Page 140 of Land of Monsters

“You have to.”

“No.” She furrowed her brow, shaking her head. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Dziubus,” I whispered, trying to fight the selfishness in me that wanted to demand she stay with me forever. “Your family needs you right now.” I flicked my gaze quickly to her mother. “Your brotherneedsyou.”

A sound worked up her throat, hitting the very target I knew it would. Her twin was as much a part of her as what we shared.

“I don’t want to leave you.” Her voice cracked.

“I know you don’t.” I cupped her face.

“Come with me.” She grasped at my torn shirt, but I could see she already knew my response. Knew the reality of our outcome. Our worlds were so different.

My family needed me. And I was not walking away from those people trapped below us, in a hell they might never recover from.

“It won’t be forever.” My voice skated the ground, my grip on her so tight. “I’ll come for you.”

She tried to hold back her sob when my mouth claimed hers, feeling like I was ripping my own heart out of my chest. My tongue twined with hers, kissing her so deep, I felt her dweller rumble.

“Go.” I broke the kiss. “Go before I change my mind and claim you in front of everyone.”

“That’s only making me want to stay,” she muttered against my mouth.

In all the agony and pain, my lips twitched in a smile. “Mroczny, kocham cie.”

“I love you too.” She kissed me before turning away and running to her mother.

Their arms went around each other, holding tightly as they strode away. Raven’s green eyes found mine before they disappeared down the steps. My heart lurched up my throat, trailing after her like a lost child, wanting to go with her more than it wanted to stay in my chest.

A buzzing itchiness descended on me the moment she was gone, my legs wanting to run after her, my lungs not feeling like they could totally fill with air. I took a step; the pull to her spun my head.

But a soft sob drew my attention back to my friends. Caked blood, deep wounds, and grief covered them all. My revenge had painted a red path from Budapest to here, and my family followed it without question.

They all had been through so much and continued to stand up against corrupted power. Some might say we won, but those in battle learned quickly that there would be no winner in war. Only death and sacrifice.

Later that night, when dawn kissed the horizon, we ventured down into the tunnels, waking those who discovered a profound truth.

Just because you were left standing at the end didn’t always mean you were the lucky ones.

Chapter 28

Raven

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I stared numbly at the huge family portrait hanging on the wall, at the girl of sixteen, sitting so primly, her ankles crossed, in a gorgeous gown. No one would have known she didn’t want to be there, her smile too perfect, but I could see it in her eyes. Her mind was already on the party later that night, where she was hoping to lose her virginity.

To the boy she thought was her future. Her mate.

My hand went to my chest, the ache constant, ceaselessly worming a hole through my heart.

“I’ll come for you.”

It had been over two months.

Two months of endless TV and magazine interviews I tried to dodge, constant meetings with Lars and my mother over what happened, copious amounts of lectures from my aunts, uncles, and especially my father, and a barrage of engagements and events I had to smile for. But all that I could get through. For Rook. He kept me from fleeing.

While Uncle Cole had recovered quickly, my brother was still recuperating, still not able to get through a full day without resting for a few hours. Some days he struggled to get out of bed. The healers said the pure goblin metal poison had been in his bloodstream too long, but they were hopeful he’d recover fully in time, which didn’t ease my guilt. It chewed on me daily, no matter how much my brother told me it wasn’t my fault.

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