Page 91 of Jagged Souls
Rudy doesn’t try to fight back at all; they’ve found his weakness, and by the gods, they’ve found mine.
The blade comes down andthwack! It slams all the way through his fingers and into the concrete floor.
Rudy looks at me, craning his neck. A tear runs down the side of his face, but he somehow still finds the strength to smile at me. To comfortme.
I’m okay,he seems to say.It’s not your fault.
But itismy fault. He wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me.
AndIwouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Varius, I think with a burst of rage.
Except...
I look at Rudy’s severed fingers. Having my magic would have made things worse for me.
I couldn’t have killed Grubs.
I couldn’t have even attempted to defend myself in the cafeteria. Antonio would’ve hacked off my fingers as soon as I’d arrived at the school.
Then there would’ve been fourteen men raping me rather than the twelve I culled them down to.
And without my fingers, without any way to actually fight back… I might’ve broken already.
My anger at Varius dwindles at those thoughts, but it doesn’t disappear completely; it sits like embers beneath my skin. Just because there is a silver lining to his torture does not make his betrayal much easier to bear.
“Open the cage, heal her, then stitch him back together,” Antonio orders Eduardo. The witch hurries to do as he says, and although I want nothing more than to try to kill him while he’s in range, I catch the warning in the alpha’s eyes.Harm him, and I’ll kill Rudy.
I also don’t know if Varius’ brother can survive on his own like this, if his magic will grow him a new body, or if he’ll simply die when his magic runs out. It’s already taxing him greatly, most likely using up all the power he has left. So I can’t risk killing the only person who can save him.
As soon as all of the wounds on my body are healed, Antonio beckons me out of the cage.
“Let her go,” I say, trying to give Rudy a bit of peace. To let him know that he at least saved this little girl.
Antonio walks her to the door and shows her out. Then he stands on the other side, holding the door open, and pins his gold eyes on me.Come.
It’s time for me to die.
Over and over and over again.
I glance at Rudy. “You did the right thing,” I murmur to him. “I’m going to be fine.”
“I’m sorry,” he mouths.
“It’s okay,” I say. “We’re both getting out of here.”
Feeling Antonio’s growing irritation, knowing he won’t let me linger any longer, I look at Eduardo and growl, “Hurt him anymore, and I’ll find a horse’s dick to fuck that face of yours.”
He glowers at me, but he keeps his cowardly mouth shut.
Moving stiffly across the room, I walk towards Antonio.
Towards my death.
Chin up.
Head high.
Vengeance in my eyes.
