Page 4 of Hero of Havoc

Despite the pain that contorts my hands, I reach for hers, but she snatches them away, pain in her eyes as the ring around her eyes burns orange.

I part my lips, a plea perched on the tip of my tongue, but she looks away, dismissing me, and before I can attempt to regain her attention, Leonardo speaks instead.

“Ivy, you left sooner than I prepared for. Maybe it's time to have a bit more of a private chat,” he offers.

Hugo takes a step forward, an interjection on his tongue, but Leonardo lifts his hand, stopping him before he can move any closer.

He commands the room whether we like it or not. His eyes settle on Ivy, waiting her out.

Slowly, and to my utter disbelief, my mate sits, palms pressed against the floor, as she stares down at her drenched dress. A shiver rattles through her, and Hugo snaps his fingers, a whisper on his lips as the air conforms to his words, swirling around her and drying her in an instant.

He doesn't offer me the same, but I don't care. I just need her as far away from this wretched man as possible.

“Ivy,” I breathe, but it's like I don't exist as she stands, shattering my heart when she nods at Leonardo.

She's standing right beside me, yet the distance between us stretches further than ever before.

“Ivy,” I repeat, scrambling to my feet without using my hands. “Don’t do this,” I snarl as Reginald complains from the hallway. I fight back an eye roll as everyone ignores him, but it’s not as bad as how Ivy ignores me.

“I think a private chat is necessary,” Ivy states, eyes fixed on the leader of the Second Kingdom like she didn't witness him killing another leader mere moments ago.

“Ivy, please,” Hugo breathes, but she shakes her head, folding her arms over her chest as she takes Leonardo’s lead, while all I can do is gape down at my burnt hands.

She bypasses each of us without a single glance, leaving one thought swirling in my mind.

Ivy Hayworth can cover me in scars, and I'll wear each of them with pride as long as she finds her way back to my side.

2

IVY

Ihave no idea what's going on right now, or what delirium I'm floating in that gives me the confidence and strength to think that it’s a good idea to follow this man, but here I am.

The flames may have disappeared from the surface, but they burn inside of me with a vengeance. Invisible to the rest of the world.

I've never felt more disheveled in my whole entire life, especially while being so focused and hyper-alert.

My heartbeat quickens as tension grows thick in the air, and I step past my hated mates and let the leader of the Second Kingdom lead me out into the hallway. I keep two steps behind as I retrace our earlier steps, heading back into the room we originally came from.

Anticipation weighs heavy on me as we step inside, and he closes the door behind me, sealing my fate before I can reconsider.

Shaking my head, I focus on staying present instead of losing myself to my thoughts, but I’m immediately flooded with the revelations that floated in the air, holding everyone captive. It feels like an eternity ago, yet I'm sure it wasn’t very long at all.

The stench of tobacco swirls in the air, making my nose scrunch as my eyes cast over the room.

All the bodies that filled the space earlier are gone. The low lighting is still in place, casting a soft glow over the leather seats that Leonardo waves a hand toward, continuing to guide me, whether I like it or not.

Clearing my throat, my fingers curl into the material of my dress as soft jazz drifts wistfully through the air. My eyes crinkle as I try to recall whether I heard that playing earlier, but maybe I can only hear it now because nobody else is here to distract me.

My chest tightens as Leonardo moves to the side, taking a seat in a low brown leather chair, revealing the fact that we're not quite alone, as someone stands to his left, hovering over the dead body of Deandra Dormer. My spine stiffens as I watch the server cup their hand over their mouth, gagging against their palm as they try to clean up the remains.

It should remind me of the kind of man I’m facing, but all I can do is gape in disbelief.

Folding my arms over my chest, I recall the last time I saw a dead body… at the altar, where my life changed forever. Only, this feels a little more gruesome, especially since I was here to witness her murder.

Leonardo follows my line of sight with a grunt, curling his hand in the air, and in one swift move, the server keels over, choking on nothing as they claw at their throat. All too quickly, they fall limp against the lifeless form, making it a pile of two dead bodies.

“You're disgusting,” I state, my eyes wide as I shake my head, all while he brushes invisible lint from his pants, an amused smile on his lips.