Page 157 of Vicious Knight

Thorne fires another two shots.

Three bullets in total. One bullet for each member of his family. He fires two more times while looking across at me.

One bullet for each of us. Him and me.

For the pain we both suffered.

Then Thorne hurries to me and takes me into his arms.

I look across at Mom and Levgen. Mom is crying and shaking as she stares at Levgen lying lifeless on the ground before her.

She’s covered in blood, and Levgen has a bullet wound in his head.

His eyes are wide open, but he’s not with us anymore.

He’s dead.

He died protecting my mother. The woman he loved.

Chapter 38

Ivy

Mom is in a complete mess of distress and despair.

She’s sitting in the chair in the corner of my bedroom. She didn’t want to go back to hers. Memories of Levgen haunt us both like a bad dream that you can’t wake up from.

It’s strange to think that just hours ago he was alive and still the stepfather I loved. Now he’s dead and we know he was the real monster in the dark.

Fresh tears stream down Mom’s cheeks when she sees me.

I walk up to her and hand her a steaming cup of chamomile tea.

I went downstairs to make it for her. In light of what happened tonight my efforts are futile, but it’s something. I had to do something to make her feel better no matter how small, or pointless.

She uses the cup to warm her hands although it’s not cold in here.

Tired eyes stare back at me when her gaze climbs up to meet mine. “Is everyone still here?”

“Yes, but I think they’re nearly done.”

Thorne is downstairs with Caspian and Lucian. They contacted a cleanup team who are removing the bodies. Including Levgen’s.

“Thorne booked us into a guest house near campus.” If it weren’t so late, Mom and I would have left already. Being surrounded by death, disappointment, and grief is making it harder to leave the nightmare behind.

“Please thank Thorne for me. Thank him for everything. God knows what would have happened if he hadn’t come by….” She starts crying again, breaking down like she did before.

I take the cup from her and set it on the dresser so she doesn’t burn herself, then I sit next to her and put my arm around her shoulders.

“Mom.”

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. There’s so much to take in and I don’t know if I’ll ever be strong again.”

“You will.”

“I don’t know how to feel.”

“You’re in shock.” I’m in shock too, yet I’m surprisingly holding it together. But I think that’s because I know Mom needs me. We can’t both fall apart.

---