Page 195 of Wrath of the Fae

‘What are your orders?’ one of them asks, their clothes and face covered in blood. ‘My Queen. Your orders!’

My mind races. If only my panic would settle, and I could organise my thoughts. But there’s no time. Not a second of it. I can’t make a portal to the human world from here. I need one already made like the human world's stone circle I used to get to the Fifth Kingdom.

‘Get every able body you can find,’ I tell the Valker. ‘Get them armed. We make for the tear as soon as possible. We need to reach Ivan before he gets his machine working.’

As they turn to do as instructed, El grips my arm.

‘Can’t you make a portal to the other world?’ she pleads. ‘Go straight to Ivan and get her back?’

‘No. Not between worlds. Not yet.’ I pull my arm free and head deeper into the manor. ‘LUCCA?’ I call, charging through the halls. ‘LUCCA! WHERE ARE YOU?’ I ask anyone I pass if they’ve seen him.

They all shake their heads.

‘Where are you?’I call out in my mind. ‘Please! Lucca, I need you!’

I push open my bedroom door, stopping when I see blood all over the floor. I follow the trail and see Lucca by the balcony on his knees, his head drooping as he sobs.

His hands are tied behind his back with iron chains, and he’s badly hurt, bleeding from multiple gashes on his bare chest.

On the floor, surrounded by a deep pool of blood, his wings.

Hacked from his back and left in front of him, sliced up and shredded.

‘Lucca?’ I step forwards, lost for any other words.

He lifts his head and blinks at me, his eyes shining with tears.

‘R-run!’ he manages, his focus moving to my right. ‘Run, Pup!’

I turn to see what has him so frightened.

And see the barrel of a gun pointed at my heart.

Behind that, Jonah smirks.

‘Hello, Lover.’

He pulls the trigger.

thirty-six

Tessascreamsassheflies between us. The iron dart lands in her belly before she crashes to the floor, screaming in pain.

As Jonah goes to reload, I run at him as fast and as hard as I can. I collide with his body and just attack.

I’m feral and unforgiving as I punch, claw, and tear at him.

He screams, trying desperately to fend me off.

He uses his stolen powers, burning my arms and trying to use his strength to fend me off.

I’m beyond caring about pain. There is no more pain to be had!

I grab his head and drive his skull into the floor.

Everything this man has done to me flashes before me.

Every touch.

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