All the Stars and Teeth(92)
When I finish, the girl’s mother pulls me into a tight embrace that sets my body on fire. “Bless you, Sira,” she says, as though I’ve saved her daughter by stealing her restoration magic. Rigid, I’m barely able to offer a nod. But she’s too relieved to notice, and together they hurry out the door.
As it shuts behind them, I add another bracelet to my wrist.
That girl was the last of them. Now, everyone has only a single magic; the whole island has been purged.
Day by day the number of leather bracelets on my wrists has grown—marked with the blood of those whose charms I control. The power over so many souls has turned my gentle magic into a seething, hungry beast.
Part of me wants to peel the bracelets from my skin and hide them out of my sight, but I can’t risk Cato finding them. I won’t risk him gaining control of these people, or the power that comes with their blood.
My heart has become more calloused with every magic I steal, sickened by the praise of those who thank me for being selfless enough to take care of them first, instead of worrying about my own multiple magics. They love me for doing this, and praise Cato for having this idea and saving them all from their demise. He’s a king in their eyes, guiding them to safety. And because the island is still in shambles—because our people are still fearful and looking for guidance on how to navigate living with only one type of magic—they make his title real. And they make me their queen.
Stars, if only they knew. If only they could tell why I’ve stopped being able to look into their eyes. If only they could feel the guilt that plagues me, turning my hair gray and withering my skin.
If only they knew how I hate myself as much as I hate Cato.
He finds me later that night by the shore, staring out at the ocean and silently begging it to claim me.
“It’s your turn,” he says flatly. “It’s time to get rid of everything but your soul magic.”
My eyes flash to meet his, icy and sharp; I always expected this moment to come.
“And what if I refuse?”
“Then I’ll kill you,” he says. “Though I hope it doesn’t come to that. We were always meant for this, Sira. You were always meant to be behind me as I ruled.”
His words are so ridiculous that I laugh. It’s a fierce, bitter sound that feels far too natural on my lips. I scratch at the leather bands around my wrist.
“You cannot kill someone who is already dead,” I say as his eyes go cold. He grabs my hand and presses the handle of his skinning knife into my palm. I glide my thumb over its cool steel, settled by the blade.
“I did this for you,” he growls, “so that we could have a better life. You should appreciate the work it took for me to get here. I didn’t just get us a home, I got us a kingdom.”
I nearly laugh again at the word kingdom. It bubbles in my chest, threatening to burst, but I swallow it down like lead. There’s no rationalizing with a man who craves nothing but power.
“You’ll give up your magic,” he demands. “Now.”
If I tear half my soul away and curse it into a charm, I’ve no doubt he’ll take that charm to assure I can’t ever break my curse, or anyone else’s.
But Cato’s controlled me for long enough.
“Why can’t I keep curse magic, instead?” I ask him flatly, flicking the skinning knife open.
“Because then you’d have to live on a different island.” Though he drops this news casually, the words grind into me. “We’re expanding the kingdom. I’ll keep a small group here on Arida; twenty advisers for each of the magics, to help build my kingdom. The others will spread out to the island that uses the magic they chose. As the only two with soul magic, you and I will reign.”
My blood boils so fiercely I can’t seem to catch my breath. “What about the families? If a child practices a different magic than their father, would you really split them up?”
He holds his jaw high. “The family can remain together. But should they practice a magic other than that of the island they live on, we’ll have to imprison them.”
“You’ve already taken so much from these people,” I say. “Are you so afraid of being viewed as weak, that you’ll take choice from them, too?”
“It’s not about being weak.” He practically spits the words at me. “It’s about being fair. Never again will anyone feel like they’re not good enough. There will be no competition. Everyone will work together, learning the same magic of their island.”
My hands shake. “And what of soul magic? It’s hardly fair to keep it for ourselves. This magic is powerful, Cato. I never shared it with others because I was always trying to make you feel important. You wanted it to be our own special practice, and I agreed so that you could feel like you have something no one else has. But if you’re so worried about fairness, shouldn’t we be sharing this magic with anyone who wants to learn? We can make it the magic of Arida.”
Shadows fill his cheekbones and sharpen his face. “Soul magic is too powerful. In the wrong hands, it would be dangerous. Other than the two of us, no one else can ever know this magic.”
The response that sparks within me is sharp bewilderment. I throw my head back with a vicious sneer. Dangerous, he says, as if it wasn’t him who wrecked the lives of hundreds and destroyed their peaceful home. Fair, he says, as though that’s ever been what he’s concerned with. As if he wasn’t ever just jealous of me and everyone else with more magic than him. As if he doesn’t love that everyone now praises him, and has made him a king.