Ace of Hearts

32

It was only a second before I came to my senses and realized exactly what Kol was saying. That same second, I lost it. "You let me think I was crazy. All these months, I thought I was losing my mind. Why didn't you say anything?" I scream in Kol's face.

Every ounce of hurt that courses through my veins resonates in my voice, and it's the only thing that makes Kol flinch.

He lets me rant, scream, and tear into him until I feel like there's nothing left inside me. "Ace, I—actually, there's no excuse or reason I can give to justify it." His voice litters between the silence. "The truth is I was being selfish. I wanted to be near you and talk with you without consequences, without hurting you further. Now, I've done far worse than I could have by telling you the truth to start."

"You're right." I whisper as I stand up and move to leave. I linger for a second in the doorway to tell him. "I'm not saying this argument is over, but I'd rather not start something I don't know if we can finish."

"Where are you going?" Kol's voice follows after me as I trail down the hallway.
"Let's save that for the argument later." I call over my shoulder. "Because you definitely won't like the answer."

...

I keep my gaze firmly settled ahead of me. Of course, if anyone was foolish enough to sneak up on me, with the hub of power in my blood, it wouldn't be too difficult to sense or take them down. Although, I can't help but smile at the attempt. "I told you so." I call over my shoulder as I feel him approach. "And yet you still doubted me."

"Yes, I know." Silas sighs as he rounds a cluster of trees. "You knew exactly where to find Quetsiyah and even what she was doing."

A chuckle threatens to bubble from my lips at the shock that adorns his expression. "Now, I suppose you want to find out what else I know."

He watches me like a smothering parent as he quirks an eyebrow. "And I suppose your terms haven't changed?"

"Not in the slightest." I retort. "So is it really worth it to you? Are you really willing to give up the secret to the immortality and its cure; all to find out what really happened to your darling Amara?"

Silas snaps, but I dodge his hand so it just barely brushes past my skin. "Don't toy with me. I could cripple you in a second."

"But you can't, because for all your special tricks you can't see inside my mind. Which means if you hurt me, you'll never know the truth." I tease and hold out my hand. "Now, give me the spell. Then you can finally get the answers you've been waiting for all these years."

Silas glares at me, and if looks could truly kill, I would be nothing more than ash right now. Instead, he places a tightly folded piece of parchment into my palm. "Good. You'll find your full explanation waiting for you at this address." I toss him a map with the destination marked. "Good luck, Silas. You're gonna need it." I singsong, leaving behind me an anxious and confused immortal.

"How am I supposed to know that this is what I was promised?" He calls after me.

I turn back to him with a raised eyebrow. "The same way I know you gave me the real spell. We both desperately want something that the other had. Not to mention, I think both of us know that if one of us was crossed, retaliation is inevitable."

Silas nods in approval. "Then I hope for both of our sakes neither of us was that foolish."

I smirk at him and nod as I walk out of the woods, hop into my car, and when I'm sure there's enough distance—pray that I didn't kill everyone I love.

...

"What the hell did you do?" Kol shouts as he storms into my room. I ignore him, not bothering to open my eyes and lose focus. "Lee."