Page 145 of A Game of Monsters

“Okay,” Duncan said, nodding. His gaze lost to something pointless as his mind twisted with thoughts. “That’s good, Robin. Really good. And what of this signal, can you give it now? It’s important Erix comes as soon as possible, I –we– need him.”

It took me a moment to realise that Duncan was hurting me. Once my emotions calmed enough, I felt the pinch of harsh nails into the skin of my arms. I tried to pull away, but it was no good.

“Where’s Rafaela, Duncan?” I asked. “And the rest of the Nephilim? What about Althea and Gyah? Cassial said she was abducted…”

“None of that matters now.” Out of all the questions I asked, Duncan refused to answer a single one of them. “What is important is that you listen to me, for we don’t have long.”

“Long until what?”

Duncan fixed his eyes back on me, and I felt myself buckle from the relief of seeing him. Voices sounded beyond the tent, deep rumbling tones. Duncan released me, looking frantically around. My arms ached from where he held me, so much that it took restraint not to reach up and rub them. He looked to the dead body of the Hunter, and then to me.

“Duncan, answer me.” My heart lodged in my throat. “Untilwhat?”

“Until Cassial comes for you. Before that I must understand everything that is happening in Wychwood: if you wish to save those innocent lives, we must re-plan our next moves carefully.”

“What happened here, Duncan?” If he ignored this question, I would’ve asked it over and over. “How are you here and everyone else isn’t?”

Clearly, he recognised my need for answers, because he gave them to me this time.

“Althea is alive, but she was taken away not long ago. When Gyah infiltrated the camp with the Asp, I was forced to act.” Duncan’s eyes settled on the decapitated body behind us. I dared not look. Pretending Seraphine wasn’t dead was easier than facing the truth. “Gyah got Althea out, but Seraphine swapped places just as Cassial was going to use her to transfer Duwar. I had to–” Duncan paused, his face going pale. Regret lingered in his eyes, heavy as a physical burden.

“Had to what, Duncan?”

He dropped his eyes. “Kill her. It was the only way to stop Duwar looking for therealAlthea.”

“That was what the Hunter meant by you making a mistake,” I said, unable to fathom that it was Duncan who took Seraphine’s life. But the Hunter also praised Duncan, said he was successful in getting me here.

Dread crept over my skin, chilling me to the bone.

“Cassial is aware that the real Althea escaped, as is every Nephilim and human outside of these tent walls. He made sure everyone was aware, so that when the fey attack under the guise that Althea Cedarfall is dead, he had the motive and means to use Duwar against you, flattening the fey army in a matter of moments.”

“He has the Elmdew heir,” I said, grappling for his face to calm him, but Duncan pushed my attempt away. “Our focus must be on stopping that.”

Duncan released a growl of contention, burying his face in his hands. “The Elmdew heir is the last resort. Cassial may store power inside of the baby, but it will not be used until the child is old enough to control it. It will leave Cassial weak and defenceless… he needs someone else… Erix, you must send him your signal.”

Something dreadful clicked together in my mind. Duncan clocked it, finally reaching out for me again, sinking harsh fingers into my soft flesh.

“Why did you kill Seraphine, Duncan?” I asked, trying to step back but being unable to break out of his hold. If anything, his grasp was tighter than before, nails pinching until pain sang up my arms.

“Send the signal, Robin.”

The harder I fought against him, the more pain I suffered. “Duncan, stop it. You’re hurting me.”

It was like he didn’t hear me. Or perhaps he chose not to.

“Good. I want you to hate me,” Duncan replied, as a slow creeping smile broke over his face.

Finally, he let me go. But I had nowhere to run. As I tried to step back, I was forced between Duncan and the table with Seraphine’s decapitated body.

He began to laugh. As he did, he lifted a hand in a strange gesture. I refused to blink as I watched his skin melt from his body like smoke caught on a wind. Powerless and frozen in fear, there was nothing I could do but watch as the glamour before me dissipated, revealing the truth of who had been with me this entire time.

A gasp lodged in my throat, my feet stumbling back.

“Hello again, Robin,” Cassial said, glowering down as the final dregs of his glamour dissipated. His eyes – so similar to Duncan’s – glared at me, drinking me in. Except one was utterly ruined. The right side of his face had been gouged by something great, tearing through muscle, sinew and bone. Where his eye had been was now a gaping hole, dribbling unknown substances.

He truly was a monster. A walking corpse – a ruined body. And he had been masquerading as Duncan since I had arrived.

It was no wonder he hadn’t shown his true self, there was no hiding what he had become from his followers.

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