Page 93 of Blood So Brutal

"What's wrong?" Jessiah asked. We waited at the doors just outside the gathering room where the ceremony would take place.

I pushed myself away from the wall and tried to pinpoint where the emotions were coming from.

"I don't know," I said. "But there's something wrong with Huntyr. I feel it."

Jessiah didn't have to say a word. He just nodded, understanding exactly how important she was to me, how important today was.

"Let's go," he said. "You check the right wing; I'll check the bedroom in case she's still there."

I was already moving, already following that small thread through the castle, trying to get closer to Huntyr.

She was feeling a tornado of different emotions: fear, betrayal, hope, relief.

What could possibly be happening right now? Unless she was just teasing me, unless she just lowered her bond to play games before we were officially wed…

But something deep in my chest told me that wasn't the case.

Jessiah turned the hall and bolted toward our bedrooms, but I went left, into an empty hallway that wasn't decorated for the celebration.

"Come on, Huntress," I mumbled. "Where are you?"

Chapter 33

Huntyr

"Lord," I breathed as Asmodeus stepped away from me to stand by him.

I was staring at a damn ghost.

He looked the same, but different. His slicked back hair was messy and in disarray. His normally black clothes were gone, replaced with a white outfit that looked shockingly similar to Asmodeus's.

But he was here.

I had missed Lord for so long, whatever that meant. He was my home. He was the man who raised me. No matter how horrible Wolf thought he was to me, he was my everything.

And he was finallyhere.

"I'm sorry it took so long to get to you," he said. "I've been meaning to come see you for some time now."

"I don't understand." I stood near the door, afraid I would collapse entirely if I took a step. "How are you—what's happening? How did you get in here?"

Lord and Asmodeus shared a glance, one that made me want to vomit.

Fuck.Panic crept into my chest, climbing over any relief I felt at the sight of Lord.

This wasn't right. He shouldn't be here. They shouldn't be looking at each other like that.

"Someone please tell me what's going on."

Lord stepped forward, apprehensive at first, almost like he was going to be gentle with me. But then he shoved his hands behind his back, clasping them tightly and lifting his chin while he cleared his throat.

Right.Always a show. Always a mask. Never the real Lord.

"I wanted to tell you the truth, Huntyr, but I needed you to learn so much on your own first before you could truly understand."

I folded my hands together to keep them from shaking. “Before I could understand what?"

He took a long breath. Asmodeus stood silently in the corner, a smug grin on his face that made me hate him more than I ever thought possible.

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