Page 191 of What Lies Within Masks & Shadows

Without even a whisper in the room, they all could feel it. A fire threatening to ignite. The air promising to detonate in a shattering explosion that would level the entire mountain to ruins.

Hearing both Kaine and Garrik speak, two voices merged in twists of tongues. “Get. Out.” Speaking to no one in particular, their murderous growl reverberated through every floorboard beneath their feet before he locked eyes onto a male outstretched and lifeless by the staircase. His blackened eyes raked over his shoulder to her. “Him?”

Her head felt it again, the invasion, searching for the memory.

He was going to see…

Thalon placed his hand on Alora’s shoulder, staring into Kaine’s—Garrik’s—abyss for eyes. “Garrik.”

She shuddered at the touch, wrenching her shoulder away with white embers crackling in her eyes, swallowing her sapphires whole until not even a trace remained. One step forward, inches from the bloodthirsty beast that was holding his eyes. Her lips pressed taut, she hissed, “It was a bar fight. It could have beenyouwho struck me.”

Garrik’s face turned cold, and he stumbled a foot back like she had taken her sword and shoved it through his heart. Hisvoice was like death and unending nightmares. “You think I could ever lay a fucking hand on you?”

Kaine.

He’d said that to her more than once and proved that he could.

And right now. Before her…

She hitched a breath as Kaine stood there, ready to wrap his hand around her neck for …everything. Every stupid little thing she’d done. For running. For hiding. For attempting to use her magic, like she once did with him, and jeopardized them—him—because of it. For her laughter. For friendship. For her clothes. For daring to touch a weapon. For her…

“Alora, I did not mean—” Brows lowered as an edge set in his eyes, and Garrik’s voice softened.

But she didn’t hear him. She only saw Kaine. Only Kaine.

Alora couldn’t hold it in anymore. Her fingertips ached so badly she thought they’d burst.

Months. Formonths, he’d haunted her every step. Every corner she’d turn and see ebony hair. Every pivot of her head or the figure in the corner of her eye. She had enough.

Enough.

Enough.

Enough!

“You’rethe reason I’m like this! You did this to me!” Burning tears plummeted. Her palms heated, and she drew every ounce of fear, every ache of shame, and roaring anger into each piercing word. Unrelenting. Wicked. Masking every feeling, every bit of bottled up emotion that she refused to give in to these past months, convincing herself that she had moved on.

But it wasn’t enough.

Kaine wickedly smiled at his victory, ready to strike and throw her down a staircase, shove her against a wall, cut her skin with knives. She wouldn’t let him, not this time.

Never again.

“Burn in hell, you bastard! For everything you’ve done. Making everyone believe you’re one thing when your hands are so stained with blood that it’s a wonder you can wash it off at all.”

Garrik took a step, eyes fading to silver orbs as he reached for her.

She felt a gentle caress against her mind. But instead of letting him in, she slammed her foot back and stiffened. “Never touch meagain!”

Kaine’s palm misted away from her, disappearing on a phantom wind before she heard his wicked voice laugh.He’ll hurt you too. You know he will. Everyone you have ever felt safe with. Everyone who has ever cared about you. They all lied. He is the gray-haired demon of Elysian.

It was her own voice now as her eyes widened.The gray-haired demon of Elysian.

Yes. And he’s coming for you, too.

Alora blinked, heart threatening to explode.

Before her, she only saw the blackened eyes of the savage beast that had ruled her nightmares, the gray-haired demon who stood beside Magnelis, who had ruined her life by taking away herchoice. Her blood boiled at the sight of him. All reason snapped as Kaine twisted his lies into her long enough that she believed him.

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