Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 148397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 148397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 742(@200wpm)___ 594(@250wpm)___ 495(@300wpm)
“It’s an absolute pleasure to bring you all here this evening. I’m sure you’ve been wondering what my theme for tonight has been, and…I’m ready to tell you.”
Coming toward Henri, he cupped his elbow and tugged him away from me. “Mercer, if you will. Come stand with me, please.”
Henri stiffened.
For a second, I saw a different reality where he whirled on Victor and ripped out his throat. I pictured him as a hurricane of violence like the night of the treasure hunt. He transformed into something unbeatable and slaughtered every Master and guard in here.
But then reality replaced that fantasy.
Eight guards.
Ten Masters.
Completely outnumbered.
Even with Ben and Stewart as our silent accomplices.
We didn’t stand a chance.
Please… I breathed hard. He doesn’t know you’re involved.
Henri looked away and allowed Victor to drag him to the head of the cave where the shelves and its sapphires, and the cupboard with its skulls flanked them.
Victor sighed happily. “As you all know, this man has become rather special to me. Not only has he agreed to be godfather to my only child but he’s also trusted me to free him so he can find his ultimate happiness.” Giving Henri a doting look, his eyes through his mask radiated absolute peace. “He has continued to grow and step into the man he was always meant to be, and I pride myself on having something to do with that. He hasn’t been happy with my meddling. He’s fought my pushes and sometimes made me doubt, but with every scream of his jewel and every drop of blood he has drawn, I know he truly is a monster, so…tonight is entirely for him.”
“Me?” Henri choked.
“The theme, mon ami, is light and dark. Death and life. Monsters and diamonds. I warned you that love is holding you back. I told you what you needed to do to reach that final frontier of freedom.”
“Victor, I—”
“Don’t interrupt.” Victor clucked his tongue. “You’re in love with her. Any fool can see it, and I am not a fool. She has been a toxic presence in my home ever since that first night. She has wrapped you in her spell. Beguiled you until you are lost. You can’t see what I do. You aren’t aware how much she is using you. She’s nothing but manipulation and greed. She’s turned Peter against me. She’s scurried around and convinced my well-behaved jewels to plan an uprising that they can’t possibly win. She schemes and plots, and I’m so sorry to tell you this, but…she doesn’t love you back, Henri. It’s all a ruse—”
“That’s not true.” I jerked on the table. “I haven’t done a thing. None of the jewels—”
“You will remain quiet, Ilyana,” Victor hissed. “Otherwise, I will cut out your ungrateful tongue.”
Hot splashes landed on my arm.
I looked at Peter.
He cried silently, clinging to my hand as if he’d collapse at any moment.
God, my heart broke for him.
How many times had he seen this?
How many times had he held the hand of one of his friends as they lay waiting to die on this godforsaken altar? How many times had he cleaned up their blood, their viscera, and placed their bleached skull in that awful cupboard?
I wished I could communicate with him like I did with Henri.
I wished I could tell him I wasn’t afraid.
Not truly.
I was afraid of the pain.
Afraid I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from fighting, thanks to the animalistic instinct to survive.
But I wasn’t afraid of actual death.
I knew there was more than this.
I knew this wasn’t the end.
I just hated that it would be a while before I saw him again.
Before I found him and Henri again.
Brushing aside his velvet cape, Victor reached into his waistband and pulled out a long red bag. Holding it horizontal in two hands, he looked gravely at the Masters.
“Tonight, you will witness a ritual we have perfected over the years. A ritual that turns a prospective friend into a Joyero member. A kiss that not only frees a jewel but frees a Master too.”
Placing his hand into the red velvet bag, he slowly, dramatically—with the flair of a born showman—pulled out a diamond-handled knife. The exquisitely sharp blade glinted in the light. The handle glimmered with crystalline fractals.
Dropping the empty bag on the floor, he stepped slowly toward Henri and grabbed his slack hand. “Here.”
Henri didn’t react.
He looked as broken as I felt.
Victor curled Henri’s fingers around the blade and stepped back as Henri stared blankly at the knife.
“This place is called Temple of Facets as you will deliver one hundred cuts to turn her from human into gem. Each cut will drench her blood with adrenochrome, which will be collected and sold. Her kidneys have already been purchased. Along with her lungs and eyes. But it was her heart that fetched the biggest price. A price I will give to you, my friend, so you will always remember the value of this lesson. A lesson that you are worth far more than she could ever hope to afford. You are above her in every way. She is yours to do whatever you wish. That is how this world works. That is what you are. And love has no place in it.”