Shattered Reality | Book Two

Chapter XIV

Grim looks like he knows I'm right but he just sucks in a breath before licking his lips. I notice how no hood covers his face, but he still tries to act like he has the safety of a hood to hide himself from me. "I was feeding," Grim's voice is eerily soft.

"Feeding? Like sucking out my parent's souls like noodles?" My face twists, along with his. I didn't realize how truly horrible that sentence was, but I inwardly cringe. I wonder what would happen if I jumped out my window right now...hopefully die. Actually, Chris the pine tree would probably save me from my fall because come on, he's Chris the pine tree.

"When you put it like that it sounds horrible."

"No, it's horrible either way," I shake my head.

"It's how I stay alive, Cassie. You think I enjoy walking into a dour funeral and eating right in front of people crying? Or how about standing beside someone as I watch them slowly die and then eat their soul like a 'noodle' after they finally crumble? Don't think of me as some horrible person just because of how I have to stay alive," he hisses. It catches me off guard, his sharp tone. I had gotten used to the soft whispers, not the serrated snaps and snarky words. "I don't think of you as a horrible person because you're an outcast from your own family!"

I take a step back from him in a trance as soon as he says those words. How dare he? How does he even know about that? "Your thoughts, Cassie, they give you away all the time."

"All the time?" My voice breaks pathetically. I don't know why it feels like I am constantly being slapped by an eel as he continues speaking. He's just telling me the truth. As I realize this, my anger rises and my pathetic whimpers turn into harsh whispers. "And you think it's right to go digging in my thoughts?"

Grim's reply is cold and cuts right to my core. "You're a human. Anything you humans consider wrong is the right for immortals like me," he hisses. My eyes widen and my rage runs over the top.

"Oh right, sorry, I forgot I'm a human. I'm weak and puny and a worm compared to you," I shrug my shoulders, pointing at him. "Then how come angels are trying to protect you from me, huh?" I'm sure he can sense the amount of rage secreting off of me like the mist that used to fall off of him.

"It's not like that," he defends himself as his voice rises.

"How exactly is it, then?" I narrow my eyes, finally growing a pair. He narrows his as well as he stares at me. It's completely silent between us until he backs away and shakes his head.

"I knew this was going to happen one day. I would tell you too much and you would look at me like the monster you once thought I was," his voice wavers slightly. "Just because I cannot say no to you. What power do you hold over me where I hand you all my deepest secrets on a platter?" His words make me pause and my anger subsides shortly. I am stuck, wordless, and gaping as he stares at me before he sucks in a breath and looks down.

"All your secrets?" I laugh in anger, remembering what he said moments ago. "You've told me nothing except your name! All the other things I had to get from Azrael because you don't trust me!" I hiss.

"That's not true!" He shakes his head. "I've told you many other things. I do trust you, can't you see?"

"Oh right. I forgot. Basically every day you tell me how I'm a worthless human. I should know that right? Since you're my sacred protector, right?" I tilt my head menacingly. "Sorry to break it to you, but I don't need a protector. You saw how I handled Rowl. I did it without your help," I snap cockily. I know that is completely false because without him showing up in the car, I never would've had the balls to actually do what I did. "I don't need you, Theodosius."

Grim tenses completely at my words. He doesn't even turn to me as he speaks, a hood slowly shifting over his face. When he finally turns around it feels like hours passed and that damn black shadow covers his face, hiding all of him from me. The one piece on his body that would tell me exactly how he was feeling is covered up and I fear I'll never be able to see those beautiful eyes again.

"Alright, Cassiopeia," his tone is deathly. "Come this time tomorrow, I will no longer be your 'sacred protector'," he snarls and disappears with an angry, animalistic growl. I stare at the spot he was just standing in, boiling with rage.

As soon as he disappears I scream in anger and run my fingers frustratingly through my hair.

How dare he? How--

I pause as something suddenly winks through my room. I stop moving and pacing, turning to look at my bed. Another flash. My eyebrows raise eagerly before I slowly walk over to my bed, completely forgetting about the anger and rage washing through my body as a beautiful light fills my vision.

I curiously move my pillow to reveal the feather. It's slowly turning into gold, a piercing light giving off of it as it shifts. It floats softly in the ground, defies all rules of gravity. Seconds later, it falls to the pillow in a pile of golden ashes. My mouth falls open. I know that the feather somehow definitely caused that horrific fight.

With beauty also comes madness and that's exactly what this feather caused.

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