Page 113 of Seized to Sacrifice
‘She’s alive!’ He clasped her to him gently.
Nyx handed him a damp cloth that he used to wipe the dust and grime from her face. She coughed and Thorne gave her some water.
‘Elle?’ he said.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she jolted, crying out in anguish, her hand going to her belly.
‘The babe,’ she wailed. ‘He stabbed me.’
Rye’s breathing stuttered as he felt her for the injury, but there was nothing. No blood, no hole.
‘I healed you, Elle,’ he said. ‘She’s safe.’
She relaxed in his arms.
‘I thought…,’ her voice broke. ‘I thought he’d killed her.’
‘Where’s Ceres?’ Nyx asked.
‘He was with me,’ she said.
She sat up and looked around. ‘There.’
She pointed at the man they’d found first. He was large and broad and covered in dust. He was on his hands and knees, coughing. Pushing himself to his feet, his eyes landed on Elle, and he gave her an arrogant sneer.
’You must not be in your right mind, you pathetic bitch,’ he said, walking towards them. ‘All I needed was for you to bring me here and now you have. This realm is as good as gone.’
He laughed manically. ‘But first, I’m going to make your precious men watch as I make sure your babe is never born.’
He drew his hand back and Rye and the others threw themselves in front of Elle.
But nothing happened.
Ceres looked incredulously at his own hand.
‘What have you done to me?’
Elle stepped around the Brothers, putting her hand in Rye’s.
She smiled nastily at Ceres. ‘Although we were equally matched in power, the babe gave me that last little bit I needed to giveyouwhat you deserve.’
‘And what is that?’ he spat.
‘Mortality.’
He looked at her blankly.
‘We’re both human now, you fool. I scattered our power to the winds, used it to ensure the balance with the Dark Realms. I made sure we aren’t needed anymore.’ She grinned. ‘Fuck you, Ceres.’
She turned her back on him and began to walk up the street towards the Great Library. Rye stared after her, a smile forming on his face. She’d saved them. He’d still be punishing her later for going it aloneagain, but she’d done it.
Thorne, standing nearby, let out a growl.
‘A mortal now, eh?’
He stalked towards Ceres, drawing his dagger, and ramming it into the man’s stomach.
‘That's for Elle,’ he said. He twisted it sharply and Ceres let out a cry. ‘That's for us and for all the years that we had to spend apart because of you.’
