Page 28 of King of the Unsightly

Decay wafted through the hallway; the pungent smell brewed a new type of disgusting with each step as my senses screamed at me to turn around and not open the silver door handle.

Convincing myself I developed an immunity to the dark and creepy was easy when the existence of a six-foot-four monster stood on the opposite side of the cabin. I mean, how could anything else intimidate me now when Kaschel was so close?

The door clicked open, and I flung my hand up to cover my mouth.

Dark Spells

One hand clenched my side as I placed the other one tightly over my mouth and nose to stifle the rancid fumes. A body with its lower half burned to a crisp laid in front of me, tied up against an iron bed frame. Bile rose in my throat, and I gripped my stomach harder.

The laceration on their open chest appeared deliberate and had a ritualistic pattern. The more I studied, the more gruesome it became. A carved crest of twisted horns on their forehead, and their ears were ripped clean off. The creature seemed alive when it happened; a face frozen in fear as a huge area of dry blood stained the white bedsheet.

A low hissing buzzed in my ears, but I couldn’t find the source of the noise.

It petrified me.

I took a step backward, refusing to look at this torture chamber of a room any longer when my boot connected with something crunchy on the ground. It flattened under my shifting weight; reluctantly, I raised my boot off the floor.

A shriveled, pointed ear stared back at me.

Bile rose higher in my throat, and I emptied what little contents I had left. My eyes turned bloodshot and watery, blurring my vision as my body retched until my insides settled and I couldn’t take it anymore.

Only a true monster could do this.

The erratic flutters of my pulse writhed within my chest, hindering me from calming down and breathing.

I guess I hadn’t become numb to everything yet.

I wiped my mouth and swerved back to the door, my face colliding with Kaschel’s firm chest.

And before I summoned a squeak or sound, Kaschel spoke. “Barbaric, isn’t it?” he asked, not tearing his gaze from the mutilated body resting on the bed.

His expression remained unreadable: mad, frustrated, humored, or indifferent—they all meshed together. Honestly, not knowing what went through his mind was another thing that truly terrified me.

One of my hands betrayed me and shook profusely as it pressed against his abdomen, exposing my unease. My other hand clung to his shirt.

I sidestepped away, letting go of Kaschel. I didn’t need comfort from him, even if the situation was unsettling.

“What kind of person would do this?” I didn’t expect an answer, nor did I really want one.

I just didn’t want to stand in silence any longer than necessary.

Kaschel recited the words in a daze, and I couldn’t help but get lost in his deep voice as it rang melodically in my ears. “Greed is truly ugly.” He stopped, broke out of his stupor, and bent downto face me. His light, cosmic eyes bore into my soul. “Weaker beings let their animalistic urges consume them and covet what they can never have.”

The wordsgreedandurgesdanced alongside each other, spinning wicked thoughts as I tried to grasp the meaning behind what he said.

I scanned for Gren, but he had disappeared,again. Where did that little fucker hop off to? A “Hey, I’ll be right back” wouldn’t kill him.

My eyes narrowed as Kaschel’s words registered in my mind. “Why would you take me to a place like this? I’m sure you could have portaled us somewhere with less serial killer vibes and more, I don’t know ... welcoming vibes.” I winced from my abrupt words and faced the wall.

The sadistic man laughed.

Kaschel actually laughed, and it was low and throaty.

I spun around and gave him a you’re-fucking-crazy look.

I was judging. Harshly. He was demented.

“A fae spirit resides here,” Kaschel announced.

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