Page 45 of Monster's Obsession

My skin crawled. “Well, this is just great, isn’t it.”

“Are you lost, beautiful one?” Ash’s voice came from behind me abruptly, and I could have cried.

I spun and threw myself into his monstrous arms, hugging him, so relieved I wanted to scream. He stood there in his hideous form, with thick leathery skin, those enormous horns, and a mouth filled with incisors for teeth, but I didn’t care. I adored him all the same, and I sure as hell didn’t want to approach the spider guards alone.

“Thank god you’re here.” I drew back as he ran a thumb over my chin.

“I’m not a god, gorgeous, I’m so much more,” he teased with a grin. “We need to go though. Creed asked me to wait for you as he’s getting the match started.”

“I have so many questions.”

Ash didn’t wait to hear what they were. He just lifted me into his arms and moved us toward the mountain.

I swallowed hard, fear pummeling into me that there was nothing I could do to save Steele from the upcoming fucking, stupid Red Battle.

CHAPTER 11

BLAKE

The moment we burst into the mountain cave, the explosive cheer of monsters became deafening.

Ash never stopped moving. I was cradled in his arms, and we rushed through the crowds who parted away from us, jumping out of the way like their life depended on it.

We traveled through lofty tunnels carved out of the stone, voices and cheering echoing around us, and everyone stared at me, mostly with glares. I didn’t want to see their anger. I felt like shattered glass on the inside, ready to fall apart, able to focus on one thing only—stopping this ridiculous battle.

When we finally left behind the masses, I breathed easy, saying to Ash, “This is insane.”

“So many have waited for the queen’s murderer to be brought to justice, and this is their moment for that. Many blame Steele for the beginning of the city’s hunger ever since they lost the Red Queen.”

“And do you believe he killed her?” My voice raised, emotions tightening my lungs.

Ash didn’t respond right away, breathing quickly instead, and I watched the conflict play across his face. “I’ve known him for so long, trusted him, shared so much, and I want to say he didn’t. It destroys me on the inside because he’s family, but innocent people don’t run from the scene of the crime.”

“He was scared, and I’d be just as terrified if I was accused,” I answered, defending him even if I didn’t know the truth, but I felt his innocence deep in my soul. The man I loved couldn’t be a killer.

“The truth will reveal itself today,” he answered, pushing through a narrow doorway.

“And what if it’s wrong and Steele is killed in the battle?” I murmured, my chest hurting.

“The Red Battle doesn’t lie. All you need to do is watch the outcome because we’re not talking about a normal fight during the Red Battle. We won’t even know how it plays out until it begins.”

He reminded me of what Hopaka said in the carriage.

Every Red Battle is unique.

It wasn’t what I wanted to hear, because going into something blindly added to my bubbling anxiety.

Conflicted, I was left shaking, and Ash set me on my feet, his huge clawed hands on my waist. “If Steele has nothing to hide, he’ll be safe. But if he killed the queen, then the city will demand retribution.”

“And what if he had a really good reason for it? What if—” The words choked from my throat.

“He’ll be given a chance to explain. We’re not complete barbarians, gorgeous.”

I couldn’t bring myself to answer because I didn’t necessarily agree, especially when a sickening sensation stretched through me. I was certain Steele had already tried to explain b before now…and it hadn’t worked.

“We need to hurry.” He ushered me forward, collecting my hand into his, and we made our way through the narrow tunnel where no one else wandered.

When we finally emerged through an arched doorway, the bright light from flaming torches blinded me momentarily.

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