Page 35 of Trapped By Vengeance

Immediately, the youngest elf in the family crawled out of the cramped space, gasping for air. Her joints betrayed her after so long being curled into each other.

Reaching out, I caught Eloise before she collapsed, doing my best to block the view of her mother with my body.

“Konrad?” she gasped.

I clutched her tightly to myself, supporting us both with the gesture. “I’m here.”

The next words that needed to be said were lodged in my throat, but Eloise knew them anyway. She sobbed against my chest as we both tried to register the horrible truth that we were all each other had left.

Chapter Sixteen

Valda

Ican’t take it any longer. I thought I had no heart after myVatercarved it out during the Dark Ritual. But even being the monster that I am, I cannot stomach this a moment longer.

Especially when Konrad is the one who makes that chasm in my chest feel a little less empty.

Even though I see everything as he did in his memory, I don’t have access to his deeper thoughts. Which is just as well because I don’t think I could bear them after he came across the slaughter of his entire family . . . And his wife?

The woman who he came upon before finding Eloise was clearly her mother. Yet he seemed no more upset than when he found the rest of his family. But that could have been the shock.

Eloise was the same age in that memory as she is now, so it couldn’t have been that long ago that Konrad was widowed. Mayhap that is why he keeps pulling away? Because he’s grieving the love of his life?

Even now, when he’s facing away from me, I can feel the waves of sorrow rolling off him.

As carefully as I can to keep from betraying my presence in Konrad’s mind, I draw him out of the memory. Slowly, I ease him deeper into his subconscious, where he can dream nonsense and not horror. I’ve fed more than enough from his memories tonight, and I no longer need his blood.

Settling Konrad’s mental version of himself on a grassy hill in his dreamscape, I pull back.

However, despite no longer being in his memory, Konrad’s dream self looks so lost, so broken, even from behind. His shoulders are shaking. Is he . . . is hesobbing?

I did not realize that werwölves could weep.

“I didn’t mean to make them suffer,” he gasps. “Kill the shedder of innocent blood, but without cruelty. That is what the Elder said . . . Don’t become a monster like them. But I wasalreadya monster!” Konrad drops his head into his hands as his shoulders convulse.

Before I realize what I’m doing, I rest my figment hand, still gloved even in this dreamscape, on his figment shoulder. My memories supply me with a sense of touch as realistic as if we were doing so outside the dreamscape.

I’m careful to stand behind me so Konrad doesn’t know. Not that I think he’ll realize that my existence in his dreams means I was dream walking like only an estrie can do, since that is far from the most notorious feature of my kind.

Konrad places a hand on mine. “Valda?”

I wince. Apparently, his mind was all too ready to fill in the sensation of my touch.

Using his hold on my hand, Konrad spins me closer to him, twisting around so he’s facing me. His other hand goes to my waist, steadying me. Tears still stain his face, but he’s no longer crying as he studies me in confusion.

“What are you doing here?” he whispers.

The world shudders, flashing multiple scenes in a moment as Konrad tries to register my presence. I need to distract his mind from any discrepancies by laying a foundation in what he knows. “You abducted me, remember?”

Konrad’s face falls. “I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you, but your father . . .”

The world around us steadies, selecting a scene and remaining within it. We’re back on the island, the waterfall flowing behind me. I found the right words to distract him with his own inner turmoil.

And to confuse me after witnessing his memory. Does he think myvaterwas somehow involved with the Night of the Broken Walls? Because he has nothing against kinfolk— or mortals, either. They do not exist to be hated or loved, merely fed upon and ruled over.

“He’s the last person I need to take vengeance upon to fulfill my role as kinsman avenger,” Konrad whispers. “So it doesn’t fall upon Eloise. And so . . . so I can provide better for her.”

“That’s why you need the ransom so badly?” I whisper. “Because you do not think you can be a father without it?”

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