Undying Hate | Book Three

Thirty | Hands

"You're a liar," Sylvie whispered so low she thought Lazuli wouldn't hear, but the nail jamming into her ribs proved her wrong. Screaming and writhing away, she kicked and bucked from the other woman whose iron-coated claws dripped her blood onto the floor.

"I am. But not this time. The truth can often be the most powerful weapon, yes?"

"So he never touched you, but I know what he did to me. He still deserved what he got after that."

"I sent him to your room that night, petal."

No.

Sylvie hung on to the last shred of evidence she could think of. "His tree was rotting-"

"With demonic influence, yes, I'm well aware of what my meddling cost that dryad."

Lazuli sighed and looked up as if reminiscing. "I do have a way of killing ancient trees. I hoped the one you were fond of in Evergreen may have done the job and killed you considering your emotional tie to it but no. I am glad about it now, though. I was rather hasty in my desire to kill you then, but now I think eternal torture would suffice."

No. 

Sylvie's throat burned with acid.

"I do commend you on your killing of Trions tree. I would never have thought to use Flora occisor. Or perhaps that was Kerensa's idea."

Lazuli smirked and shrugged. "He died a hideously painful death and didn't deserve it. Such a shame he couldn't have shared his true feelings about his grandsiring. His pride in you." She laughed, clasping a hand to her breast as Sylvie struggled for breath.

It couldn't be true. It couldn't. Her memories were real. She could still see his black eyes and shaven head. It was real. He couldn't have loved her.

"Demonic Influence is a powerful thing, you know. First, it's words, then actions. Sometimes beliefs if the possession is deep enough. I was never quite good enough to force Trion's beliefs, but I got close. Whenever I felt his perversions slipping, I would weave my darkness over him, and the best part is that the mind stays completely intact. The puppet is simply trapped inside their skull while I make them do whatever I want." 

Had he suffered inside his mind while Lazuli forced him to touch her that night? Had he known she was the one that killed him? 

Did he die thinking she hated him? 

She had hated him. But now hating him felt wrong. He wasn't hers to hate. 

He was- he was a victim too. 

Tears filled Sylvie's eyes, but she lowered her head to hide them. Lazuli wouldn't see her cry.

Lazuli sighed loudly as if she held the weight of the world on her shoulders. "It never worked on you, though, which is a shame. I would love to have watched you destroy everything you love without being able to do anything to stop it."

"Too bad," Sylvie croaked as she swished past her, stabbing another nail into her back. She screamed as Lazuli laughed.

"I would've made sure you didn't hurt Kian, though. He is mine, of course. He will always be mine. But I've learned from my mistakes. I know I can't make him love me. Not truly. But I've realised love is a weakness. It opens you up to disaster and ruin. No, I will make him fear me, and he will never leave me. In fact, how about we start now, my love."

Her voice rose a few octaves, the sound echoing around them clear as a bell.

Please don't come in here, Kian. Sylvie pushed all her will against him, wherever he was and begged him not to come through the cell doors. She had been wishing for his return, and now all she wanted was for him to be far, far away, out of reach of his abuser. Her abuser, too.