Page 50 of King of the Unsightly

Kaschel unsheathed his sword and lunged at the beast. The clanging of metal and claws ruptured through the air as they both moved with such speed I couldn’t concentrate on either one of them.

Gren perched at my side, and he tilted his head as he watched the battle unfold.

Gren looked back at me with concern. “He won’t be able to defeat them all when the others arrive, but ...”

I whipped my head down to him. “Others? Now is not the time for hesitations. Tell me, now. I don’t want us to die here,” I demanded, but it sounded more like a plea.

Gren huffed. “When I was interrupted, I was saying you have magic, but it’s sealed away and doesn’t come without a price.” He hesitated again.

“Gren.” I lowered my chin.

“A witch can only unlock her powers through a ritual, but dark magic is costly. The only way to gain power and a familiar is through a sacrifice. You can do both at once but it’s dangerous. I can’t help much as I am. After all, I’m only bound to you by an oath. And I ... I am not whole.”

I opened my mouth, attempting to make sense of his words. “Sacrifice? Dark magic? Who the fuck would I sacrifice in the middle of bumfuck nowhere? Not like I could—”

“We won’t survive if you don’t, but you will be bound and I promised, I ...”

My head snapped back to the forest from the loud crash and thud.

The beast launched Kaschel against a tree and he collapsed onto the ground.

Gren turned his head to where Kaschel landed and didn’t say another word about the ritual, and instead looked up at me with a darkened eye. “Get to safety.”

Gren’s talons grew the size of rapiers as he left my side. He didn’t give me enough time to process or protest as he soared through the air and headed for the beast, slicing its back tendon as he flew past it.

Gren whipped back around and repeated the motion until a gray liquid spewed from the beast’s back.

The beast hissed in pain, and right when Gren pivoted to slash him again, it snatched him midair and slammed him against the ground.

The beast picked Gren up by his wings and slowly tore them from his back.

I stood helplessly as the beast pulled Gren’s ligaments apart like fleece as blood soaked his ebony feathers.

The cracks of bones assaulted my ears with each tug.

My head spun as the sounds of Gren’s screams tore my heart out.

“No!” I cried, but the world stood still except for Gren’s pangs of agony.

I cried out to Gren again, but as my heart hammered against my chest and chills ran down my back—I froze, my muscles quivering, refusing to move.

I couldn’t stop staring as Gren’s horrid scream of distress stirred another panic in me.

The beast hunched over and held Gren’s now lifeless body in its claws.

I turned to Kaschel. My voice, hoarse and desperate. “Please! Do something. You have to do something!”

Kaschel appeared to have the wind knocked out of him and tried to stabilize himself. He ran his fingers through his hair. An animalistic stare—completely on edge and viciously disheveled.

Kaschel lowered his chin as the beast slinked over to his side, dropping Gren’s corpse.

“You are no king of mine,” the beast snarled, baring its grimy, dagger-like teeth. It tilted its head as its yellow, slanted eyes blazed with a murderous aura. “You are no FinnBheara. Look! You’re helpless like a mortal. Pathetic.”

Kaschel lowered his head. His face was unreadable as his alabaster hair was stained crimson from a blow he barelymanaged to escape. It draped over his purple eyes, and it rendered me speechless.

Kaschel coughed up a pool of blood and it gushed down his chest.

The beast cackled at the damage. “Now you look like one of your devoted followers who died without a cause.”

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