Page 176 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

“I didn’t—”

“You did.” He cuts me off. He fully believes that I made him stop somehow.

Could he be right? It just doesn’t make sense. I’ve never had any abilities that allow me to control people and thinking that it might somehow evolve from my ability didn’t fit either. I heal, that’s it.

“Can you do it again?” he asks.

I don’t know if it is a possibility, but if it is, it is a farfetched one.

“I… don’t know. But why would you want me to?”

Why would anyone want to be controlled? I sure as hell didn’t. Not after King controlled the last six years of my life while making sure I knew it too.

My question is met by silence, making me think he’s done with talking. But after a couple of minutes, he continues.

“King… he… experimented on me when I first arrived. My demon, he doesn’t…listento me anymore.”

His words hit me like a ton of bricks. This guy wasn’t just his prisoner, he was King’s test subject.

“Sometimes the guards like to provoke me, to bring him out. If you can stop him like that again…Can you try?”

Why would he ask me to stop his demon? If the guards

are as bad as he says they are, wouldn’t it be better for his demon to shift and protect him?

“Why?”

He sighs. “My demon side doesn’t see reason. Whatever King did makes him see only rage. Rage because he’s in pain. He’s lost and doesn’t realize who or what is hurting him… He doesn’t know how to react to normal situations anymore. He just sees everyone as a threat.”

Hearing the vulnerability in his voice stops me from telling him no. But I can’t get his hopes up and tell him yes either, especially when I don’t know if it is a possibility.

“I’ll try,” I tell him.

He clears his throat. “Thanks… I’m Malik, by the way.”

“Kiarra.”

I lose myself inside my head, thinking over everything Malik told me.

He was experimented on foryears, all while never stepping foot outside these walls.

And it’s something that will become my life too if I stay here.

Something in my stomach twists and burns like acid. It travels up my chest and stays there. I fist my hands, feeling the strength from my building rage grow.

Enough is enough.

King has taken so much from me.Toomuch. He took my mother from me when I was just a child. He played games with my mind and heart, usingMoranato do it. Then killed her too.

He took my mates from me, and he just walks away like it’s nothing.

Why does he get to get away with it? Why does he get to take everyone I love from me?

Why does he get to take years of my life from me? He’s takingeverythingfrom me and still wants more. Still wants me to be a tool in the games he plays.

But I’m not a tool, and I won’t be used anymore.

King may have taken the last six years of my life. But he won’t getting any more from me. It is time I take it back. Take my life back and fight. Fight against him instead of running away like I’ve always tried to do.

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