Page 56 of Blood and Ruin: The Complete Series

Tremors wrack my body as I continue to pant and take deep breaths as my organs regenerate and bones and muscles knit back together.

Pain is temporary. This will pass; it always does.

I repeat the phrase like a mantra until I’m through the worst of it.

Just a couple more minutes.

This type of spell had to have been created by Kaladar himself. I knew it would be a bitch.

Any normal person would be dead by now.

Lucky me, I’m nowhere near normal.

Just as the last bone fuses back together, I hear movement from my left. Scrunching myself up tightly, I peek out from my spot to see where the sound has come from.

One of Kaladar’s men has a plate full of food. It looks like he’s heading down to the end room, but he stops midway, facing a wall.

“Revertum.”After a few seconds, the wall shimmers and shifts, revealing a concealed door. He steps in, the door disappearing behind him.

I keep an eye out, tucking myself in when a guard comes near but he never stops by me.

After a few minutes the door appears with the guard. He has his back to me talking to someone inside. There’s an empty plate in his hands.

Just as the door is about to close, I catch a glimpse of who they have hidden inside.

I spot the back of a woman’s head. She’s small, smaller than me. Her dark brown hair is matted and greasy. Her clothes are worn and dirty, like she hasn’t changed in days.

There you are.

Just before the door fully closes, she turns around and looks out. The look of longing and despair in her eyes is enough to burn a fire in my veins.

Her eyes remind me so much of Luka’s, so soft and vulnerable. No wonder they care so much for her. She looks so delicate and fragile; I want to wrap her up and keep her safe myself. She’s a little older than I would’ve expected but being held captive can age your soul much faster.

No one deserves to be treated like a prisoner.

It has to be her.

I send her a silent promise, that I will get her out of here, no matter what.

I duck down as a couple of new guards show up, replacing the one that is on. Looking down at my phone, I take note of the time of security changeover, observing less men on just before I showed up.

I take one last look at the locked door, silently promising a swift return. To hang on just a little longer.

Glancing back around I inch my way back towards the outdoor garden, using the large white posts as cover.

Heading towards the glass door and used spell, I glance back once more. Seeing no guards around, I relax.

Just as I think I’ve made it out without being caught, I turn and run into the man himself.

Everything about him screamed money. From his slick black hair to his expensive clothes. The large gold pendant around his neck would fetch me a hefty price if not multiple trades.

Kaladar grabs my arm squeezing it tight as he yanks me toward him. Towering over me, his dark hazel eyes narrow on me. Looking at me with those soulless eyes so many of King’s men seem to have.

“What have we got here?”

His men surround us, coming out of nowhere, blocking me in.

Shit!

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