Free Betrayed by Julia Crane Page A

would be like putting a bullseye on the halflings. I speak the truth. Not only that but then you would have to worry about the creatures forcing themselves on the humans, to try to bred their own race.”
    I crossed my arms and studied him. As much as I hated to admit it, I believed him. I couldn’t risk putting the humans in harm’s way even more.
    “Great. So what do we do? We can’t keep them locked in here forever. And they were made to help replenish the Earth.”
    “It was a noble plan, but not a well thought out one.”
    I didn’t like him saying my mother’s idea was a bad one. And no matter what, I wouldn’t change having them in my life.
    I paused, frustrated. “We can’t bring them to the realms, they would never be accepted.”
    He nodded in agreement. “This is true. At least not now. Maybe in the future.”
    Suddenly, Demitrious’ body went rigid. “We need to go upstairs right away.”
    I hadn’t sensed whatever it was that he had, but I knew better than to question his instincts.
    “Henrek, keep them safe,” I yelled over my shoulder as I ran to catch up with Demitrious, who was already at the top of the stairwell.
    As soon as the door opened I knew what had alerted him. Darkness. The room was shrouded in a dark mist. There was no form, just an energy field. The room that was once empty was now filled with the creatures staying inside the castle. But they looked different. They were filled with adrenaline, excitement, like an angry mob waiting to be released.
    It didn’t take me long to realize the mist was mingling with their energy, causing them to get keyed up. It ignited the flames of hatred they had inside. For each other, for me. Their attention was riveted on me.
    I felt the darkness swirl within me. It was calling to me, to embrace my shadow side. I was surprised to find myself willing, anxious, to take heed to the pull. The harder I tried to resist the more it filled my body.
    Freaked out, I glanced at Demitrious, his shoulders were heaving up and down. A vein pulsed on his forehead. In that moment I knew the darkness was within him and he was battling himself to gain control.
    In a flash there was chaos, creatures tearing at each other. One of the shifters lunged at me but Demitrious interceded, breaking his neck and tossing him aside.
    Another’s body crashed into the wall with enough force to shatter the marble wall, surely breaking every bone in the creature’s body. I watched as the body slid to the ground in a pool of blood.
    Somehow the demon had beat the darkness and instead of fighting the others, he was protecting me. My hand throbbed, wanting to release my power on the others, my mind kept telling me to fight it. That I was there to bring peace not cause war. However, my power didn’t want to listen.
    Tables were knocked over, bodies flew through the air crashing against the walls. The chandelier fell to the ground with a devastating bang, crystal shards flew everywhere.
    Next thing I knew, the room stilled.
    What had changed? The darkness still hung in the air, filtering through our bodies.
    A flash of light so bright it hurt my eyes came from behind. I turned and cried, “No!”
    It was Calamus, only he no longer appeared that of a child, he was a full grown man and his body glowed from within. The only way I knew it was him, was his eyes, that and how eerily similar he looked like my father.
    Calmly, he walked straight into the middle of the darkness. I attempted to lunge forward but my body didn’t move. I was rooted to the ground.
    Calamus smiled, the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen.
    He twirled his hand. “Creator of all that is. It is commanded to take this darkness into the light never to return to Earth again.”
    A loud howl filled the room, and before our eyes the mist turned into a dark figure, so large his head was hunched as not to hit the ceiling. In the blink of an eye his body dissolved, turning into a black box. And then it shot into the