Page 74 of When Kings Fall

When it finally came to an end, an eerie silence took over, the only sounds I was aware of being mine and Colt’s heavy breathing.

I turned to see him with a black eye and his knuckles bloodied, him sweating all over.

He was still standing, he was all right.

I went to seek out Brianna amongst the mess and check she was okay too, when footsteps at the top of the stairs pulled our attention.

It wasn’t her.

Colt and I looked up to see a guy at the top of the stairs instead with a machine gun in hand, decked out in red and black padded snowmobile gear, a crimson balaclava over his head giving off Red Hood vibes.

He nodded at us, then pulled off the balaclava and I started when I took in the sight of Roman Knight.

He rushed down the stairs, taking in all the dropped bodies, and came to us.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, that fatherly concern of his coming forth that he’d always shown to Levi in spades.

“Just superficial,” I told him, looking to Colt for his confirmation.

Colt nodded. “How did you… what are you doing here?”

“Figured you could use a hand.” He slapped his gun. “Or a few bullets.”

Through the shock of it, it took me a few moments to take stock, and then I was spinning around and looking every which way, becoming frantic with it as I uttered breathlessly, “Where the hell is Brianna?”

18

~Brianna~

I flailed wildly as the two guys dragged me across the snow toward the trees.

“Stop! Get the fuck off me!” I yelled.

To no avail.

They didn’t answer, didn’t speak at all.

They were like robots programmed by Royce Humphrey to do his bidding and nothing more. No sentiment, no thoughts of their own, no fucking humanity.

Not a far cry from their maker.

A despicable demon incarnate.

I was suddenly released roughly and dropped in the snow just before the forest.

They stepped to either side of me, guarding me, making it clear I wasn’t going anywhere.

And then Royce stepped out from the shadows, where he’d obviously retreated to when we’d started fighting back and he’d been worried about the outcome of his attack.

He walked to me, smiling cruelly.

I jolted as he grasped my jaw in a painful grip.

I went to respond, to lay into the psychopath, but his guys either side of me grabbed my shoulders, bearing down and keeping me on my knees.

At Royce’s mercy.

Just like back then with him and Malcolm Lynch.

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