Page 88 of Secrets of Ruin

He would pay for that.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SIX

An awful, inhuman sound filled the room. It took her far too long to realize it was coming from her, but she couldn’t stop it as she plunged her dagger in and out of this monster.

Fabian fumbled weakly for her hand. His attempts to stop her were growing increasingly useless as his bloodstained fingers slid across her slippery arms. He succeeded in gripping her wrist, but he was too weak, and she moved too relentlessly for him to do anything more than hold on as she tore him apart.

He sagged against her, too drained to stand alone, but she didn’t stop. She couldn’t stop, not even when she cut him open enough for his insides to spill around her.

The floor became so slippery neither of them could stand any more, and they went down in a tumbled heap, with her on the bottom. Those awful sounds continued from her as she flipped him over, straddled his chest, lifted the knife over her head, and plunged it into his cold, dead heart.

His hands fumbled at her face, and his fingers ran over her eyes, momentarily blinding her, but she didn’t let it distract her while she carved open his chest. His breath rattled as she plunged her hand inside the cavity to grasp the organ within.

She’d expected to encounter a shriveled, dried-up, blackened heart to match his soul, but it was warm as it beat against her. Lifting her head, Kaylia met his eyes and smiled at the terror shining in them.

“Rot in Hell.”

With those final words, she tore the organ free and crushed it in her hand. When it stopped beating, she opened her fingers and let it fall to the ground.

As soon as the life extinguished from Fabian’s eyes, a rush of relief and something more washed over her. The thunder of blood in her ears faded as the red haze coating her eyes lifted.

Shock and disgust filled her as she gazed at what she’d done. The blood coating her dripped from her hair and ran down her arms in rivulets that pooled on the floor.

Fabian had deserved to die, and she was glad he was dead, but she hadn’t recognized herself as she attacked him. She didn’t know the woman who had killed with such remorseless brutality and devastating effect.

And now, it was over.

The man she’d once believed herself helplessly in love with, the man she’d agreed to bind her life to, and who had manipulated and used her, was dead. He was once the love of her life, and even if it wasn’t real, she could recall the intensity of those fake emotions.

Though she was glad he was dead, a part of her remained torn about it. She hated that part more than the blood and guts surrounding her. Her shoulders hunched forward as a sob lodged in her throat.

“Easy.” Brokk knelt beside her and rested his hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay.”

She lifted her head to look at him; the concern in his gaze was nearly her undoing as tears filled her eyes. When he wiped some of the bloody hair off her forehead, his tender touch brought some warmth back to her chilled body, and she threw herself into his arms.

Kaylia clung to him as he enveloped her in a strong embrace. Even covered in blood too, Brokk’s inherent smell pushed away the awful, cloying stench of the liquid.

Her fingers dug into his neck, and she hugged him closer. She craved his strength, his nearness, and the stability he brought to a life spiraling beyond her control. His presence pushed through her distress to ground her in what was important… him… them.

“I’m here.” His hands ran over her hair while comforting her. “Always.”

Kaylia stifled a sniffle; this wasn’t the time to break down. She could do that later, but she had to keep it together and learn what happened to the others. Forcing her eyes open, she blinked away the blood coating her lashes as she brought the tavern back into focus.

Twenty feet away, Cole and Lexi stood beside each other as they surveyed the wreckage. He had his arm around her waist while she leaned against his side.

To their left stood Varo with his head bowed. They were all bloodied but uninjured.

Scattered around them were the remnants of the warlocks and their allies who’d tried to trap them. No one had survived.

Orin, Sahira, and the dwarf knelt at the side of the lycan who had transformed back into a man. Sahira assured him he’d be all right; they would take him to Dragonia and help him.

Kaylia closed her eyes and buried her face in Brokk’s neck. “Take me home.”

“I will.”

When he lifted her into his arms, she curled against his chest as Lexi opened a portal into Dragonia. Brokk was her home, but she was eager to return to the realm of the dragons, where they could finally start their life together without Fabian hanging over their heads.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-SEVEN