Cedric blinked. The words refused to register, and at the same time, he felt his world shatter into a million pieces. His heart clenched with a pain unlike anything he had ever felt before, and a primal rage surged through him, threatening to consume everything in its path.
"What do you mean?" He gritted out, his steps threatening as he closed in on Leticia.
"I... I told her the truth," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
"What truth!" Caleb asked this time. He feared for Cedric, but he was more than terrified of what Marisol's parents would do when they found out they'd lost their daughter again.
"I..... I told her that the only way to kill Guinevere is now that she's vulnerable in hibernation, and the only thing that can destroy her for good is a dagger. I told her where to find it."
"So you sent her to her death?" Caleb all but cried out. Leticia was at a loss for words, scrambling for what would be an appropriate answer at a time like this.
"Marisol is the only one destined to wield the dagger, but no one who wields it survives the aftermath. I told her to think about it. I guess she made the decision to go through with it."
Cedric's reaction was immediate and violent. He roared with fury, his rage consuming him like wildfire. His hands clenched into fists, his muscles tensed with the urge to lash out.
In a fit of madness, Cedric fell to the floor, his anguished roar thundering as his fists pounded against the ground. His wolf howled in pain, echoing his torment as he struggled to come to terms with the reality of Marisol's disappearance.
By the time the truth had fully sunk in, Cedric was a whirlwind of fury and grief. He turned on Leticia, his eyes blazing with a primal rage as he grabbed her roughly, his grip like a vice around her throat.
"Cedric, stop!" Caleb's voice rang out, his tone commanding. "This won't bring Marisol back."
But Cedric was beyond reason, his mind consumed by the darkness, that was all he knew without Marisol by his side. Caleb struggled to set Leticia, who was suffocating free. He fought against Caleb's hold, his muscles straining with the effort as he struggled to save her from his outburst.
Finally, with a guttural roar, Cedric released Leticia from his grip, his chest heaving with exertion as he glared at her, his eyes swirling with a mixture of hatred and despair. "You... you betrayed us," he growled, his voice trembling with barely concealed sadness.
Leticia coughed, holding onto her bruised neck as she scampered farther away from him.
"Fix this!" Cedric snarled, his voice dripping with venom. "Or meet a fate far worse than death in my hands."
Leticia watched him with a heavy heart, knowing that she had failed him in the worst possible way. But they had no other option. Unless...
It was finally time to reveal her final secret.
Leticia's heart pounded with fear as she broached the delicate topic. "There's... there's one other option we haven't considered," she began hesitantly. "We could suppress Marisol's witch side temporarily. If we time it just right, the moment Guinevere is killed, there's a chance Marisol might survive."
Cedric's eyes narrowed with intensity as he absorbed her words. "Do it then," he commanded, his voice tinged with primal urgency and loathing of Leticia.
He didn't care about the risks or the consequences. All that mattered was getting Marisol back safely.
"We don't have time to waste." He growled, seeing as she struggled to get off the floor. "I'm going to get my mate back." He turned to leave, his mind already racing with plans of his own to retrieve Marisol from Ember Coven.
'Useless' He seethed as he made to walk away. They were all useless.
Suddenly, Caleb entered his line of sight, blocking his path. "I'm going with you," he declared, before Cedric could lash out at him, his voice firm with resolve.
Liam moved to block Cedric's path too, his gaze steely with determination. "I'm going too." he offered, the anger radiating from him matching Cedric's own.
The sight of Liam sent Cedric reeling for a while. He hadn't heard or seen him arrive. But that much was understandable, seeing as he was wholly blinded by rage.
Cedric regarded Liam with surprise. He wasn't sure what to expect after losing Marisol, but it was definitely not this. "Thank you," he said, his voice filled with genuine appreciation. "We'll need all the help we can get."
Meanwhile, Leticia scurried to her chamber to prepare the spell. Time was of the essence.
Just then, a sudden blow struck her head, sending her crashing to the ground in agony. With a groan, she looked up to find herself surrounded by Lily and her friends.
Lily's eyes blazed with fierce possessiveness as she glared down at Leticia. "You're not going anywhere until you finish that spell," she spat, her voice dripping with venom.
Leticia struggled to push herself up, her head throbbing with pain. "I was going to do just that!" She cried, "Besides, I'll need some help preparing for the spell," she managed to gasp out, her words strained.
They immediately looked apologetic and helped her up.
With Lily and her friends closely monitoring her every move, Leticia hurriedly began to gather the necessary ingredients and materials for the spell. As she worked, she could feel their eyes boring into her, their impatience palpable in the air.
Finally, as Leticia completed the spell, she realized she would be needing a vessel to channel its power, and she told them just that. Without hesitation, Lily stepped forward, "I'll do it," she declared, her voice firm and resolved unwavering.