Page 120 of Crowned In Venom

He is breaking.

Losing hope.

Losing himself.

I will not let it happen.

I lunge.

I aim for her throat, for her heart, for anything that will make her bleed.

I am fast.

But she is faster.

Her magic slams into me like a crashing wave.

Pain erupts across my body, white-hot, sharp, crushing.

I feel myself lift off the ground, thrown backward.

I hit the stone floor hard, my ribs screaming.

And then?—

A flash of silver.

A blur of movement.

Varkos moves.

He moves for me.

I see it happen in slow, horrible motion.

The Matriarch turns the knife toward me.

And Varkos?—

Varkos steps between us.

The blade sinks deep.

His breath catches.

A horrible, wet sound fills the chamber.

His knees buckle.

And then?—

He falls.

Straight into my arms.

Blood gushes between my fingers, hot and slick, soaking into my dress as I clutch him, as I shake, as I?—

"Varkos."

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