Page 86 of Secrets of Ruin

The shadows couldn’t pierce the protective bubble the warlocks had erected, but they searched for a weakness as they moved over the invisible structure. The warlocks beneath watched them as the shadows grew louder and their movements more frantic.

Brokk didn’t know what they were doing until he realized their distraction was causing the air holding him in place to weaken. He subtly lifted one of his feet before lowering it to the wall again; he didn’t want the assholes closest to him to realize he could move better.

As a murmur of unease ran through the tavern, Kaylia hissed in a breath. Her sound of pain drew Brokk’s attention back to her as the dagger went deeper into her flesh.

“You may not care about her,” Fabian said to Cole, who had succeeded in pushing the air away to sit on the table. “But what about your brother?”

He lifted Kaylia and edged forward to stand on Orin’s remaining hand. “I can kill her and then him. Does your fiancé, who we will not kill, mean more than both their lives?”

Yes, she does.

Even Brokk knew that, and it wasn’t because of Cole’s love for Lexi but because of what she meant to the realms. Whatever these assholes planned for her, it had to do with power, and if they’d gone this far to get it, they would do anything to see their plan through.

And so many would suffer if they succeeded here. They may not kill her today, but to take power from her, she’d have to die.

Unless… Brokk swallowed as an unsettling idea settled over him. Unless they intend to do to Lexi what they did to Kaylia and take control of her with their magic and potions.

Lexi was extremely powerful but also young and didn’t know the true depth of her abilities. That made her more susceptible to these monsters who knew exactly what they could do.

Kaylia succumbed to Fabian’s magic because she was younger than him and unprepared. Lexi was prepared for that, but would it be enough to keep her free of their control?

She was also already in love with Cole, so he doubted a love spell or potion would work, but he didn’t know for sure. Besides, they could easily have something else planned for her.

The shadows stopped moving, but it wasn’t because the growing risk to his family had subdued Cole; Brokk knew he was trying to lure these assholes into believing their threats had worked.

It was only a matter of time before blood drenched this bar.

Cole had mostly transformed into his male form as he regained some control over his emotions, but his eyes remained a burning silver against black. Only a fool would consider him tamed.

One of the warlocks across the room said something to a lycan. The man strode toward the dwarf, who glowered at him from behind the bar. She lifted a bottle and heaved it at the massive man stalking her.

The lycan threw up his hands to protect his face while the dwarf lifted and threw more bottles. They bombarded the man and broke apart to shower him in glass.

From the hall Fabian first emerged from, a nymph strolled out. She froze when she saw the scene in the bar and, with a squeak, turned and fled. A door crashed shut a second later.

“We have to get out of here,” Fabian said, “before one of the cowards who left here goes for help. Grab the queen.”

The sound Cole unleashed made the hair on Brokk’s nape rise. These assholes had to know they weren’t getting out of here alive with Lexi, but they seemed oblivious to the danger stalking them, hanging over their heads, and waiting to pounce.

The dwarf switched from bombarding the lycan with bottles of alcohol and flung one across the room. The woman’s aim was something to behold as the bottle crashed into Fabian’s head, knocking it to the side and causing the knife to slice across the bottom of Kaylia’s chin.

Brokk roared as he fought against the air pinning him to the wall. He kicked against the paneling but still couldn’t get free as Kaylia’s blood spilled across the ground and Fabian jerked her back against him.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-FIVE

Blood poured from under Kaylia’s chin, but with the knife no longer there, and Fabian’s hold on her was loosened by the blow, she twisted in his grip. As she did so, she drove her elbow into his ribs.

He grunted as the impact knocked the air from him and bent a little forward. Before he could recover, she turned enough to unleash a series of blows that caught him under his chin and in the throat before pummeling his rib cage.

Not only did she have her hatred of this man and everything he’d done to fuel her, but she also had her fear for Brokk and her friends. Those things combined to unleash a primal rage determined to destroy this man, who was a worse monster to her than every creature in Doomed Valley.

Most of the things in the Valley were animals just trying to survive. The ophidians were ruthless, but Fabian was a living nightmare who needed to die.

Her attack on Fabian provided the distraction the others needed to tear themselves free. From the corner of her eye, she saw Brokk peel himself off the wall as Cole transformed into a wolf and attacked. Screams of terror and pain filled the air but Kaylia remained focused on Fabian.

Launching at him, she gripped his throat as the impact of her weight staggered him to the side. She pushed her thumbs into his windpipe to cut off his air supply.

Her plan was interrupted when he swung the blade at her. Throwing her arm up, she knocked the arc of the knife aside before he could impale her in the back.