Page 166 of Barbi and the Villain

My cheeks heat up.

“All things considered, good.” I strain a smile.

I don’t mention that I still feel the residuals of that putrid essence inside of me. It’s almost as if I’ve been coated in a layer of dirt I cannot shed.

“I am happy to hear that. Here,” he says as he gets up and removes a dress from his bag. “There is a river behind those trees. You can wash up and change.”

Looking down at myself, I note that I am still covered in blood. My dress is torn, my naked chest on display.

My eyes flare in concern, but as I whip my eyes to his, I note the curve of a smile on his lips.

“I will prepare some food while you wash.”

“Thank you,” I murmur.

Grabbing the dress, I head in the direction he pointed out. The river is easy to find, the water clean and not too cold. I remove my dirty clothes and step inside.

How I wish I had some soap because no matter how much I scrub, I am unable to erase the taint of evil. It’s on my skin, under my skin.

It’s everywhere.

I take a deep breath and submerge myself under the water.

The seconds trickle by, and I don’t resurface.

Eyes closed, I focus on the flowing water that glides over my body in its descent down the stream. I will it to carry with it all the bad experiences and the pure evil that still taints my flesh.

Unable to withstand it much longer, I jump out, taking a deep, big breath.

My limbs are shaking, and a shiver goes down my spine.

As I open my eyes, the water is no longer a crystalline blue. Instead, it’s a deep blood red. And as it courses past me, the color sticks to my skin, coating me in blood from head to toe.

Terror rises in my chest and I stumble back, falling once more in the river and swallowing a mouthful of water.

I sputter and flail my hands to reach the surface again.

“Barbs!” His voice is in my ear. His strong arms grip me up, but in my panic, I’m too slow to recognize that he is not my foe—that he is trying to save me not hurt me further.

A loud scream echoes through the forest—my scream. And with it, a wave of pure energy is unleashed, blasting everything in its path. Water splashes all around, and the trees in the immediate vicinity are razed to the ground.

I crash down on the shore, barely able to find my breath.

Nykander is a distance away, bloodied and groaning in pain. His limbs are broken and mangled as a result of his proximity to me during the blast.

His bones crack as he aligns them back into place, wincing as he pulls his neck into its proper position.

My eyes are wide with shock, and despite wanting to rush to his side, I find that I am frozen on the spot.

He rises to his feet and comes toward me.

His clothes are a tattered mess, the material clinging to his body.

His features are taut as he rips the dangling strands and throws them to the ground. He strides toward me with precision, his eyes pinning me to the spot.

But his tight expression belies his actions. He drops to his knees in front of me, his fingers on my jaw as he tips my face up so I can look him in the eye.

“Are you all right?” he inquires in a gentle tone. “What happened, Barbs?”

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