LUCIUS' POV
"I expected better. With all your fierceness towards my master, I thought you'd figure me out immediately, but I was wrong. You totally fell for my tricks," she said, looking at me coldly.
"Free her this instant, and go back to your water," I replied in a dangerous voice, but she smirked.
"What if I don't? There's no reason for me to. My master has given me this body. Even if I release her, she'd have to fight me. And can she do that? I'm way stronger than her. She's just an omega," she said, throwing the bunch of roses she held to the ground.
"She's not weak," I said, and she scoffed.
"I think I decide if she's weak or strong. After all, I have had a fight with her. She was so easy to tackle," she said confidently.
"She was surprised," I said, not even sure why I was having that conversation with her instead of squeezing her neck.
She walked to me slowly, with an arrogant look in her eyes, and stopped close.
"Forget about her. Tell everyone she fled to marry a more powerful Alpha," she whispered, and my hands found her neck easily.
I squeezed and lifted her up.
Her hands flew to my fingers, which were wrapped around her neck, and she gasped for breath, tapping my hand frantically.
Her eyes bulged as shock registered on her face.
"You don't mess around with me," I said dangerously, and she struggled just to get her words out.
"You'll hurt her... If you hurt me," she said, and her face squeezed in pain.
I squeezed harder, and she opened her mouth wide for air.
"We're connected... Whatever... Whatever you do to me... You do to her," she said, and although I didn't want to believe her, I couldn't help thinking it could be true. I didn't want to risk it.
I threw her to the floor, and she gasped for breath.
Then she smiled and brought herself to her feet, staggering.
"There's nothing you can do to me as long as she and I share this body," she said, and I grabbed her wrist.
"Dusk can take pain. Can you?" I asked coldly.
"You're willing to sacrifice her to get to me?" she asked and laughed.
"If it gets her out."
"Why are you so worked up about getting her out? Inside the mirror is a pretty world. Even if you get her out, she still has to fight me to the death, which is impossible," she said, and I barely restrained the urge to choke her.
"Have you tried fighting her once more, when she knows what is going on?" I asked, and she rolled her eyes.
"I doubt it would make any difference."
"We'll see, won't we? Set her free first," I said, and we stared at each other with a cold look.
"Don't you prefer seeing her alive? Even if she's in a mirror, at least she's alive. It's a lot better than her being dead after I fight with her. Then I'm the only one you'd be allowed to see," she said, and I bent to her height.
"Why don't we wait first, before you jump to conclusions?" I said, and looked past her to the water. "Your so-called master isn't showing up today?" I said, and she hit my chest hard.
"Don't speak of the master that way! Respect!!" She exclaimed, but I smirked and dusted my chest off.
"Follow behind, or I'll hurt you for real, without hesitating," I said to myself, walking away from her with my hands in my pockets.
I had to keep my cool; if I ended up hurting Dusk, I didn't think I could bear it.
"I went to the mirror once more; I couldn't see her," I said, but she didn't reply.
"When I talk to you, you should reply. It makes me mad," I said, and she rolled her eyes.
"I can only go in at Dawn; you'd have to wait because this time, it'd be you going in," she said, but I didn't bother replying.
When we got to the castle, my men held up all their weapons, pointing them at her, but I raised a dismissing hand.
"Where are we going to?" She asked, but I didn't reply.
"Reply to me too when I talk to you. It makes me mad," she said, and I stopped.
When I turned to her, my eyes were glowing red.
"I'm afraid I don't have the patience for you," I said, and continued to walk.
I went to the Physician's quarters, and she followed me.
"What are we doing here?" She asked with folded arms.
"While we wait for Dawn, wake her up," I said, and she raised her chin, looking away.
Then my men all came in, lining up and frowning at her.
It seemed to make her feel intimidated, and she laid a hand on Seline's forehead.
Nothing happened, and we waited for some minutes before Seline's eyes fluttered open.
She blinked rapidly before looking at her surroundings.
Then she sat up in a bolt.
"She's the underling! She's not Dusk! Dusk has been hidden somewhere in this castle. She..." She was saying, but I laid a hand on her shoulder.
"I know. Thanks for being so hard at work."
"You know she's the underling?" She asked, glancing at Naomi's underling with contempt.
"It's Cassandra!" The underling replied rudely.
"Yes. I found out not long ago," I said, and she sighed.
"So... So do we know where Dusk is?" She asked in concern, and I nodded, which seemed to put her at ease.
~
Finally, when it was Dawn, I went to get Dusk, and Cassandra went with me.
My men came along with me in case there was a problem, and Cassandra spent minutes arguing and trying to get them gone.
I put my hand on the mirror, and it went right through.
Then I stepped into it.
Everywhere seemed to be covered in light blue fog, and I saw Dusk, lying on the floor.
"Dusk!" I said and ran to her, raising her up.
There were marks on her neck, where I had strangled Cassandra.
She was right after all.
Dusk looked weak and pale.
And I knew it would be impossible for her to fight Cassandra in that state.