Page 90 of Forging Darkness

“A human. No longer alive.”

I release a brittle snort and see Thorne wince. Maybe he didn’t lie to me about that part after all. It hardly matters now.

I swallow, wetting my dry throat. Fury makes my words shake. “And why do you have human prisoners here?”

He turns his head to look at me. “For exactly the reason you believe.”

The small flicker of hope that I’d misread the situation snuffs out, dying a fast and complete death.

Sorrow shines from his eyes when he watches that last bit of trust vanish from my gaze. My already rigid muscles tighten even more when I realize what’s next.

Only one of the two of us is leaving this tunnel alive.

“Will you even give me the chance to explain?”

“What could you possibly say to make this okay?” My arm sweeps out to indicate the body of the woman lying dead in her own entrails, as well as the man’s headless body.

Pushing off the wall, Thorne drops his head into a hand and mumbles, “Then she was right.”

With a roll of his shoulders, his silver barbed wings punch out of his back, shredding the back of his shirt. When they fully extend, he straightens and turns to face me.

“I was hoping it wouldn’t come to this.” The words aren’t cruel, but his voice is devoid of emotion. Like he flipped a switch, and a wall sprang up separating him from his humanity.

Goose bumps break out along my arms as I take a half-step away. There’s only so far I can go with the child huddled behind me.

“You said I’d be free to go after I learned about your people.”

His eyes narrow in irritation. “And you were. Who do you think allowed your door to remain unlocked?”

That throws me. He had Silver do that on purpose?

“But you didn’t just try to leave,” he continues. “You tried to take something of ours with you. Something that didn’t belong to you.”

“These are people,” I argue. “Not possessions. They don’t belong to you. They don’t belong to anyone but themselves.”

“They are inconsequential.”

A bitter half-laugh of disbelief burns my chest.

“You think I hate them, but I don’t,” Thorne says, his tone chillingly stoic. “I have no more malice against them than I would any inferior being. They serve a purpose: to help grow our army and feed our troops. Beyond that, they are nothing. If you would only accept that, we could skip this next part.”

His presence closes in on me, even though he hasn’t moved an inch.

“No. These are people—deserving of life just as much as you or I. They have hopes and dreams. Families and friends. Why do you think you have the right to do whatever you want with them and to them? Simply because you’re stronger?”

This time he does take a step toward me, and I have to force myself not to retreat farther. My only two options at this point are to stand and fight, or grab the girl and flee. I won’t make it far with the child, but my conscience won’t let me leave her.

“Yes. It’s the way of both realms. It’s our way.”

“That’s ridiculous. That’s not the way of things.” My voice comes out stronger than I feel.

“It isn’t?” he challenges. “Look at animals—the strong survive and the weak perish. Human history has forged ahead since the beginning of time on the bloody backs of the oppressed. Look to the Creator himself. Does He not rule over all because of superior strength?”

There are complexities and layers to each of those examples that can be pulled apart and analyzed, but right here, right now, my mind is clogged, choking on equal parts fear and fury.

“Th-that’s different,” I stutter. “Just because that’s the way things have been doesn’t mean it’s right. It doesn’t mean that’s the way itshouldbe. You don’t know any better because you were raised this way, brainwashed to believe these barbaric ways are the only ways. Relegated to the spirit realm so you wouldn’t see the truth.”

His voice drops to barely more than a whisper. Every word carries an icy chill. “Don’t fool yourself, Emberly. It’s your way as well. You can only fight your nature for so long. Someday you’ll see, but I’m sorry to say today isn’t that day.”

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