Page 127 of A Curse of Breath and Blood

I buried my head in Tharan’s neck, trying not to cry. I fucked up—sentenced Baylis to an eternity of slumber.

Gideon’s words echoed in my head.You are nothing. You are useless. Weak, pathetic whore.

Our footsteps echoed through the halls as we ran for the sewers.

“Halt! In the name of the king,” soldiers called after us.

Using two coats of armor as conduits, Caiden made a wall of lightning, blocking their path.

“It won’t hold forever, but it’ll give us more time to escape,” he said. His face strained as he concentrated on the magic.

Another troop of soldiers came bounding up the stairs. Lucius fired his crossbow into them, hitting the lead man and knocking the rest back.

The entrance to the tunnels were just ahead. The sewers meant safety.

A plume of thick, black smoke snaked its way across the ceiling, landing before us, revealing Gideon in all his dark glory. An evil smile marred his handsome face.

“Leaving so soon?” He cocked his head to the side. A strand of black hair fell in front of his eye. “I was just getting started.” He called upon some unholy power, a ball of magical light forming in the palm of his hand.

I narrowed my eyes upon him, summing every ounce of courage left in me. “Let us go, Gideon.”

Gideon shook his head, laughing to himself. “Oh, you know I can’t do that, sweetheart. Two high lords trespassed in my kingdom. I cannot let that go unpunished. And besides, you heard Erissa, we need your blood.”

My chest tightened at the look of pure chaos in his eyes. He would not let me slip through his fingers again.

“Set me down.”

Tharan lowered me to the ground, propping me up against the marble wall. Pain, like a hot knife seared into my back.

I motioned for Gideon to come near to me.

“What do you want? Do you think you can get back into my good graces?” He let out a devious laugh. “That ship has sailed, sweetie.”

While Gideon approached me, I sent a message to Tharan.

I’m going to distract him. Do not waste these moments.

Gideon saw my eyes glaze over. “You better be telling your dogs to back off.”

I gave him a half smile. “You know me so well.”

A bolt of lightning tore through him. He shook uncontrollably. Energy pulsed through him, and the smell of burning flesh filled the corridor.

Time slowed. His eyes burst from their sockets. His blood coursed with a multitude of potions and fresh sylph blood. He would not die.

Still, I felt vindicated.

Tharan lifted me back into his arms, but I could not tear my eyes from Gideon’s mangled remains. He was everything I hated about myself. Every dark thought laid bare for the world to see. I despised the person I became when I was with him, yet a small part of me still longed for his validation. He sowed a seed of doubt that grew into a towering tree. I perpetually felt “inferior,” and he affirmed it.

Gideon’s men fled at the sight of their charred king.

Reaching the little cabin, Tharan laid me on the sofa as Caiden and Lucius barricaded the door.

“We don’t have time,” I said, propping myself up on my elbows as I sucked in shallow breaths. “Go into the bedroom and get my pack. Gideon’s soldiers will be here soon.”

Caiden and Lucius stood guard at the door while Tharan wentto fetch my satchel. Caiden shook his head as if trying to free a stuck memory.

Tharan emerged moments later, holding my leather bag. “Is this it?”

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