Page 115 of Heir of Illusion

So weak, the voice whispered before.

Gathering all my strength, I push myself to my feet and try to take inventory of the damage. My head aches as if it’s cracked in half. A trail of fresh blood drips from my hairline, telling me a skull fracture might not be that far off. Using the edge of my sleeve, I wipe the evidence from my face as best I can, wincing every time I brush against a fresh bruise.

As I scan the alley, I find bodies everywhere. Some are piled on top of each other while others lie in pieces. Shame curdles in my stomach. Darrow tried to warn me, and I didn’t listen. He told me I wouldn’t be able to fight the sword, and he was right.

So unworthy.

Whatever thealmanovatruly is, it was able to see me more clearly than anyone else. It knew me, straight to my core, as if it weighed me in the balance and found me wanting.

“Leave those be,” Thorne says as I gently prod at the burns marring my throat.

Ignoring him, I continue tracing the edges as I try to see how far it extends.

“You’re going to make it worse if you keep?—”

“Just stop!” I snap. “Stop saving me. Stop trying to make things better.”

The words pour out of me, bubbling over before I can stop them.

“This?” I toss my arm out, gesturing to the massacre surrounding us. “I caused this. All of this suffering was my fault. Whatever pain I’m feeling right now is the least of what I deserve.”

His eyes rake over my face, shrewdly observing me. “You let him hit you.”

I open my mouth to respond, but movement at the other end of the alley catches my attention. Thorne stiffens, his body shifting to block mine once more. It’s moment’s such as these when I remember just how large he is. With his giant shoulder blocking my view, I’m cut off from the entire alley.

“Easy,” Griffen’s voice reaches us. “It’s only me.”

Thorne’s rigid posture softens as he scoots over, giving me a glimpse of the golden-haired fae. He appears slightly worse for wear, but overall, he fared well.

“Darby and his wife got away,” Griffen says. “And they took the sword with them.”

My head swings around, sending a shooting pain through my skull and neck as I search the nearby bodies for confirmation.

“See if you can catch their trail,” Thorne orders.

Griffen nods, darting back toward the mouth of the alley and leaving me alone with the God of Death. Not wanting to let him steer the conversation back to our previous discussion, I go on the offensive.

“You were having me followed,” I accuse him.

Thorne’s eyes flash to mine. “It’s a good thing I was.”

I scoff. “I could have handled this on my own. I had a plan.”

“Oh, I’m sure this is going to be good.” He rubs his hands together. “Please, enlighten me. What was your plan exactly?”

Anger builds in my veins, sending a fresh wave of adrenaline to dull the pain. “I was going to let them capture myeidolonand then follow them to their hideout.”

“And how would you avoid being seen while you followed them?”

I roll my eyes. “I’d be invisible.”

“See, you say that like it should be obvious, but when I arrived here, you weren’t invisible at all.” He shakes his head. “Instead, you were collapsed on the ground, pretty fucking visible.”

I bristle. “That wasn’t part of the plan.”

“Plans change,” he says, his tone flat.

“I would have come up with something.”

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