Page 81 of Reign of Psychos

“He must have started the fire in the kitchen,” Cassian managed to say before coughing. He tore a strip off his shirt and wrapped it around his face. “I’m going back inside to look for Mom and Kyril. Stay here.” I tried to stop him, but he shoved me back. “No, you can’t come! The smoke is dangerous for the baby.”

Something exploded at the rear of the house. More flames lit up the sky, casting an eerie orange glow over the trees.

“We need help!” I pleaded, aware of how dangerous it was to go back into a burning building.

“Help will be on the way. The house has an alarm system connected to the emergency services.” He leaned down and kissed me hard.

My chest squeezed so tight I could barely breathe. The thought of losing Kyril and Cassian made my legs buckle, and I leaned on the car for support as I watched the man I loved disappear into the burning house.

Neither of us had voiced our feelings for one another, but I knew Cassian cared for me, even if he hadn’t said he loved me.

I just hoped it wasn’t too late to tell him how I felt.

40

Kyril

20 minutes earlier

I’d visited Blackwood Manor a few times since meeting Cassian, but the house had never felt very warm and cozy. Lucian favored dark wood and antiques rather than a more modern aesthetic. I guess the place reminded me too much of our mansion in London, where I’d suffered the unwanted attentions of Ekaterina.

RIP bitch.

Which reminded me, Dad had said nothing about a funeral. Not that I planned on attending, even if he did organize one. The bitch could rot in hell as far as I was concerned.

Ophelia stumbled slightly as she navigated the staircase to the second floor, where she’d spent most of her time over the lastdecade. The decor up here was far plainer than in the public rooms where Lucian liked to entertain his guests.

“Careful,” I admonished, taking her arm to support her. The poor woman was weaker than a newborn kitten. Cassian hadn’t elaborated on the treatment his mother endured at the clinic, but I doubted any of it had been ethical.

“Thank you, you’re very kind,” she replied, leaning on me. We reached the landing and walked slowly down another corridor before stopping outside a plain wooden door. I noted the locks and wondered how often Lucian had shut her in her rooms.

When I tried the handle, the door didn’t budge. Ophelia sagged with disappointment.

“Damn him,” she muttered. “What a waste of time.”

“Not a waste,” I grinned, before kicking the door open. The lock gave way easily. “Now let’s find what you need and get the fuck out of here.” This house gave me the creeps.

The room was dark when we walked in. When I turned the lights on, I noted the lack of personal touches. It could have been a bland hotel room in a budget chain. It certainly didn’t look like the living room of a wealthy woman, the wife of a man infamous for his luxurious lifestyle.

There wasn’t even a television. No ornaments, paintings, or even a cushion on the one chair by the window.

Ophelia disappeared into what I assumed was the bedroom. I looked around while I waited for her, noting the beige walls and a biscuit-colored carpet, so worn in places I could see the hessian backing.

I couldn’t imagine how grim it must have been to spend years in these rooms, only being wheeled out for parties and social engagements like a fucking doll. How depressing.

No wonder the poor woman had suffered a breakdown. It was a miracle she’d clung onto her sanity. I’d have thrown myself from the window by now.

I heard Ophelia moving around, opening drawers. When I poked my head in, she had a stack of photos in her hands.

“Sorry,” she said, brushing a few tears away. “I’ll be quick.” A door opened somewhere. I moved back into the small living room, pulling my phone from my pocket. No messages from Cassian, so they must still be searching Lucian’s office.

Ophelia reappeared stuffing some things into a bag. A door creaked behind me, and she screamed.

“Lucian!”

Before I could turn around, something hit me. A white-hot burst of agony exploded inside my skull and the world went dark.

When I came to, pain consumed me. Unrelenting pain. The slightest movement caused imaginable agony. I’d taken a lot of hits in the ring, but this was way worse.

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