She stopped growling and slowly sat back down in my mind, but her glowing pink eyes continued to glare forward, as if James was right in front of her instead of above us, kissing me like we were still together.
"You always wanted to be free. You even got this feather tattoo to prove it. It’s sad you'll never understand that freedom has consequences. You wouldn’t be facing your death if you stayed in your cage of painting and remained hidden. But it's okay. You'll be free from your boring life and out of my way. Hah. You're just as foolish as Storm Yuna," he chuckled.
I felt Storm's magic flicker at the insult and it took everything in me to tame its rage. My own power was hard enough to hide. I had to stay focused on the new plan. That would be the only way we would survive this.
"We're here, Sir!" Henchman One announced.
James sighed and I felt what I believed was his thumb brush my cheek in what would have been a soothing gesture, if I hadn’t been so creeped out.
"Farewell, Crimson Storm. I wish you had the chance to find out who you truly were and learn of the lies you grew up believing. Oh well. Maybe in your next life," James whispered. His hand left my cheek and I felt my body being lifted.
"Make sure she's deep within the blizzard. There should be some sort of cliff there. Drop her over it just to be sure she's dead. Don't fuck this up, boys," James warned.
"Yes, Sir!" the two men replied in unison.
I was given to one of the henchmen and was thrown over his shoulder like a rag doll.
"Farwell, Crimson Arashi," James hummed.
I wished I could say something, anything to show my burning anger, but doing so would give away my hand and I wouldn't let him win. I couldn't.
Facing the reality of death was hard. But this level of betrayal was the motivation I needed to fight for my life. He thought he had the last laugh. But I would be victorious. I would survive this and my men and I would hunt his ass down and show him how dangerous a caged bird can be once freed.
He'd regret ever loving me.
STORM YUNA
EIGHT WEEKS EARLIER:
"Storm Yuna. A pleasure for you to be here."
I kept my facial expression blank and nodded my head ever so slightly. I'd rather have sliced his throat with my katana, but with my hands tied and these two imposter guards cloaking my restraints, no one would see I was being led astray against my own will.
I was taken into the building and we made our way to the courtyard. The crisp, cool air did nothing to cool the burning anxiety and anger pulsing within me. I couldn't do anything though or my men would die.
They were in a meeting that had been bound by magic. If I didn't obey their request, the magic would be set off and all six men that I loved would be gone.
The only way for them to live was for me to die.
"It's such a shame to have you in this predicament, Ms. Yuna, but you should be aware of what happens to people who want to instill peace in the world. There are many examples to choose from, but they all have one thing in common."
I looked up at the man with white eyes and watched the cynical smile form on his lips.
"Death," he whispered, followed by a sickening laugh that hurt my ears and sent my spirit animals into a frenzy inside me. They knew death was upon us and it pained them to see me meet my end.
I wouldn't let them perish. They would be locked in my pocket watch and be sealed there. I only knew one person who'd have the potential to open it, but I had no idea how she'd be able to acquire my watch in time.
"Now, let's get this over with. The meeting should be over with soon. Don't worry, Ms. Yuna. I'll keep my promise. When you stop breathing, your men will walk out of the boardroom unharmed. Well, physically that is. I can only imagine the pain your death will have on them. Oh, the joy of watching someone’s pain; it makes me feel marvelous. After this, Nokamato will fear change." The man laughed yet again and I bit my lip hard.
I couldn't believe how foolish I'd been. I should have gone with them. But for the sake of peace, something we'd been fighting to achieve for years, I let myself get distracted and had fallen into the worst trap imaginable. We reached the middle of the yard and the guard with red eyes forced me to my knees.
He walked around me once then stood before me, pulling out his long sword.
"The Master and I have this handled. Go back to the site and make sure everything goes smoothly. Once we've finished and I arrive back home, call me and tell me the news. I'll make sure everyone else is aware of her death," the red-eyed man instructed; the other guard bowed and ran back into the building.
He smiled when his eyes scanned my body and the tip of his sword gently ran across my left cheek. The sword was sharp enough to slice my skin with ease and my blood coated the silver blade.
He lifted it up to his lips and his sinister smile widened as he slowly licked off the blood.
"I always love to have a taste of my victim's blood before they die. It's like a silent commemoration of their life before it’s taken by me." He grinned and it made me want to vomit.
"Ah, James. This side of you freaks even me out. I'm surprised your girlfriend hasn't found out about who you really are," the white-eyed man said casually as he rested on the bench a few meters away.
"Crimson? Tsk, she's a fool. A pathetic human who can't even figure out that her powers were locked away. It's only a matter of time. She's getting sicker with each birthday that passes. You know the drill. If five years have passed and the shifter hasn't been reunited with their birthright weapon, they'll die. Her twenty-third birthday is approaching. Once that hits, she'll bleed from the inside out and die. Then they'll realize who she really was and the power will already be lost," James sighed dramatically and returned to stare at me.
"Too bad, don't you think? She would have been stronger than you. Having two Kitsune shifter parents, both with SS magic affinities. She'd surpass you with just her awakening. She could have helped you achieve this peace you desperately crave for," he mocked.
Crimson! The Sealed One that I bumped into during my run. She...maybe she can save them?
James pointed the tip of his sword at my pocket watch that hung on my neck. "Imagine if your powers were combined. To think of Storm Yuna, the strongest mage of our time with her beloved guards and Crimson Arashi, the strongest Kitsune shifter with her cherry blossom power. To think such a pretty weak name for a power could actually be a deadly skill to have. Weird how nature works," James shook his head and sighed.
"Hahaha. I can't believe twenty-two years have gone by and no one has caught on yet. I love how frantic Konashi is. I bet he wishes he was the actual father. What a shame," White Eyes said.
"What do you mean?" I interjected, confused by the hidden meaning of their words.
James smirked and tilted his head, his eyes twinkled with excitement. "Crimson Arashi is not the daughter of Konashi. She's not an Arashi at all," James revealed.
"But... that's..." I trailed off. I'd known Mosuki Arashi since I was a child and there was no doubt that the woman I met during my run was her child. Even their eyes were identical.
"Ah. Curious little Storm. Since you won't be breathing for much longer, let me let you in on our little secret," he mocked.
White Eyes laughed.
"Mosuki was forced to marry Konashi. You know the sad realities regarding arranged marriages and all that. But she was already pregnant with baby Crimson. I wonder by whoooom?"
I returned my attention back to James who rolled his eyes. "It was rather obvious. Mosuki was head over heels with her partner in crime. Does the name Hotaka Jiyuna ring a bell?" James hummed.
My eyes widened and I now understood what they meant in their assessment of Crimson. Both parents were astonishing mage fighters and Kitsune shifters at their best.
"Wait...you’re not saying—" I realized, but screamed as James sword was driven through my chest.
He smirked as he hovered over me. "Yes, Ms. Yuna. What happens when two Kitsune shifters give birth to a female?" he whispered down at me.