Page 30 of King of the Unsightly

Kaschel finally spoke, and he laced it with so much venom the walls quivered. “I will go with her while you go to the others and make sure they stay off our tracks. I don’t need to deal with more witches or bounty hunters when I’m at half-power.”

“Sir, I think it would be best if I came with—”

“Did you not hear what I said?” Kaschel snarled, looming over Jared with a spine-chilling expression.

Kaschel’s head leaned to the side, and Jared’s stance made him appear frail in comparison.

“I know I could be of assistance.” Jared trailed off, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Kaschel chuckled. “Have you forgotten what I’ve done for you? What you’ve sworn to? You also led them right to us. So, tell me, why should I allow you to disregard my orders? Why are you so hung up on somehuman?”

Jared stood there, hushed. “Forgive me ... I wasn’t aware she was the one with the key. I thought you were hunting down a witch who stole them centuries ago. I don’t understand why she’s—”

Kaschel clicked his tongue. “Yet, she has it, and until I find the other one—” Kaschel bent his head toward the cracked door. “If you intend on spying, try to be a little less aggressive with your breathing. You sound like a rabid goblin, and it’s rather distracting.”

I flung up my hand to cover my mouth and gathered the courage to defend myself, but I quickly realized I didn’t need to. Not to a prick like him.

My eyes wandered to Jared, but he always avoided my line of sight. What a coward; how was I ever hung up on him in the first place?

I huffed. “I wasn’t spying if I could hear your grating voices from the kitchen.” I so badly wanted to flip Kaschel off or stick my tongue out, but with what little pride I had left, I held on to it like my thread of fate, and I walked away without sparing them another word.

I closed the front door behind me, sat down on the steps, and ran my fingers through my hair, still half-tempted to rip it all out in frustration.

But that would make me insane.

I placed my chin on my palm, propping my elbow on my knee, and looked out into the forest.

When I escaped this hell loop, I needed a vacation. A long one, but a vacation also required money—money I didn’t have. So I needed a job first, and to work for a while before I could even think about taking time off. A delusional girl could dream though. Hawaii or Cancun didn’t sound terrible. Some tropical scenery with fruity mixed drinks right on the beach where I could bury my toes in the sand and sip without care. Maybe meet a hot foreign guy.

The kinks could be handled later.

I tipped my head back and shut my eyes, inhaling to relieve the tension.

Sleep sounded incredible right now, but no way would I nap where a murder took place with two shifty-ass men.No, thank you.

My head dangled farther back as I laughed, and it was dry and vacant of any joy.

The wind picked up and stroked my skin. The chill in the air soothed my chaotic mind, and I was almost thankful for it.

“Are you ready to tell me where the grimoire is?”

I whipped my head up and studied the forest. Nothing.

“I wonder: Will you forfeit his life, or will you save him?” a hypnotic voice purred in my ear.

My senses were clouded with fond memories of Lucien. His bright cheerful face invaded my mind, and I couldn’t think of anyone buthim.

A tsunami of pain surged through me. My temples throbbed with desperation as an ache settled into my chest before lashing out at my arms and legs—like pins and needles—as the memories spun into gruesome nightmares of Lucien’s skin melting off his bones as he crawled toward me.

The voice taunted me further. “Do we need to try the hard way ... again?”

The abrasive voice echoed around me.

I demanded it to stop.

It had to stop.

A rapid fire of vicious oscillating voices plagued my ears, and if I didn’t obey them I somehow knew my body would combust and burn the forest to cinders.

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