Page 84 of Blood So Brutal

I nodded, immediately moving my feet in the direction of my old dwelling.

Rummy locked her arm through mine as we approached the run-down building. I had never been embarrassed of my home until now, until Jessiah stepped through the rat-covered entrance of the building, ducking so his wings could fit through the door.

The door to Lord’s unit was unlocked, and I pushed it open without a sound.

But the room was empty. His bed was made. The moonlight filtered in through the window, exposing just how little Lord really owned.

Everything was gone.

Panic started to creep through me. I spun and stormed in the direction of my own unit, just above Lord’s.

The door wasn't even shut. Someone forced it open, breaking the handle and leaving it ajar.

“Hells,” I murmured. The place was a disaster, worse than the normal, run-down home I grew up in. Someone had been here, had ransacked the place, had searched through every single inch.

Not like I had anything I cared about here. I had nothing of value to lose.

“You lived here?” Jessiah said, taking in the room.

My face heated. “Yes. Much different than the luxuries of The Golden City, I know.”

But Jessiah’s face held no judgment, no disgust. Only a deep, unmistakable sadness.

“I’m so sorry, Hunt,” Rummy whispered. “I know how badly you must have wanted to see him.”

I choked down my tears. I would not cry. Not here. Not because of this. “It’s alright,” I lied. “At least I got to see you.”

She placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll tell him you came. I’ll tell him you’re alive.”

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.

“We need to leave,” Jessiah said after a few moments. “We’ve already risked too much by walking through the entire city.”

I didn’t look at the room again, didn’t look at this sad excuse for a home that I was leaving behind. Because it didn’t matter how shitty it looked to Jessiah, how disgusting it felt, how unsafe it was, how unlivable.

This was home. I was coming back here one day; I swore to the goddess I would.

“Thank you, Rummy.” I pulled her in for one final hug. “I will come back again. I swear to you, I will.”

The tears in Rummy’s eyes reflected the moonlight. “I know you will. I know it.”

Jessiah said nothing, nodding respectfully at Rummy as we made our way back outside. She didn’t ask any more questions, didn’t question why this stranger of an angel had taken me back here in the middle of the night, didn’t question why I had to go back, why I couldn’t stay here.

She was a good friend for that, never questioning, always supporting me like the one stable thing I had in my life.

“I love you, Hunt,” she said as Jessiah spread his wings.

“I love you.” My voice cracked. “Take care of yourself. I’ll see you soon.” The words felt heavy—like a lie—as they left my mouth, but I couldn’t bear to imagine not seeing her again, of not coming home again after this.

This was my home. Rummy was my home.

“Ready?” Jessiah asked.

I nodded, summoning my own wings with a gust of magic.No,I would never be ready. Nothing in this entire world would make me ready to go back to The Golden City.

But Lord would know I was alive. Rummy knew I was alive.

Still, as we flew into the night sky and made our way back to the prison of The Golden City, I let the silent tears fall.

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