Page 32 of Red Ruin

Helping them is going to be so much work.

Like you don’t love how much they need you.

Remington snarls as Vhex breaks into his desk drawers.

I yank the tatters of his shirt and curl tighter into his shadowy silks, fighting to keep him from backsliding. “Remington.”

The blacks of his eyes spin.

“Remy,” he insists.

Even fully human, the man has this chilling, eldritch vibe. His pupils are too wide and he barely breathes, let alone blinks.

I’ve never seen long-term damage this bad.

Most Sentinels would’ve died a long time ago.

“Remy,” I sigh. “Do you remember blasting holes in your perimeter wall?”

“A few small gaps.”

“You cracked the defensive arrays.” I fight to muffle my frustration. The Sentinels’ energies are so warped, they could read any little expression of anger as a threat.

I need their trust.

After I’ve healed their damage, I’ll tell them what Ireallythink.

Vhex skips back to me, carrying a filigreed gold box. “For you.”

“Good job.” I reach, but he lifts the box above his head.

“Reward me.” When Vhex grins, his fang cuts into his lip.

Already getting used to his energy patterns, I soothe him with a twirl of silks, stroking around the tip of his horn. “You did well, Sentinel.”

“More,” he says huskily, lifting the box higher.

Remy’s shadows seethe.

I try to split my focus again, but my spiritual well is way overdrawn. I lose my grip on both Sentinels as my knees buckle.

Each one catches me by an arm.

Not caring they’re the reasons I’m swaying on my feet, Vhex and Remy trade snarls. Their silks sharpen as their energies surge, ready to undo all my work this far.

“Enough screwing around.” I lock down their wisps and snatch the box from Vhex.

My fingers pulse as I pull out the token given to the Farguard’s commander. The magical tool is as heavy as the duty it represents. The shield-shaped badge bears the emblem of the Farguard—a lone mountain tower, surrounded by vines and swords.

“This old thing?” Remy tilts his head. “You can have it.”

Something electric skates across my skin.

I’m finally doing something Baroness Ashbourne would approve.

Working overtime to keep both Sentinels in line, I inject my spiritual power into the badge. Remy’s mental imprint should block me from snatching control, but sure enough, it’s not there.

The badge has no owner.

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