Page 66 of Drenched

Their screams told me everything.

The villagers’ cries rose into the night, raw and panicked. Footsteps pounded on the sand. Bodies shoved and tripped over each other, desperation turning them into animals. I heard the thud of someone falling, the wet slap of flesh hitting the ground.

Rynar’s voice cut through the chaos, like a sharp blade. “You dared to hurt what is mine.”

A wave of power rippled through the air. It pushed against my skin, the pressure building until it felt like my bones might crack. The villagers’ screams grew sharper, edged with terror.

I drifted in and out of consciousness, my mind a haze of pain and fury. The world tilted, my cheek pressed against the cold, damp sand. Through the blur, I saw his silver feet step closer. The glow pulsed like a heartbeat.

His claws brushed my neck, light as a whisper. I felt the pearls lift away, the weight of them vanishing. His voice wrappedaround me. “These pearls make you human. Without them, you are mine. The Abyss’s.”

Warmth flooded through me, a rush of heat and light that chased away the pain. My ribs knit together, the ache in my stomach fading. My vision sharpened, the world snapping into cruel, clear focus. I sucked in a deep breath, the air sharp and cold in my lungs.

I was alive.

Tanya’s scream tore through the night, a sound so raw it almost made me pity her. Almost.

I pushed myself up, my limbs trembling but steady. Beside me, Amanda gasped, her eyes flying open as if startled back to life. She touched her chest, fingers brushing over the torn, blood-stained fabric. Confusion twisted her features, then relief. She was alive too.

Amanda’s gaze darted to her mother, who had fallen to her knees. Tanya’s eyes brimmed with disbelief, her face streaked with tears.

Rynar’s dark eyes settled on the cowering villagers. His glow dimmed, replaced by a cold, deadly stillness. The air felt heavy, like the whole world was holding its breath.

“You offered innocents to the Abyss,” he said, his voice calm and terrifying. “You masked your fear with rituals and lies. You let them suffer. You let them bleed. And now, you ask for mercy.”

Tanya’s body shook. She clutched the sand like it could hold her up. “Please,” she whispered, her voice cracked. “Please, have mercy.”

Rynar tilted his head, the movement slow and deliberate. “Mercy? You gave none to those you sacrificed.” His eyes narrowed, a storm brewing in their depths. “You thought you could kill my love. You thought you could destroy what belongs to me.”

Without warning, his claws closed around Tanya’s waist. She screamed, her hands scrabbling at his grip, her feet kicking wildly. Her eyes met mine, wide and pleading. But there was no saving her. Not this time.

Rynar’s grip tightened.

With one smooth motion, he ripped her apart.

The sound was a sickening crack, followed by a wet tear. Her body split in two, blood spraying across the sand. One half crumpled near the burning wreckage, the other flung farther, landing with a lifeless thud.

Amanda’s scream pierced the night, a sound so full of grief it made my chest ache. She collapsed to her knees, her shoulders shaking, tears streaming down her face.

“She was wicked,” Amanda choked out, her voice trembling, “but she was my mother.”

I crawled to her side, wrapping my arms around her. Her sobs soaked into my shoulder, her body trembling under the impact of everything she’d lost. I held her tight, my own tears slipping down my cheeks.

“I have nothing left,” she whispered. “Nothing to live for. Kill me, Abyss. Please.”

Her words sliced through me. I pulled back, cupping her face in my hands. Her eyes, hollow and red, searched mine for answers I didn’t have.

“No,” I said softly. “You still have a life to live.”

I reached for the pearls in my palm, their glow faint but steady. I lifted Amanda’s trembling hand and pressed the pearls into her palm. The warmth seeped between our fingers, a fragile promise.

“These will let you walk in the sun,” I said. “You don’t have to hide anymore.”

Her eyes widened, fresh tears spilling over. “But… What about you?”

I tried to smile, but it felt hollow. “I don’t know.”

When we finally let go, I stood up, my legs weak but holding.

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