Page 68 of The Bones of the Cursed

I back out of the room and turn towards the only remaining door, wary of entering for fear of what will greet me inside. I run the pattern over the lock, and as it clicks open anxiety dances through my body, making me lightheaded.

I step through and my breath whooshes from my lungs at the brown eyes that meet mine. “Elion.”

- ELION -

The Banshee kneels beside me, as she does most days now. The horrors she has had to face are things I would never wish upon my worst enemy. I certainly haven’t wanted to live them. The bruise on my jawline is just another gift from the cloaked bastard.

The Banshee runs a soft hand over the purple-mottled skin. “It could be worse. At least he hasn’t stabbed you again.” Her voice is light, her face severe.

I quirk a brow at her. “Did you just try to make a joke?”

Her lips curl at the corners in what I think might just be a smile. “Maybe,” she whispers.

I chuckle softly. “How did it feel?”

Her nose scrunches up in the cutest way, and my heart skips a beat.

“It felt weird.”

I laugh, and now she really is smiling. Her face completely changes, becomes bright and full of life, so unlike how I normally see her. The cloaked man has slowly been draining the life from her. Each time she kills at his behest, another piece of her goes missing.

I refuse to let her disappear because of the evils of this world. Even if all I can do is pull a smile from her every once in a while.

A noise in the hallway draws her attention and her face pales. “I must go. I will return as soon as I can.” She brushes a hand down my face and I lean into that touch. Savoring it.

She disappears right as the iron door is slowly pushed open, a figure stepping through. “Elion!” the shadow gasps, rushing closer.

My mouth drops open, and I can’t quite believe what my eyes are telling me. Please, for the love of the Gods, tell me that my hard-headed sister did not just walk herself into this damned place to save me. Please tell me she isn’t stupid enough to do that.

I watch as she soaks in every detail about me. She looks well enough. Gods, the stubborn woman is going to give me a heart attack, but she’s still a sight for sore eyes. I’ve missed my little sister more than anything. She has been my partner in crime for as long as I can remember. When I had nothing left, I still had her.

All my other emotions fade into the background when confronted by the fear now overwhelming my senses. The cloaked man enters behind her on silent feet. A terror even greater than when I was taken hostage by ghouls slices through my very heart.

“Alanis!” I yell. But my warning is too late. He slams a metal rod down on the back of her head, and she collapses, out cold.

I fight against my restraints. “Don’t you fucking touch her!”

The man leaves and returns with another metal chair, setting it across from me. Then he dumps Alanis’s unconscious body into it and restrains her with shackles.

His voice slithers out, oily and vile. “What a nice surprise. Looks like I can begin my plan sooner than expected.”

Cursing, I pull against my restraints, the biting pain nothing compared to my anger. “I don’t know what you want from her, but she has nothing to do with any of this! She’shuman. Shecan’t help you.” I try to say the words with conviction, but even I am unsure of what Alanis truly is. My mother always feared her, though I never knew why. But then we came here and she mentioned that damn sensation of something drawing her here. The Primal Scroll I found only made me question it more.

He laughs, a sickening sound that sends goosebumps slithering over my skin. “Don’t be stupid, boy. Even you don’t believe the lies you spew. Alanis is exactly who I’ve been searching for, and now that she is in my grasp, everything I ever dreamed of is within reach. Which means I have no use for you anymore.”

My stomach lurches as I stare into his dark hood, unwilling to look away.

“Don’t worry, I’ll let you have a brief reunion with Alanis before I kill you. It would be no fun if she didn’t get to watch as I drained the life from your body.”

He turns without a backward glance, slamming the door.

26

- MALAKAI -

ICLAS

Each second passes by too fast. How long has she been gone? Where is she? Is she all right?

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