Page 75 of King of the Unsightly

Oh my god, I had no clue.

Kaschel pressed his hand on my shoulder, and I jerked forward.

He lowered his gaze to me as I squeezed my hand to my chest to catch my breath.

“Calm yourself. You don’t need to work that little brain so hard. We’ll take the double-edged sword one. I’m guessing it could have two paths within it, and one will be the right choice.”

Kaschel didn’t have to elaborate to get his point across. I knew what he meant; if we chose the wrong path, we were done for.

But if he thought insulting me and reassuring me would help—it didn’t.

My anxiety went through the roof now. “Fine, but you go first.” I pointed at the door, ushering him forward.

I had no shame anymore. Not after all the hell I had gone through in the last forty-eight hours.

Kaschel shook his head and walked past me. “How thoughtful of you.” He emptied a dry laugh from his throat.

“Well, this knight in shining armor can only save the princess so many times before their luck starts to run out,” I said half-mockingly.

I called him a princess and useless. My mouth had a mind of its own, and it really wanted to throw hands at the worst times.

Kaschel smirked, and it was wickedly delicious as his face shimmered in excitement like it could devour me with just aglance. “You seem in high spirits despite your insipid decision-making skills.”

Kaschel didn’t utter another word and pried open the two-faced door and walked through as I followed behind him into the night.

I stepped forward and my foot sank; half-submerged in murky water, I faintly caught glimpses of Kaschel’s back as he disappeared into the dark. The water thickened and I scrambled to match his speed.

Kaschel grunted, stopped, and turned back around. He appeared as a silhouette against the dim light until he closed the distance between us; his amethyst eyes radiated before me.

I didn’t notice Kaschel’s movement as he snatched my hand and dragged me behind him.

But I didn’t complain or comment.

I knew with one misstep we could get separated, and I had no clue what awaited us.

Kaschel held my hand tightly in his—his rough skin against mine as I squeezed his in response—and my fears slowly melted away.

I didn’t know if he heard my heartbeat settle and pick back up again as he squeezed my hand in return, or if he allowed his face to relax in the darkness, revealing his true desires.

But I wanted to know. Icravedto know.

To see what he hid beneath that mask of his.

Was he ever genuine?

Was I?

A small splash rippled through the water, meters away from us.

Kaschel’s grip tightened, and he gained momentum as I pushed myself to maintain the same speed.

Scars and Ruin

The thing about fear is it’s irrational, shows itself at the worst times, and I couldn’t always control it, no matter how many fucked up situations I had already been through—like now. Something slithered up my leg and bit me, and I latched onto Kaschel’s back like a piranha jolting out of the water ready to take a chunk out of his ass.

“What are you doing?” Kaschel asked, confusion laced in his voice.

My face was smashed against his upper back, but I didn’t need to see him to know what expression he wore.

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