Our eyes collided before they locked with each other, in a silent battle. Julianna was quiet for a moment, before she opened her mouth and ruined our peace treaty.
“What was your favorite thing about my sister?” she whispered.
My muscles tensed at her words. “You have a penchant for self-destruction, Beasty.”
“Answer the question.”
My chest tightened and I growled, “Her hair. It was unique, different… beautiful.”
Julianna gave me a bittersweet smile. “Do you think she’d love the new you? This Killian standing in front of me, right now? So full of rage and hatred.” She shook her head sadly. “She’d hate you more than anything.”
It was almost as if Julianna wanted me to hate her. She didn’t think before she spoke, bringing up her dead sister when she knew the reason behind my hatred was herself.
I stalked over to her and she gasped when my arm snaked out, too fast for her to act. My fingers circled around her throat and I squeezed, pulling her up. She stumbled into me, our chests colliding together.
Julianna let out a small sound and she fumbled, her nails digging into the back of my hand that was currently wrapped around her pretty neck.
“What is this new, stupid act?” I hissed, my breath fanning over her veil. “You’re digging your grave deeper, Julianna.”
My hand tightened around her throat, not enough to choke – I knew she could still breathe easily – but it was a warning. I saw fear flash behind the grey in her eyes and she trembled under my hold.
“What can you do to me that has not already been done?” she muttered softly.
“I am your karma,” I growled in her face. “I could tear you apart if I wanted.”
She breathed, her eyes still locked on mine, stubbornly.
“I’m in your soul, Beasty. I see you for who you are. A villain, my enemy – the reason behind my half-dead heart. I’ve made you weak; I’ve brought out your vulnerability and I’ve used it against you. But you’re so fucking naïve, still standing in front of me, with your stupid act, as if you’re strong. But you’re not, Julianna. I’ve seen the real you. The bleeding you. The you behind this veil, behind that façade, and you know who she is? A feeble creature with bones stained with sin, blood under her fingernails, and soulless eyes. I’m standing in the ashes of who you used to be, Beasty.”
Tears filled her eyes and I smelled her defeat; it was so potent that I tasted her defeat on my tongue. Her body went slack under my hand, the fight finally leaving her body. “And you know what’s laughable?”
A single tear escaped her eye, sliding down her cheek, hidden behind the veil.
“I haven’t even started yet. Your life is mine. Call me a monster, but you’re the one with blood on her hands.”
Julianna made a choking sound in the back of the throat, holding back a sob.
I released her and she stumbled back, shaking her head. “You’re heartless,” she cried. “Downright cruel; it’s almost inhuman.”
I watched her gasp, tears spilling down her cheeks before she spun on her heels and ran away, stumbling and limping into the labyrinth.
Fire flared inside me, hot and raging. She shouldn’t have baited me, shouldn’t have brought up her sister when she knew damn well what it meant to me. I raked my fingers through my hair, pulling until my scalp burned. From the corner of my eye, I saw Gideon walking toward me from a distance. Fuck.
This was the last thing I needed right now. Gideon questioning me and then reporting back to my father. With a growl, I rushed after Julianna.
Once inside the labyrinth, I called out for her. “Julianna!”
She couldn’t have gone far, but this was a dangerous place. Once lost, it was near impossible for her to find her way out. We’d be stuck in here all day and well into the night.
“Julianna,” I yelled loudly. “Call out to me.”
She didn’t.
I moved around the labyrinth, left and right, only to come across three dead ends and no sign of her. “Goddamn it,” I swore under my breath.
Tugging at the collar of my shirt, I snapped the first two buttons open. It was too hot today and here I was, chasing after my fucking wife – in a goddamn labyrinth.
There was a wounded cry to my far left that made me pause. When the sound came again farther away, but it still sounded like Julianna, I ran toward it.
There she was.
On the ground, as if her legs had given out on her. A wretched sob came out of her throat. “Stay…away from… me, Killian.”
I shook my head, approaching her slowly. “Can’t do that, Beasty.”
She sniffled. “We are toxic together. Poison.”
“I agree.”
Julianna brought a hand up, as if to ward me off. “Don’t come any… closer.”