Page 84 of King of the Unsightly

I glanced all around us, and the sky melted away and morphed back into Fell’s throne room.

Fell looked the same, lounging lazily on his throne of bones and jewels with his horde of creatures craning their necksbehind him. “You guys are quite the entertaining pair,” he said, and it made my whole body convulse.

Fell glided to our side.

Fell seized my chin with his claws and tilted it so fast, he caught me off guard. “What a treat. You chose the same door as Larisa.”

My eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

Fell shrugged.

Kaschel snatched Fell’s hand that touched my chin. “Enough games. We did what you asked.”

“Hmm. She did.” Fell inclined his head as he inspected Kaschel with vexation. Fell clicked his tongue. “A bet is a bet.” He snapped his fingers, and the silver key in the shape of a hexagon with an engraved crescent moon manifested in front of us, floating in the air. “Now, Adeline. Will you make the same mistake your mother did?” Fell’s toothy grin devoured his whole face, revealing his wickedly sharp teeth. “Take what you desire, but you must leave something of the same weight in stature.”

“That wasn’t the deal.”

“Oh, child. I said you get your prize if you win.Did I not?”

I glanced back at Kaschel, but I couldn’t read his expression. It was strategically hidden—all his emotions carefully stored behind a tough front.

I held eye contact with Kaschel as I spoke. “As I said before, I don’t know what I could offer.”

“Not what.Who.”

My heart thrashed against my chest as my pulse went wild. “What? No. He’s not mine to give,” I choked out.

“Are you certain?” Fell hummed as he twirled a lock of my brunette hair. “I see the only one who holds power isyou.”His voice turned to venom as he yanked my hair by my roots and pulled my face inches from his fangs. My eyes flickered to Kaschel, but he was unmoving. “Is your resolve strong as steel, or will you falter because of one insignificantfae?” Fell asked and his words rattled me to my core.

“I can’t. I can’t have someone trapped for a decision I made.” I tried to say it with confidence, but it was weak and barely audible.

“Take the key and run, Adeline. I won’t say it again,” Fell whispered into my ear. His hot breath burned against my neck, and I recoiled in disgust. “Or neither of you are leaving my prison.”

A whirlwind of emotions filtered into my body as I snatched the key without thinking.

Fell broke into a manic fit of laughter, and it bellowed throughout the throne room. “Cold-hearted just like Larisa too. You truly are your mother’s daughter.”

“What do you mean? What do you know about my mother?” I could barely hear my voice as the pounding of my heart deafened his cruel taunts.

“Who else begged me to hide the key? She sacrificed so much and now, it’s all for nothing. Who knew her blood would be the one to ruin all her hard work! I mean, the only one who could take it from me is someone of kin. But what are the oddsyoufoundme?”

So my mother had been here, but why did she give the key to some monster like him?

I was about to speak again when the ground beneath me shifted and crumpled inward.

I caught a glimpse of Gren and the others from below.

I glanced back at Kaschel. I opened my mouth like I could say something, but I couldn’t articulate the right words as he snapped out of whatever trance Fell had cast on him. His face was riddled with confusion until his eyes landed on the key in my hand.

Kaschel’s expression twisted into pure enmity as the radiating fury engulfed him.

A sharp pang in my chest cemented itself within me. I clenched my heart like it would suppress the pain, but it only made it worse.

I didn’t owe Kaschel my loyalty.

I didn’t owe him anything, but my chest still constricted as I watched the rage swallow him.

I wished Kaschel screamed or shouted, or at least told me how vile I was. I could handle the yelling and name-calling—but not the silence.

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