Page 138 of Devour
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Haze
The dark thing inside my soul hisses in delight as we enter the inner sanctum with the witch in hand.
He loves her scream. He also loves the shock on the priestess’s face.
I hate them both.
But I will use them to my advantage.
Me and this demon are aligned in one thing and one thing only. We will protect her.
For now. I swallow and agree. She is a tool to be used.
The girl is surprisingly still as I drag her in front of Blythe. She doesn’t cry or try to fight me. Even so, I pull her with more tension and anger than it requires.
This will need to be played just right.
“What, pray tell,” Blythe flicks a brow, “is this?”
I stop at the foot of the platform and smile, holding the small child against my chest. I refuse to look at Lina. I can’t bear the weight of her hatred.
“Astella!” she cries out.
The girl remains still. “Hey, Lina.”
I almost snort out a laugh. How is she so calm?
“I have a story to tell,” I call out to the room, as if there were five hundred here to witness it instead of six. Seven if you count the undead Ancient One still slumbering. Is he awake enough to hear me? I hope so.
I hope he knows what I am doing.
“Haze,” Lina whispers, unmoving in Ivar’s grasp. I ignore the ache in my stomach at seeing him with her. His hand creeps up to her neck, as if he knows how it affects me. He squeezes, his eyes intent on me.
He won’t kill her,my demon tells me.He wants her as much as we do.
I clench my jaw. That’s part of the problem.
The darkness chuckles inside. He likes my discomfort too.
“Haze, please,” she whispers.
I almost fold. I almost soften my gaze and give in to her. Almost. She still believes in me.
My nostrils flare. I hold my chin high and force my mind to the issue at hand. This must be done.
“I remember the boy,” I say, finally meeting her green eyes. Lovely. Soft. So achingly sad. “The boy who owned your bracelet. I remember his screams.”
Her chin wobbles. Tears flow freely down her cheeks.
I feel everything. Every moment. Every slice of her heart I cut into.
“I remember the way he begged as we whipped him,” I continue, voice harsh.
She stops breathing entirely. Eyes wide.
“We bled him after. I remember the moment the light left his eyes.”
