Page 41 of Lethal Souls

My brother would still be alive too.

My heart hurts even more when I think about my twin. I didn’t even get to tell him goodbye. He’s gone, sucked away by this savage world. He didn’t deserve that.

“Oh, my dear. Are you okay? Am I being too rough on your hair?” Sylvie asks, lowering to a squat next to me.

“No, no.” I try blinking my tears away, but that makes it worse. Days ago, I was muted and could hardly feel any emotion.

Now I feel everything—the raw ache inside me, the longing to hold my brother one last time, to laugh with him, to share a milkshake with him and see him smile.

I squeeze my eyes shut and release a sob, drowning in all the pain, hurt, and loss. My face drops to my palms, and I lean forward, wanting this agony to end, but it doesn’t. It’s only just started.

“Willow?” a deep voice echoes around us. “What have you done? Did you hurt her?” Kilian demands, his steps thundering through the bath house.

“Of course not!” Sylvie cries. “I would never hurt anyone.”

A hand presses to my upper back, and I feel the warmth of a body next to me. “Willow, are you all right?” Killian asks in a softer voice. Well, as soft as he can manage.

“It’s all my fault,” I cry. “If I hadn’t gone after him—if I’d just stayed away, he wouldn’t be…” I suck in a wet breath. “He was my brother, Killian. He was the only true family I had left and now he’s gone too. This is how my life goes every single time—everything just falls apart. Everyone either leaves or dies, and it’s not fair. I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve this, but it’s just…it’s not fair.”

“Whoa. Hey. Okay.” Killian holds my wrist, trying to get me to lower my hands. I don’t. I don’t want him or Sylvie to see me like this. “What happened to your brother?”

“Caz said he’s dead now. Hassha and Korah had to…kill him.” I finally peel my hands from my face to look into his eyes, which are wide and confused. He glances at Sylvie, who watches us both.

“I’ll fetch an outfit for you,” Sylvie says, turning away before she completes her sentence.

“I don’t understand,” Killian says, head shaking. “I thought The Regals were helping him. Why would they kill him?”

“Caz said it was because he turned into some kind of creature. He said it happened because of Decius. I don’t know the full extent of it, but I do know he’s gone now.”

“When did Caz see The Regals?” he probes.

“Milandra, one of the guards, came the same night The Council came for us. He transported to Kessel for about an hour and came back.”

Killian releases my wrist and swallows, rising to a stand again. “None of this makes any sense,” he mutters, pacing the edge of the bath.

“No,” I mumble. “It doesn’t.”

Killian stops pacing to look at me sideways. “I’m sorry about your brother, Willow. I’m sure you wanted the best for him. You didn’t know this could happen.”

“I promised to get him help—Caz and I did. We trusted them.” I sniffle. “I just hoped he’d make it back to me. That he’d stay in the manor with us or close by at least.” I swipe my face with the back of my hands. “All I know is I will never forgive Hassha and Korah for this. They said they’d help him and protect him. This was happening the whole time—for weeks—and they said nothing, Killian. Nothing.” I curl my hands into fists. “Caz was right. The Regals can’t be trusted.”

TWENTY-FIVE

CAZ

It’s been two days, and I haven’t heard Willow’s voice.

Something clearly isn’t right. I’ve had every urge to turn this ship around and ride to Luxor just to find her and see for myself that she’s okay.

I thought that if I went on this voyage, I’d at least get to speak with her telepathically, share our tethered gift, but I can’t even do that. They’ve robbed me of it, likely to make sure I don’t go planning her escape.

I can feel her heart racing, her stomach in coils, her throat thick with emotion. She’s scared, sad, angry, and I hate that I’m not there to look after her.

Just knowing she’s in an oversized castle with that piece of shit Vassilis is enough to fill me with rage. Sure, Killian is there, but he’s their prisoner. To them, he’s nothing more than a disposable commoner. Though he carries a temper, Kill is smart. He won’t do anything that’ll put their lives in more peril.

The only thing keeping me sane is knowing they won’t be stupid enough kill her. They wouldn’t dare because they’re fully aware that if I make it off the island and find her hurt or dead, I won’t relent when I kill them. And even if I do die, I’ve made plans for my people to destroy them and set Luxor ablaze if Willow and Killian aren’t returned.

“I believe Inferno Isle is just up there,” Captain Boro yells. He and his crew are the only people in my territory to have traveled the broad seas of Vakeeli. He’s never been to Inferno Isle, never seen it, but he’s had his suspicions of where it could be.

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