Page 48 of Secrets of Ruin

Kaylia barely heard the words over the awful noise escaping her. Lexi eased away from her, and a new warmth encompassed her as bigger, stronger arms enveloped her.

Some of her wailing eased as she relaxed into Brokk. Her joy over his waking broke through some of her melancholy, and she turned into him. Her fingers dug into the wall of his chest as her tears wet his skin.

“What happened?” Brokk demanded, his voice ragged and raw.

He ran his hand over her hair, looking to soothe her. She couldn’t see him through her tears, but feeling and hearing him again was a magic she hadn’t expected to ever feel again.

“Shh,” he murmured in her ear when shivers wracked her. “Shh, I’m here, love. I’m here.”

She’d vomited all the poison inside her, but it would take years for her to purge the emotions battling her.

“What happened?” Brokk demanded again.

“That’s her story to tell,” Sahira said softly. “Be gentle, Brokk, it’s not a happy one.”

Kaylia listened as they retreated from the room and closed the door behind them.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Brokk barely felt the weakness still penetrating his muscles and shaking his legs, which made moving difficult as he held Kaylia against his chest. None of it mattered as he tried to ease the sorrow breaking his heart.

They’d spent a lot of time trapped in that dungeon, and he’d never heard her cry like this. She’d been beaten, starved, thrown into a cell with him, locked in darkness, and never broken down.

He had no idea what could have possibly caused this reaction from her. It wasn’t because she’d feared he would die; he was holding her, and she was still shaking like a leaf in a hurricane.

The black pool spreading across the floor shimmered in the sun. He had no idea what the thick liquid was, but it had come from her; he felt that truth in his bones.

As she continued to weep, her despair penetrated his soul, radiated through his bones, and pushed aside the hunger he’d woken with. The flesh on his back ached when he moved, and he dimly recalled the whip tearing away his skin, but that memory faded beneath the onslaught of her distress.

Her arms slid around his neck as she pressed closer. Despite her emotional state, she was careful not to touch the healing skin on his back.

Brokk inhaled her fresh, earthy scent mixed with the lavender drifting from her hair. Though she smelled amazing, her breath had something foul on it, and he realized the same odor emanated from the black puddle.

He had no idea what to do to help her but didn’t assure her it would all be okay. He had no idea what was wrong, and he’d never seen her like this before.

Instead, he ran his hands over her hair and down her back, whispering, “I’m here. I’m here for you. I’ll always be here.”

And he did not doubt that. Whatever transpired, he would be here to help her through it.

Brokk had no idea what had happened since they left Doomed Valley, but a pit of blackness had swallowed him and kept him clasped in its dark hold until her cries somehow pierced it.

He’d managed to pull himself out of that darkness for her, and he’d help pull her out of whatever this was. He would stand by her side no matter what; he just hoped she still wanted him.

Gradually, her shaking and tears subsided as she slumped against him. After a few more minutes, she turned her head and kissed his neck.

“You’re awake,” she breathed.

“I’m awake.” He felt her exhaustion as she rested her head on his shoulder. “Let’s get you somewhere you can lie down.”

Her head turned toward the black pool, and she shuddered. “Aren’t you going to ask?”

“Do you want to tell me now, or would you prefer to rest first?”

She pondered this before replying, “I’m afraid I’ll go insane if I go anywhere quiet. Everything’s already too loud in my head.”

His arms tightened around her, and he pulled her into his lap as he sought to protect her from the world. Whatever happened here, it was worse for her than the dungeon; he couldn’t imagine such a thing being true, but she’d never worried about going insane behind those bars.

“Are you ready to talk about it?” he asked.