Page 95 of King of the Unsightly

Each step pierced the soles of my feet and shot agonizing ripples throughout my legs.

The hallway ended with another black granite door, and it automatically swung open when it detected our presence.

I hesitated for a split second before walking through, and a woman in a gunmetal-gray suit and shoulder-length, salt-and-pepper hair stood there, arms relaxed. Her sharp brows harshened her expression; her yellow eyes blazed in the dim light, revealing her monstrous nature.

She wasn’t what I expected.

She looked like some big-shot CEO, yet she was here in some rich dead guy’s mausoleum—if we were still in the mausoleum. I doubted it.

Valeria stalked past me and kneeled before the woman.

Valeria inclined her head, as if waiting for something.

The woman’s soft voice cut through the room; my skin crawled as it slithered across my flesh. “Next time, don’t stray away from what I assigned you. I mean, what made you think you could wield her grimoire?”

Valeria rose to her feet. Her eyes were desperate for forgiveness. An expression I had never seen on her before.

Pure terror.

Bile rose in my throat, threatening to eject across the floor when I couldn’t stop the tremble in my hands.

Valeria lifted her chin, catching the woman’s agitated gaze. “I thought it would help us—”

“Don’t.” The woman held her hand up, and it hypnotized Valeria. The woman gently caressed Valeria’s neck and brushed a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. “My ambitious Valeria,” she hummed as she stroked Valeria’s cheek. Valeria leaned in, completely enamored by her touch. The woman clicked her tongue. “Lynne, take her away and make sure she repents for her misplaced avarice.”

A familiar petite woman with long, dirty blonde hair emerged from the shadows. Her blazing eyes turned pitch-black matching Valeria’s as she snatched her by the hair.

Lynne wrapped one tiny hand around Valeria’s neck and before Valeria could defend herself, Lynne twisted it.

A snap resounded in the room, and Valeria collapsed onto the ground, limp.

“I hate when they don’t listen and become thirsty for more than they deserve. Don’t you agree?”

I stood there gaping at Valeria’s lifeless body as Gren took a step forward, responding to my shock, and attempted to shield me from any potential harm. A kind but unnecessary gesture. I didn’t need anyone getting injured for my sake.

The woman shivered in revulsion as she stepped over Valeria’s corpse and strolled over to my side.

Lynne winked and gave me a small wave as she dragged Valeria by her leg and disappeared into the dark hallway.

The woman dusted her hands off on her suit like she had touched something revolting when she didn’t even lift a finger.

The woman finally spoke again, and all the hair on my body rose, but her focus went to Gren. “Did you do as I asked?”

Gren took another step forward, blocking the woman from getting any closer and nodded his head.

The woman laughed, hollow and abrasive against my ears.

My mouth hung open as I stood there dumbfounded.

I had to be hearing things. This wasn’t what we discussed.

My words were barely audible even to me. “What is she talking about?” When Gren didn’t respond, and the silence in the air was so palpable I could taste it, I asked Gren louder and more forcefully, “Did you plan this from the beginning?”

Gren didn’t glance my way and spoke to the woman in front of us. “The blood ritual is almost complete as requested. She is tethered, you just need to finish the last part.”

“Good. Then I shall keep my promise to you.”

“Thank you.” Gren bowed.

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