Page 15 of Claim the Twilight
Orina would stay.
She would fight.
She would protect the people of Dracul.
I take a deep breath and exhale to center myself, then flick my wrist, expelling a blast of power that forces Ordell away from Kaster.
Ordell turns on me, his eyes gleaming yellow, teeth bared, ready to attack. “Why?” His beast is close to the surface, and I don’t blame it. He takes a step toward me.
I hold up a hand, ready to force him into submission if need be. “Is this what Orina would want?” He halts, eyes twitching. “Would she want us fighting amongst ourselves or fighting to protect the innocent?”
Kaster bites back a sob, turning his head to the side to hide his grief, palpable and sharp, prodding at my own, daring it to break free and rend me in two.
Ordell’s body trembles, and then he crumples, curling in on himself, arms wrapping around his abdomen as if to hold himself together. A wretched sob breaks from his throat.
My eyes burn, vision blurring, cold fire spreading through the fractures of my soul.
But I can’t break down. Not now. Not yet. I need to know…to understand what the fuck happened.
Ordell turns his back on us, shoulders heaving with deep, heart-wrenching sobs.
Grief is a wild clawing beast prowling the room around us.
I take a shuddering breath, blink back my tears, and fix my attention on Kaster, who stands with his head bowed.
“How?” My voice cracks, and I take a moment to gather myself before asking again. “How did she die?”
Kaster clears his throat, his voice breaking as he speaks. “I wasn’t there when it happened. I arrived after…too late.” He takes a shuddering breath. “She was…impaled.” Ordell lets out a strangled sound of distress, and Kaster continues. “It was a spell to release Loviator and control her. They needed Orina’s blood. Christian Constrange and Orina’s mentor, Micah, planned it all.When I got there, Orina was already dead, and the others…Padma, Holly, and Merry were in a cage. Loviator was escaping, so we…Iwent after her.” He looks up, dark gaze saturated with guilt.
“You went after Loviator?” Ordell says. “You left Orina and her friends and went after Loviator?” His tone pitches.
Kaster nods curtly. “It is my sworn duty to?—”
Ordell’s fist connects with Kaster’s face with a satisfying crunch, but the white wing barely flinches. Ordell hits him again and again. Kaster takes the blows, absorbing the impact because he no doubt feels that he deserves it. But does he? I don’t think so.
“Stop!” I grab Ordell’s arm. “Stop it!”
Ordell’s shoulders droop, and he spins away from us with a tormented groan. “You fucking left her.”
“I had to,” Kaster says. “But I went back as soon as I could. She was gone, along with the others. I was planning to go and see Ezekiel, but I was needed in the field.”
“Your white wing army couldn’t spare you?” Ordell says bitterly.
Kaster shakes his head. “That’s the problem. There is no army. Not anymore.”
Chapter 7
ORINA
The knocking had stopped, and for some reason, that was more disturbing than the door being here in the first place. I should have told Ezekiel about it. I should have asked him to help me with…whatever this was. Why had he left so abruptly? Why hadn’t he returned?
He’d taken the sun with him, and it was now cold and dark outside. Even the room seemed oddly unwelcoming—no longer a haven but a prison. The thought popped into my mind and lodged there like a barb refusing to budge even when I told myself that was ridiculous. That I was fine here. Healing from…whatever had happened to me.
Remember…
A pain lanced across my temple.
You must remember.
