Page 116 of Misery
"You think I'm stupid?" Eleyna laughs. "I disconnected your bombs two hours ago. Before I went to them. You taught me too well, baby. Always have a backup plan."
Thiago's reaching for his weapon, but I'm already moving.
The knife leaves my hand, finds his wrist.
He screams and drops the gun.
"Ivar's in the basement," Eleyna tells Magnus. "Sub-level 2. He's bad. Real bad."
Magnus and Tor run for the stairs while I advance on Thiago.
"You turned her against me," he gasps, holding his shoulder.
"You turned her against yourself."
"This isn't over. I have copies of everything. Videos. Photos. She'll know how long you watched. How you're just like me."
"Maybe. But there's one difference."
"What's that?"
"I'm still breathing."
I don't kill him.
That would be too easy.
Instead, I break his knees.
Both of them.
He screams, but I don't care.
This is for Elfe.
For Ivar.
For every moment of fear he caused.
"Found him!" Magnus' voice through the earpiece. "He's alive but barely. We need medical care now."
"On it," Runes responds.
I look down at Thiago, writhing on the floor. Then, at Eleyna, who's watching with satisfaction.
"Thank you," I tell her.
"Don't thank me. I didn't do it for you." She walks over to Thiago, stands over him. "Months of my life. For what?"
"Eleyna—" he starts.
She shoots him in the other shoulder. "That's for making me feel worthless."
He's screaming now, bleeding from multiple wounds, but still alive.
"We should go," I tell her. "Cops will be coming."
"What about him?"
