Page 29 of King of the Unsightly

My brows furrowed and I waited for him to elaborate, but he didn’t even grunt. Apparently, he thought those words equaled a full-blown explanation.

Would I get an aneurysm or go bald first from frustration if another person said one more coded phrase to me? With my luck, I’d get both simultaneously.

Kaschel so rudely blocked the doorway with his shredded physique, and I squeezed behind him to get out. I swore if I stayed any longer, I might end up puking my guts out again.

For some stupid, unknown reason, I peeked over my shoulder, and Kaschel’s shadow thingy devoured the body like it was a midnight snack.

I shuddered, picking up my pace as I hurried down the hallway. Did he have some collection of dead bodies I didn’t know about?

The last thought loitered in my mind as I rushed back to the front, pulling out a chair.

My nails clicked against the table.

I didn’t know how much more I could handle. The more I found out, the more it thoroughly made me want to rip my hair out.

Why did my mom leave me with the key? Why hide me from her coven?

Dropping my forehead to the table, I lifted my head and slammed against it again, and again.

Hopeless, everything felt utterly hopeless. If I died right now, I would die a clueless idiot.

Something brushed against my shoulder, and I squeaked, shot up with my eyes closed, and swung my hands in defense.

My hands collided with a solid surface, and I blinked.

I groaned and smacked his chest again for good measure. “Can you guys stop being so fucking creepy and warn a person?”

A Covenant of Lies

“You were ... acting odd.” Jared frowned.

I rolled my eyes at his dishonest behavior. “And this place doesn’t feel more odd? Your concern is misplaced.”

Jared leaned closer, brushed a few loose strands of hair out of my face, and tucked them behind my ear. “I will always be concerned about you.”

His scalding touch lingered against my skin and burned a crater through me, forming a void where my heart should have been.

I swatted Jared’s hand away. “Don’t ever touch me again,” I seethed. Repulsed by his touch, I shook the lasting feeling of his skin against mine and changed the subject. “Did you find who, or whatever, we need? I don’t think I can stand another second by your side,” I said, ignoring the flicker of dejection in his face.

I bet Jared only pitied me, and his false sympathy—or whatever else swirled through him besides rejection—had my skin crawling.

Jared walked a few steps away with his back to me, wavering. “Of course, and yeah ... something along those lines.”

Jared’s hushed tone held no hint of sadness, nor did he sound angry. He seemed more empty than anything else.

Not that I cared.

I didn’t say a word to him and instead, I silently watched him disappear into the hallway.

I faintly heard them talking, and it sparked my interest. I tiptoed toward the room and hoped to god the old floorboards didn’t squeak under my weight as their deep voices crescendoed off the walls.

I peered through the cracked door as Jared made hand gestures, and Kaschel stood there with his arms crossed, his face pinched in annoyance.

“He said there isn’t enough for all of us to cross over since the balance is off and it could collapse any moment. The potential of getting stuck in between is extremely high.”

Kaschel rubbed his temples like nothing was going according to his plan—if he even had a plan. I had no idea what he was thinking, and getting stuck somewhere else didn’t sound great either.

Why did none of our options seem reasonable? The place Jared spoke of couldn’t be worse than this murder cabin.

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