Page 66 of Born Free

Sebastian’s blood.

A silver blade sticks out of Sebastian’s chest. Right into his heart.

For just a second, brief as the inhale of breath, I see peace in Sebastian’s eyes as he stares up at the ceiling. His hands are wrapped around the handle of the blade.

But one falls slack.

And then the other.

And the world falls away as I watch the color leach from Sebastian’s skin, and the light in his eyes goes out.

I squeeze my eyes closed, forcing a waterfall of tears down my face.

I’m going to throw up. I’m going to throw up.

My entire body shakes violently, yet it’s frozen with fear. I can’t let Orlando hear me, or this entire bloody plan will be ruined.

Orlando curses, a string of them, loudly, in English, Spanish, and Italian. He kicks at one of the stools at the bar, shattering it. He lets out a purely primal scream of rage as his fingers twist into his wild black hair again.

I know the truth now. Why Orlando really came to Chicago. It was for love. He truly loves Roman, and he was telling the truth all along. He just wanted to reconnect with his brother. But with the show he was putting on, none of us believed him, and now we’re all paying the ultimate price.

My eyes lock on Roman lying there on the floor.

Limits. What are my limits?

I’ve died for Roman once.

There is nothing in this entire world that says I can do it again.

And I can’t leave this hiding place. Orlando cannot see me. But what kind of timeframe after death does my gift work?

Silently, I sob into my hand, covering my mouth.

Ruined. It’s all ruined.

The world ends this way with everyone I love dying, and a Royal is here to witness our downfall.

But a noise outside pulls my attention. It sounds like a fist. It’s yelling. A body falls to the ground and scuffles back, and then more fists pummel more flesh.

There’s a fight happening outside, not far from the front doors from the sound of it.

And then there’s another sound.

Sirens.

The sound grows closer and closer.

Orlando stands straight, his head whipping to the door. He stands there frozen for a moment, and I can practically hear the gears turning in his head.

What now?

He’s just witnessed the brother he searched for for decades die in front of him. He’s just learned that his brother was a traitor to the crown. He’s just killed his brother’s murderer.

He curses, the sound reverberating from the walls.

I see his expression harden, and he turns around, staring at Roman’s body. He pauses for a moment, the sound of sirens growing closer and closer.

He stalks to Roman’s side, standing above him, studying his still and lifeless face.

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