Page 46 of The Heir
"Me," I confirm. "We're getting out. We're getting you out."
The ghost of a smile curves his lips. His eye closes again, but I swear I can see him nod. Oh, this is bad. There's no way he can run. We'll have to carry him. We'll make it work. Between the three of us—and Nihil, hopefully, he's in a better state—we can carry Melnyk out. Melody's pounding footsteps draw nearer, and Helena's panting breaths follow closely behind.
"Oh, my god," Helena breathes. "He—I didn't know, sir, please—I didn't know!"
Her panicked words and frantic hand movements break my heart. How could she think I would be upset with her? After everything? Have I been that terrible to her? "Helena, breathe. I could never blame you. That dishonor lies solely with Ella."
"You don't have to call him 'sir,'" Melody quips, poking keys into the lock. "I don't."
"I adore your feisty spirit, love, but now isnotthe time." I pluck the keyring from her shaking hands and rifle through them myself. "Melnyk, we're getting you out. Just hang on. Helena, any ideas on Nihil? Melody said—"
"Forge is gone," Melody interrupts in a whisper. "Gone. Gone. Gone. He's gone."
"Where?" Helena squeaks. "Where did—what?"
"Gone," Melody repeats.
Helena's mouth drops open, but she remains silent. There is a haunted look behind her eyes, and she simply nods. Thankfully, Melnyk's cell door unlocks with a solidclickas I turn the fifth key. Helena rushes in, throwing the door wide. She kneels down at his side and whispers something in his ear.
A frantic scream echoes down the hall. I almost drop the key ring, whirling around. "That must be him. I have to—Melody, Helena, help Melnyk up! We'll meet you back here!"
Without waiting for an answer, I race around the labyrinthine prison halls. More and more dilapidated cells line my path. Nihil screams again, guiding me toward him. Dust billows around my feet as I run. It coats my throat, and I have to stop, coughing and hacking. "Nihil! Where are you?"
"Down here," he yells, a little softer. "You're almost here—I can hear you!"
Choking in a breath, I set off again. My heart pounds in my ears, and my lungs feel like they're going to burst. I have no idea how long it's going to take, carrying Melnyk out—and if Nihil is in the same condition? A shiver runs down my spine. We'll be caught. Ella might be down for the count (for now), but Hannah is still a threat. Panicked thoughts race through my mind even as I skitter to a halt in front of Nihil's cell.
"You're a sight for sore eyes," he half-laughs, half-coughs. "Got keys?"
Oh, thank god. He's mostly unharmed. A little rough around the edges and absolutely filthy—just like the rest of us—but nowhere near the same state as Melnyk. I jingle the keys with half a smile and set to work on his locked cage.
"Where have you been?" he asks.
"Kept away from everyone else. Melody, too." The first three keys won't budge, and I set my jaw, working through the rest of the ring. "Hannah injected her with something. She's a little out of it, but she's still strong."
"Injected?" His face falls. "Oh, no. I heard them—I heard Hannah and Ella talking about it. They didn't think I was listening. Or maybe they thought I'd be dead? But, sir, it's a mix of PCP and some form of hallucinogen."
I nearly drop the keys. "What?"
"They—I imagine they tried to make her fight you?" He grimaces and looks me up and down. The keys jangle as my hands tremble. "You're alive."
"She killed the Nephilim," I mumble, shoving another key in the lock. Finally, finally, finally, itclicksopen. I wrench the door free, and Nihil rushes out. He's saying more things to me, but I can't hear them. I can't process them. My mind swirls as we race back to my wife, back to Melnyk. Ella tried to make Melody kill me? She gaveher drugs and pointed her at me—I remember it so clearly, but I never thoughtthat'swhat she was trying to do.
I hate to say it—much less, think it—but Melodycouldkill me. She could have. She could have thrown me to the ground, bashed in my face, slit my throat, and choked me with my own intestines. She's powerful. She's vicious. She's murder incarnate. And, for the first time in weeks (months? I have no idea how long we've been here), my cock stirs. Her ferocity drew me to her originally, of course, but the thought of it being turned on me? Again?
Death by her hand would be an honor.
"Hi, babe!" Melody bounces up to me. Her eyes are still a bit glassy. "I missed you—where did you go? Did you miss me?"
Oh, god. "My love, you're the most beautiful thing in the world. I missed you terribly. Now, please, help us get Melnyk out."
Her eyes widen as she looks for Melnyk. Her jaw drops, and she falls to her knees in front of him. "Oh, my god? Melnyk—what happened? Who did this?"
"Mrs. Lyons, I will tell you everything—if you get me out of here," Melnyk whispers.
I scurry over and brace his left shoulder, throwing his arm around mine. Nihil takes his right arm while Melody and Helena heft his feet. He hisses inpain, but between the four of us, carrying him is easier than I thought. Nihil directs us down the halls, around every turn. I'm eternally grateful for his guidance. After however long in my isolated cell, this entire place feels like a maze.
"Left up here, everyone," Nihil announces. Sweat beads on the back of my neck.
