Page 93 of Diamond Kisses

Black hair streaming behind her, long legs tripping and staggering, Ily bolted out of the gardens.

“Ily!”

She didn’t hear me.

The fire roared.

People screamed.

Too much distance and chaos.

She kept running. Swaying weakly, gasping strangely.

She shouldn’t be running.

Not with so much blood pouring from her neck.

Not after Victor cut her.

Victor.

My eyes narrowed as I scanned where she’d bolted from the hedgerows. My fingers fumbled for the gun’s trigger, ready to fire if he gave chase.

But nothing.

No one followed her.

She was on her own.

She was alive and breathing, and…a fresh surge of adrenaline bowled through me.

She’s alive.

I’m alive.

For the first time since I’d come to this fucking place, my single-minded focus of keeping her for myself merged into finally having a way to save her.

To deliver on all my broken promises.

To get her free.

My senses amplified, feeding me every piece of mayhem surrounding us.

Everything grew noisier, smokier, crazier.

Masters slaughtered jewels.

Jewels attacked Masters.

Guards fought guards.

Bullets fired, knives slashed, and the entire burning castle crawled with people fighting for their lives.

Some deserved to survive.

Some deserved to die.

I was ready to join this war to ensure Ily was safe, not just for tonight, but for the rest of her life.

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