Hearts Destruction

[Tate Belegorn]

Tate looked at it confused.

"I don't know, I had never heard of Donner before. But she wasn't even willing to tell me anything about it. I didn't get it. And then the darkness thing happened, and she just ran out on me."

[Cassiel]

Cassiel opened the book and noticed that when she did, Tate's necklace started to glow black. She closed the book and the glowing stopped. "I wonder if this is the spell book that created that necklace," Cassiel mused.

[Tate Belegorn]

Tate shrugged, looking in the book with Cassiel.

"Do you think there is any connection between Donner and Cassandria?"

Tate asked quietly, still looking in the book.

[Cassiel]

"I think it is very likely that there is some sort of connection." Cassiel answered, her voice very serious. "From what I've seen from her brand of magic, if this is his book, they are very similar."

[Tate Belegorn]

Tate nodded, then shrugged.

"Well from what I got from Kiya, it sounded like that was his book to me. But what do you think it means?"

[Kaden]

He rushed into the barn urgently, sensing the power of his book begin to fade. Someone had tried to destroy it, and he knew who it was. However, as he entered, he didn't see who he expected to see; instead it was two others standing around his book. Neither of them had any connection to it. He cleared his throat before speaking in Kaden's voice, even though this was certainly NOT Kaden. "Oh, I see you've found my book."

[Cassiel]

Cassiel quickly closed the book. She didn't know Kaden very well, but she was getting the same dark feelings from him as she was from the book. She didn't trust whoever this was at all. "I don't know what you are talking about. This is my book, I've had it for ages." Cassiel looked directly into his eyes when she said this, showing him she wasn't afraid of him.

[Kaden]

His eyes flashed red for a split second, the color of Donner's eyes, but he quickly calmed himself. He knew he'd get nowhere if he blew up now. "Really? I'm pretty sure that's mine. Maybe you had one like it, but I know I left mine in here." It pained him to act so pathetically, but it was a means to an end.

[Tate Belegorn]

Tate stood up slowly, seeing his eyes flash red, he held onto his necklace. He gritted his teeth together.

"Liar."

He stated mater-of-factly.

[Kaden]

"Look, I'm telling you...that is MY book." He said. "And I do not appreciate you calling me a liar." Turning to Tate, a smirk came across his face. "That necklace....Where did you get it?"

[Cassiel]

"And I am telling you it's my book." Cassiel said quickly, hoping to get Kaden's attention off of Tate and back on to her. "Actually, I think I need to do a bit of light reading, so if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to my book." She sat back down on the hay and opened the book to a random page. Luckily the fire hadn't gotten to the whole book and most of the middle section was intact. The page Cassiel was looking at was a spell to bind a person's soul. Her eyes widened slightly, but she made no motion that she was shocked. Cassiel held on to the book tightly, and kept one eye on Kaden. She was preparing for a battle.

[Kaden]

Her opening the book was the last straw. All subtlety vanished along with the facade Donner was trying to keep up. His eyes turned red and his voice deepened. "Alright, fine." He said, turning back to Cassiel. "Let me tell you something about myself: I've been on this earth, increasing in strength for over 200 years. Do you honestly think that I don't know those magic little words that all shifters fear?" Donner warned, a toothy smirk in his face. "Put down the book."

[Cassiel]

"I will not be intimidated by you," Cassiel said angrily. "Now I know that this book is so important to you that you would kill an innocent person for it. Big mistake. So, what is in this book that you need? Because as you can see, the book is almost totally destroyed. It was a smart person who tried to get rid of this book."

The whole time she was talking, Cassiel was trying to think of a plan. She didn't want to destroy the book because she thought it might be important later. On the other hand, she didn't want to risk the man, who she now knew wasn't Kaden, getting the book back. If he really did know the curse, Tate would be killed too. She shifted and looked at Tate. She spoke only to him so that the man inside Kaden couldn't hear. I am going to distract him. I want you to take the book and run as far away as fast as you can. Find Eli. No matter what happens, get the book out of here.

[Kaden]

Donner was starting to get pissed. He had no idea what her plan was, but he was smart enough to know she was stalling for time. Growling, his voice raised. "I don't have to explain a damn thing to you." He said, as she shifted to her animal form. "You can act as if you don't fear death, but you'd be lying. Every living thing on this earth fears dying. And why sacrifice yourself for something you have no use for?" He continued.

But then, his expression changed. Donner stopped trying to talk to her and instead, uttered only the beginnings of the curse. He knew that it would cause her an almost unbearable pain, but unless he said the whole thing, she'd stay alive.

[Tate Belegorn]

Tate looked to Cassiel, eyes widened.

Cass, I can't do that to you. You mean too much. Let me help.

When Donner began speaking the curse Tate fell to his knees in pain. He grabbed his head as the ringing got louder and louder inside it. The necklace on his neck started to glow a violent black.