By the time we hit the first landing, the windows glow orange.By the time we reach the ground floor, the whole north wing is engulfed in fire.And Silas?He's still up there.Burning.Like he should've been a long fucking time ago.As we push past the front doors I'd broken earlier, the cold night
And that's exactly what Silas wanted.To goad one of us into mercy.To get a quick death.But that's not happening.Not tonight.I shove War back with a palm to his chest. "Stop. This is what he wants."War grits his teeth, his eyes still fixed on Silas. But he steps back.Just enough.I grab Silas
I move to the next letters. He tries to hold it in. Still pretending he has pride to protect.But by the time I finish the Y, the scream tears loose. I smile.That cold, dead smile that never reaches my eyes.War laughs beside me. "How's it feel to fuck around and find out?" he drawls. "Your son s
KingSilas stirs with a groan—low and ragged, like he's coming back from the grave.Shame. He won't be staying long. I flex my gloved hand and settle on the edge of the desk, watching awareness slither behind his eyes. There's a swollen lump on his forehead where it cracked against the wood—the ski
My gaze shifts to the woman kneeling near the wall.His wife.Still. Hollow. Just a ghost with a pulse.She's not innocent—she tried to take Zuri from Alyssa—but she's also a prisoner of her husband's sickness.Another trophy he kept around to destroy. "Get out," I say coldly. "Unless you want to w
KingI know she's still here.I can fucking feel it.The tether between us—the invisible string knotted in her soul and tied tight around mine—pulls harder with every second.She's close. Needing me.Waiting.And I need her just as fucking badly.It's only been a few hours, but it feels like a life