Page 87 of Secrets of Ruin

Gripping his throat again, her fingers constricted around it as the blood rushing through her ears made it difficult to hear anything. A haze of red pinpointed her vision onto Fabian.

Every cell in her body was hyperaware of him as memories of what he’d done bombarded her. The feel of him reminded her of all the times she’d allowed him to touch her… something she never would have done without a potion.

This fucker had used her and left her life scattered and broken. He’d probably spent centuries laughing about it while she cried.

He’d only reemerged now so he and his buddies could set this trap for Lexi. She didn’t know if they’d originally expected Lexi to come with her or planned to use her and Brokk as leverage against the queen.

Once Lexi did arrive here, they’d probably planned to take a couple of them too so they could keep Lexi in line. They most likely intended to slaughter the rest.

Kaylia would never be a prisoner again; she wouldn’t be leverage against her friend, and she certainly wouldn’t let this beast touch her again. She’d die before any of that ever happened, but she’d far prefer to have him die.

Grunts and shouts pierced through some of her fury, but they remained muffled and distant despite coming from the same room as her. Fabian beat at her arms before clawing at her hands as he tried to break her hold; her fingers dug in until they pierced his flesh.

A strange, teeth-bared, almost maniacal smile propelled the corners of her lips up as Fabian’s blood spilled over her fingers and ran down her arms. She felt savage and out of control, but she didn’t want any control; she wanted death… his death.

When the high-pitched screaming started, she knew something had caused the barrier protecting the warlocks to fall. Those cries could mean only one thing—the shadows were tearing their enemy apart.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Orin roll to the side before rising. Distracted by the shadows and most likely dying, the warlocks lost their ability to use air to suppress the others.

When Orin raced toward Cole and Lexi, she lost sight of him. She prayed to Hecate that Brokk was okay but didn’t dare take her attention off Fabian to look for him. A second’s distraction could mean her death.

Kaylia’s awful smile grew as she met Fabian’s wild, terrified eyes. He looked like he was staring death in the face, and if she had her way, he was.

Fabian’s punch to her gut knocked the breath from her while lifting her off her feet. Kaylia’s fingers dug deeper into his flesh as the past three hundred years of sorrow, guilt, and discovery rushed over her.

She’d spent too many years engulfed by grief, anger, and emptiness. All that loss caused her to shut down as she contemplated dying.

When she finally found true love with Brokk, she’d questioned it, hated herself for it, and pushed him away. She’d spent too long avoiding the miracle of what developed between them, and it was all because of this monster.

Fabian brought his hand down across one of her arms, knocking her grip free of his throat. Determined not to let him get the upper hand, Kaylia lunged into him. He staggered into the wall as she hooked her fingers and raked them down his face.

Screaming, he slapped a hand to his cheek when she gouged one of his eyes. Her awful smile returned as Kaylia leaned into him, pinning him against the wall.

Against her side, she felt the fingers of his other hand working to create a spell. Before he could succeed, she grasped it and snapped two of his fingers backward. She cut off the howl he emitted by using the side of her hand to deliver a sharp blow to his windpipe.

Choking, he gagged as he tried to draw in air. From somewhere to her left, a spray of blood hit them, more screams filled the air, and a burst of fire illuminated the tavern. That fire meant Lexi was free of the blanket.

With some of his disbelief fading over her vicious attack, a snarl curved Fabian’s lips as blood dripped down his face and his eyelid drooped. Much to her amusement, he wasn’t so perfect now as she gripped his throat with both hands again.

He lifted his hands between her arms, knocking them apart and tearing her grip on him free. At the same time, he shoved her back a few steps.

Kaylia stumbled before catching herself. She thought he would come after her, but he turned toward the front door.

The coward is trying to flee. That’s not going to happen!

Pulling the dagger strapped to her side free, her grin returned as she went after him. Her arm moved with a speed she’d never experienced before as she sank the dagger into his side and pulled it out.

He twisted toward her while stumbling forward. When she lashed out at him again, he tried to slap her arm away, but she used her free hand to punch him in the face.

The blow caused him to stumble before crashing into the wall. As he pushed himself off it, Kaylia threw her weight into him, pinning him there as she unleashed her fury.

With rapid movements, she stabbed him over and over again until she savaged muscle and flesh and bathed in the blood splattering her. He tried to slap her hands away, but she moved too fast.

A blow to her temple left her dazed, and her vision blurred, but while a ringing sounded in her head, she remained focused on her task… complete destruction.

As she worked, all the wonderful memories she’d believed she held with this man ran through her head. All the fake laughter, the kisses, the stolen moments on beaches or beneath the trees bombarded her. All of it was nothing but manipulation and lies.

And then the awful emptiness after he told her that he’d died—the tears, the heartbreak. All of it was nothing but lies. All of it was because of this man’s inability to handle that she’d turned him down.