Page 841 of Coal Hearts

I didn’t want to use Ily’s parents as my confessional, but I did need to earn their forgiveness. I needed to earn Peter’s forgiveness. I needed to earn my own forgiveness for being half man, half monster and finally realising...I will never be whole without the other.

I would never raise a finger to Ily again.

But my mouth watered to hurt them. The guests. The Masters. The sinners.

To tear them apart and feast.

“Revenge helps,” Q muttered, following my thoughts. “But you have someone to protect now. You can’t just prosecute those who hurt her without taking precautions.”

“Precautions like you?”

“Yes.”

I sniffed and met his eyes. “Tell me, brother. You say you love your wife.”

His muscles coiled with suspicion. “What’s that got to do—”

“Just answer me.”

“Fine.” He cocked his chin. “Yes. I do.”

“Do you hurt her?”

His nostrils flared. “None of your fucking business.”

“That’s a yes.”

“What we do behind closed—”

“When I first got to that island, I wished I’d asked you how you managed to get married and be normal when you have the same darkness inside you that I do.”

He didn’t speak, watching me carefully.

“How do you do it? How do you stop that darkness from building?” My hands balled. “Because it’s building. Every day that I get stronger, it gets worse. So tell me...how—”

Something crashed in the château followed by an ungodly scream. “Henri! Henri!”

Rachel.

No.

Fuck no!

Wrenching open the door, I bolted down the stairs.

My heart pounded; my entire body ached with panic.

I didn’t feel my own weakness, only pure piercing terror.

Q charged after me as I sprinted down the corridor and careened into Ily’s room.

I couldn’t compute.

Couldn’t tolerate that I’d left her.

I’d left her alone, and she’d crashed.

“ILY!” I dashed to her side.