Page 169 of Once the Skies Fade

Leaning back slightly, I scrutinized the half-fae male. I frowned at him and lifted my brows. “Is this where you share the intricacies of your schemes and boast of how you finally bested me? All while torturing me, of course?”

A bark of laughter echoed through the room, though Graham’s face showed no sign of amusement. Without a word, he paced around me as he tapped the end of the blade against his lips and hummed quietly. He stopped behind me, moving unnervingly close.

“What’s this?” he asked, slipping the knife into the back of my collar. The cold steel scratched my neck, though not hard enough to break the skin.

“A shirt?”

Graham said nothing as he jerked the knife down, slicing through the cloth and exposing my back. I shuddered against the sudden chill.

“Well, itwasa shirt,” I muttered.

“Not the fucking shirt,” Graham growled. He pressed the tip of the blade into my back between my shoulder blades. “This.”

I opened my mouth to give a smartass remark but thought better of it. As much fun as it was to get under his skin, I neededto keep him from killing me for as long as possible. Pulling in a slow breath, I lowered my head slowly.

“Do you have any family, Graham?” I asked, immediately regretting not coming up with a lie.

He dug the knife in until warmth trailed down my skin, and I winced as the pain shot through my nerves, making it feel like he was cutting in multiple places at once.

“What does that matter?” he asked, his delight at my pain evident in every syllable.

“Just curious,” I claimed. Perhaps I could fix my mistake and direct him away from the truth.

“Why do I not believe you?”

“Because you’re a cynical prick?” I guessed. Craning my head back to speak over my shoulder, I added, “Could be why you have no friends.”

Graham didn’t react except to press the knife into my skin once more and drag it slowly down through my flesh, pulling my face into a deep wince, though I suppressed any sound from escaping.

“Who is G.H.?”

I dropped my head against my arm, and a pained chuckle fell from my lips. “Someone who definitely would have killed you already if he were here.”

“Doubtful, but sounds like you two were close? How did he die?”

“Who said he was dead?”

Graham clicked his tongue. “No male immortalizes a living friend with a tattoo.”

This time when he drove the knife into my back, I couldn’t keep the growl of pain contained.

Chapter 77

Calla

For about the next eight hours I remained at Isa’s bedside in the infirmary, only taking necessary breaks when Jocelyn forced me to, though I noticed she took far fewer herself. Jocelyn had administered a tonic that would keep Isa asleep and allow her body to focus on healing her wounds. With no poison in her system, her wounds healed relatively quickly, though it took longer for her to finally awaken.

Isa slitted her eyes against the lights in the room, but then widened them when she noticed me.

“Calla?” She croaked out my name on a parched breath, and I quickly retrieved a mug of water for her, helping her to sit up so she could drink.

“You didn’t think I’d let them win, did you?” I asked, trying to laugh, but it came out hollow.

Her eyes fell closed as she took several small sips. Falling back down on the pillow, she shifted her head to look at me.

“I’m so sorry.” Her apology tumbled shakily out of her, and I shook my head.

“No. You have nothing to apologize for. They were traitorous bastards. This is on them. Not you.”

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