Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 147891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 739(@200wpm)___ 592(@250wpm)___ 493(@300wpm)
Something is coming.
It’s out there.
I feel it.
The chopping stops. The water settles. Breath bated, we all watch the ocean, searching the expanse of the waters. Then, something shoots into the air, bringing a surge of spray with it.
“Kessala!” Milandra hollers, and the warriors raise their shields as the drenched figure plummets from the air full speed.
The creature collapses on top of Milandra’s shield, and with a grunt, she shoves the creature onto the ground, sending it flying several feet, but it only rises again, its bones cracking, neck bent at an alarming angle. It raises its arms like a spider about to attack its prey. Its flesh is saggy, it’s teeth sharp like brown razors as they gnash at the women.
“What the hell is that?” Willow’s voice is laced with fear as she stands behind me.
I glare at the creature as it takes a step forward, despite the warriors pointing their spears at it. If I’m not mistaken, that thing was a person before. It appears to have risen from the dead, its skin pallid and dense.
“Kassala, heel!” Hassha roars, and she rushes around her warriors, her hands ignited and a blue beam firing toward the creature. It dodges the beam, its body bending and cracking as it lands on all fours. It’s head jerks right, neck cracking to look directly at me and Willow. I push Willow into Milandra, who catches her and tows her away, just as the creature leaps in the air then tackles me to the ground.
Chapter 53
CAZ
The creature climbs on top of me, ripping at my shirt as it gnashes its slimy teeth. I grip it by the throat, trying to shove it off, but it holds on tight. It grips me by the head, squealing, and as it does, my breath is sucked from my lungs. The sunken eyes of the creature transform into red crescents, and he stares into mine until the world around me goes black. Willow’s screams grow distant, and the creature disappears.
No longer am I in Kessel. What appears before me is the main room of my castle. It’s dark inside, and I can hardly see a thing. I push to a stand, my breath coming out in cloudy tufts as I peer around. The room has become a frozen wasteland, a thick layer of ice on the walls and furniture.
But that’s not what captures my attention. On the east wall ahead, just as they were before, is my family. They’re still wrapped in black vines, trapped in those icy cocoons. I take a step toward them as something rustles to my left.
Decius stands on the opposite side of the room with a sneer, but he’s not alone. Wrapped in his arms, a knife to her throat, is Della. Her eyes are full of dread as she looks directly at me.
“Della,” I call. I run across the room in an attempt to help her, but I don’t make it far. I come to a halt as the floor opens up before me, revealing a bottomless pit. The pit is too wide to jump. Decius’ cackle rattles the room, and he presses the blade deeper against Della’s throat.
“You’ve wasted too much of my time, Caspian. I’ve never had to wait this long for something owed to me. You avoided my vessels. Now you’ve run off to the Regals. Don’t you understand it by now? The Regals don’t give a damn about you or me because this is our fight, not theirs.”
The edge of the blade sinks deeper into Della’s flesh. Blood drips down her throat.
“Stop!” I shout. “Let her go right now! She has no part in this!”
“It’s okay, Mr. Harlow,” Della whispers, tears skidding down her cheeks. “You’ve done for me what no one else would have. You gave me purpose after so many losses. Perhaps my purpose has been fulfilled now. Protect your family. Protect your mate.” She attempts a smile, but it does nothing to conceal the sorrow.
“Decius,” I growl, my throat burning from unshed tears. “Let her go. She’s done nothing wrong.”
“No.” It’s a simple word. A mutter, really. I can hardly hear it, but I feel the venom of the word sinking into me like a weight. With one swift motion, he slices the center of Della’s throat.
“NO! DELLA!”
I watch in helpless horror as she drops to her knees, clutching her neck. She hits the floor sideways, blood trickling down her chest and spilling on the floor. Her blood crawls toward the pit, dribbling into infinite darkness.
Fists clenched, I carry my blurry gaze up to Decius who has his eyes pinned on me. “You have one hour to get to me,” he says, then he’s moving across the room toward my family. “Or next time, it won’t be the housemaiden. It’ll be someone even closer to you.” He stops in front of Maeve, and I have every urge to rush him, tackle him to the ground, but I’m useless here. I’m not really with him. He’s in my head, showing me what he’s doing through that disgusting creature.