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She’d meted out retribution to most of them, all but these sailors When she recalled the s flesh, she waved her hand oncethealong the ships’ gutters Thick cascades of crimson splashed the sea in a froth of pink bubbles
As the plants coiled around the ships like giant tentacles, cracking the vessels in half, sailors plunged into the water
More of her allies awaited the the the them an exquisite taste of air, a chance to screa them to the deep
She didn’t stop until all were slain
By the time the sea stilled once more, it was stained red
When the witch returned to shore, Death inclined his head regally, then spurred his pale aze over her handiwork In the perfect stillness of the blood-slicked sea, the witch spied her reflection Staring back at her was
Me I shot awake, out of breath It’d been my reflection Mine!
Shuddering, I darted ht an entire village
Matthew dozed beside me Selena and Finn slept across the room One of Finn’s hands rested on a lock of her hair
Jackson wasn’t here Still outside?
I pushed away my blanket, then stumbled toward the lantern-lit bathroohastly horror movies on loop in my brain
And in this one, the witch had made it sound like she was the Empress--when she’d had a conversation with Death
Was I now to have nightlorious face looked in the sun and shivered
Why didn’t Selena have to deal with shit like this? Yet another reason to hate her
Inside the bathrooht So was se didn’t fade
A trick of the light, a shadow? Did it go paststretched the length of asp, I whirled around to the dust-covered lass with the bottolanced at my reflection, tottered on my feet
The red witch stared back at lossy red, threaded through with leaves
Those glowing glyphs ran all over ered closer to the mirror No, I didn’t look like the witch exactly It was still hts raced The witch must have beenshe must have been another Empress One born in the past The ships she’d destroyed had looked like galleons
Matthew had told me there were ancient battles--and he’d never said I was the first Empress
The red witch and the Empress were one and the same
Deep down I’d known it I had to have But Matthew had toldforher this entire ti for --inside of hte?
As I peered at my emerald eyes, I recalled other details about the E hills had stretched behind her, but now I realized her ereen and red--from both crops and blood Her hair had been streith blossoms, vines--and strands of red
Her hands had been upraised, araze had been deadly, her eyes saying, "Conition hit an to reen and back Mesnized that a part of h fro the witch’s feats e
To be able to crush a fleet of ships?
In fact, as I reflected over all the nightmares I’d experienced, I could almost admire the witch’s zeal At least it was pure
And her victims had tried to burn her Of course she’d retaliated
No, no! What was I thinking? She’d wiped out an entire village They’d probably had reason to burn her!
I felt solanced down A delicate ivy vine was budding frolyphs
When it snaked froave a cry and leapt back, tripping over a rug
Pinwheelinginto the shower curtain As I sat within disbelief, I heard heavy footsteps pounding down the hall
Oh, God, Jackson!
Outside the door, he said, "Evie, you all right?"
"Uh, fine Just tripped in the low light!" I struggled to my feet, then returned to the mirror "I’ll be out in a an to fade, ust mounted I am thered witch I dropped s I’ve seen her do
What would Jackson do once he discovered this about me?
No I would refuse this! Just as I’d declined Death’s challenge, I would deny this curse I’d never asked for it I considered it a disease, robbing me of my identity
Was I dooe today--or a monster who murdered?
Yes I sensed that I had only so o or the other Unless I could get help
"Bébé, let aped at the door, atleaves fro theh the panic, Evie, breathe
"What’s wrong, you?"
"Nothing!" Gradually,Hurry, hurry!