Page 146 of Forsaken Secrets

59

Jaiel

To my right, a man screamed as his body broke out in oozing pustules.

A woman stumbled in front of me, her back warping and cracking loudly. The room filled with the sounds of terror, and the monster inside me started to move.

No. No. No! This wasn't the time!

I pushed it down, moving towards Liam. I had to get him and Kaiya out before whatever this was went down.

The monster wasn't having it, though. It stretched, pressing into me from the inside, seeking a point of escape.

Then a new ghoul lunged at me. Gone were whatever colored eyes he had before, and in their place were dark pools of emptiness.

I looked up to see Kaiya arching in her bonds, her mouth opening in a soundless scream as an echoing noise came from my left. Lynk?

He mouthed something and stared at her, shock filling his eyes as he fell to his knees.

His face was pale, and sweat rolled down his face.

Great! The monster inside pressed at its bonds. Lynk was affected somehow, Kaiya was trapped, and Liam was beaten to a pulp.

How the fuck was I supposed to get them all out of here?

Saints …

I looked between the three.

My monster would not stay inside long.

The other two would have to save themselves …

Another ghoul lunged at me, and the monster inside sent fire through my limbs.

I'd used so much of my charisma earlier that I was weak against it. FUCK.

Mind racing, I searched for options. I NEEDED to get to Liam.

The monster paid me no heed, though, and shadows streamed out of me.

I was out of time.

The cultists around me continued to scream, their bodies boiling and warping as the stone dragon came alive … more of him turning to flesh and bone as the cultists took on the corruption he was losing and turned to body wraiths.

Shock flooded me. Gods be damned. How did one of the Lost Kings get here?

But my monster would have no more. It was give in or pass out, so I gave in, pulling my blade and slashing at the new ghouls.

Those poor people had no idea what they were getting themselves into.

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