Page 25 of Hell's Storm

“You protectedher!”

I move to him as another one forms and explodes.

Boom!

“I could have fucking killed her!”

Boom!

He reaches out for me and grabs my shoulders, pulling me close. “I didn’t know she was the killer.”

I blink.

“I would have fucking killed her myself, Asura. Calm down.”

“Who is she? Who are you?”

“She’s... no one, Asura,” Ryker said, eying me.

All men say that when the girl is someone to them. With the wave of his hand, his magic surges, and the world around me goes black.

This time, I didn’t wake up in a fancy room, instead in a cell in a dingy basement. The walls are solid gray concrete, and the doors are bars. All that is in the cell is a cot and toilet.Fancy.

“We all knew you’d get yourself in jail someday,” Ledger says, standing from the outside of the bars.

Sitting up, I run a hand through my messy hair.

He’s not alone. All my men, even Ryker, stand with him.

Anger rushes through me, seeing him there, but no heat leaves my body.

“What is going on?” Khazon asks, hands on his hips.

I roll my eyes at him. “Who is she?”

Ryker looks down like he did something wrong. He did if he knew who she was and how she was the assassin that murdered my family. “Her name is Evara Masses. She was a common fae in my kingdom.”

I nod. “So, how do you know her,King?”

His jaw ticks slightly. “I didn’t know she was the person who murdered your family, or I would not have let her go.”

“But you did. She beat me up, and you let her fucking live,” I spit.

Ryker sighs. “I’ve already heard this speech from all your men. Okay? I… I thought she was dead.”

I look him up and down. “You lied to me…”

He shakes his head. “I withheld information that I didn’t think was relevant—”

“Relevant?! You’re a king!” I shoot up to my feet.

He tilts his head, stuffing his hands into his pocket. “How does that change who I am?”

My mouth slams shut.He is the same Ryker, mouthy and cocky. He just has a kingdom and a crown. Questions swarm my head, but I barely know where to start.

He holds up a hand. “Don’t worry. You technically have greater power with your jurisdiction, even here. I run a kingdom. You run Hell.”

“Here?”

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