughing again.
“I told you to shut up!” Sebastian snarled, snapping his teeth close to her ear.
My mother shook her head and smirked at . “Don’t let him trick you. He won’t be able to kill . Shorten my lifespan, perhaps, but he doesn’t have the strength to kill anyone.”
My father growled. “Surrender, or you’ll be responsible for whatever it is I do to her.”
I glanced at the guards as they closed in around , I had to drop my defense. There was no way I’d let Sebastian hurt my mother, even though she made it sound like he wouldn’t be able to.
“Theo, don’t listen to him. He can control it but only because he is weaker than you. He doesn’t have the power to kill soone. All he can do is injure them and shorten their lifespan. I can take it... just... take him out!” my mother shouted.
“Careful, my dearest, you aren’t as young as you used to be. I might have just enough strength to suck you dry,” Sebastian warned.
“He doesn’t! If he did, he would have done it already, just to show you he could. You know I’m right, Theo. You’re stronger than him, you always have been,” she said.
I looked at my own hands. I knew I had more strength than Sebastian but if I ran at him, how many years off my mother’s life would he take before I could defeat him? Would it be enough to make her sick or weaken her?
I’d only just gotten her back in my life and didn’t want to lose her all over again.
Seeing not fighting back, she anxiously urged. “Theo, do it!”
“Ha. Ha. Ha.” Sebastian’s laugh rang loudly in my ears.
“After all these years, dear Nita, you still don’t know well at all. Let remind you, there’re a million ways to break a beautifully slender and fragile neck like yours,” Sebastian said, still laughing, “but why would I do that?”
“It is an empty threat! Theo, why are you hesitating?” she shouted, pointing at .
Sebastian chuckled again. “Stop encouraging him. That fucking weak-minded brat is not going to let harm a single hair on your head. I know that far better than you.”
“What the heck are you talking about, my son is way stronger than you, you freaking psycho!”
“Why do you think you’re still alive so many years after Regina and Odelia had died? You don’t really think it’s just because you’re lucky, do you?”
My mother’s eyes widened.
What would she do when she found out the truth? A mix of anxiety and expectation coiled in my stomach.
“I’ve always kept you alive for a very, very special reason. You’re the only thing that has ever been able to control Theo,” Sebastian said, his voice thick with humor. “You see, with you around, I can get him to do mostly what I want.”
My mother gasped. “Theo, you...”
“You never knew, did you? As long as Theo did exactly as I said, you remained alive and well. If he showed an ounce of disobedience, all I had to do was tell him I’d kill you and he’d fall in line. Even that ti he was so seriously injured at 16, he ca right back to ... because of you.”
“STOP!” I roared.
“Oh, Theo,” Mother whispered. She shook her head. “I never deserved you as a son. You protect and care for when I don’t deserve it.”
“He didn’t tell you, then?” Sebastian continued, still high on his own joy. “I convinced him to produce a useful heir for only when bringing your na into the conversation. Now, Theo, put on your gloves and go with the guards. Be a good son now, like you’ve always been, and I’ll keep your mother safe.”
I felt my mother’s gaze burning into . When I looked at her, her eyes were glassy with sadness. There was sothing else there, like a long awaited sense of peace and understanding. She held herself tall, her lips drawn in a determined look.
I had no idea what she was thinking or planning.
“Theo, surrender now, or else your mother will suffer,” my father said again.
My father... he was threatening my mother just to imprison . He was nothing but a despicable tyrant.
The royal guards had completely closed in around us. There was no escape, and if I tried, Mother would die.
“Surrender!” he ordered.
I glared at Sebastian, hands raised with the desire to wrap around his throat and suck his life out. He couldn’t defeat , but my own strength was fading fast.
I hadn’t had a decent al since he locked in the dungeons and I hadn’t been able to recover fully from the torture.
Sighing, I bowed my head and nodded.
Sebastian chuckled and released my mother. He motioned to the guards to get closer to .
I let my hands fall, assuming a submissive posture, but the decision had been made—let the guards co and they all would die, even if it ant I broke my own promise of never choosing to use that damned power again!
I needed it at this mont. I needed fresh life essence to heal myself and fight Sebastian, no matter what price I had to pay!
Suddenly, my mother raced toward my outstretched hands.
“Don’t!” I shouted, feeling the heat of her life force as she approached.
My body was so weak, I wouldn’t be able to control myself. If anything, my power was more dangerous, because it would seek a strong life force to replenish my weakened body.
“I’m sorry... Theo...my son!” she shouted, and her voice started to weaken, “You’re free now!”
She ran right into my hands, grabbing them and clamping them tightly onto her heart.
“NO!” I cried as I felt her lifeforce pour into . I tried to pull my hands away, but she held down.
My body started to get refilled with strength, trying to replenish what was taken from it. When I’d fought Warren, the only reason he wasn’t dead was because I’d been at top strength and my power hadn’t worked as fast or as strongly. He still ended up in a coma.
Now, there was nothing to hold back, nothing to stop from draining her completely.
“I-it’s okay, Th-Theo,” she said, a smile on her gentle lips.
“No! No!” I roared, “STOP—!”
Panicking, I tried to pull away again, but we were stuck together now. A howl broke free from my throat as I tried and tried to pull away.
But I couldn’t.
It felt like ti was moving in slow motion. She was trying to say sothing else, but no words ca out of her cracked, parched lips. Her skin was starting to lose its natural glow and her hair was turning gray.
I saw every wrinkle on her face, every strand of gray hair, I saw it happen. I saw as her eyes glazed over. But her smile... her smile never faltered.
My hands, my own hands were murdering the woman that gave life! She was dying right in front of my eyes.
I howled again, throwing my head back and howling to the sky. I couldn’t break the cycle, I couldn’t control my power, I was going to kill her!
“No! Theo, stop!” A familiar voice broke through my panic and the next mont, a pair of warm, bare hands ca down on mine.
Skin on skin. So soft and gentle. Ciana’s fresh water lily scent filled my lungs.
Opening my eyes, I saw her clear, blue eyes staring back at , heartbroken and full of tears. She looked panicked and worried for all at the sa ti.
Her fingers curled around mine and I saw how labored her breathing was. Her strength was fading fast.
“C-Ciana!?” My eyes bulged.
“Let go, NOW! I CAN’T CONTROL IT!” I scread at her, terror surged up inside of as I saw her weakening.
But she wouldn’t—she probably couldn’t.
My mind spun and I stared at her hands connected to mine.
No no no, not her...
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