Page 313 of Halfblood Deceived

Kamilla had Andreas’ head on her lap and her wrist against his mouth. Mari and Aylana were both casting healing magic on Andreas.

A groan drew Aella’s attention back to Micah.

Zeydan growled and zoomed to Micah’s side in less than a blink, and cut off one of the gargoyle’s arms.

Micah screamed and twisted on the ground, trying to stand, but Zeydan placed a boot on Micah’s stomach and chopped off his other arm.

“You’ll never touch her again,” Zeydan growled. “Never!”

Aiko watched the scene unfolding in front of her with shifted eyes full of avenging fire.

Aella gulped. She almost asked the child to turn away, but she had no right to do that.

It was Aiko’s choice.

Zeydan lifted his sword to decapitate Micah.

“Wait!” Aella called, approaching. She wished she could zoom close, but her last burst of adrenaline was dying out.

Zeydan turned to look at her over his shoulder. “Please don’t ask me to let this piece of shit live.”

Aella shook her head. “I won’t. I’m asking you to let me kill him.”

Zeydan gave her a feral, double canine-displaying smile, and lowered his sword. “Then be my guest, Amazon.”

Aella took a deep breath and looked down at Micah.

He panted, red eyes wide and blood pouring onto the asphalt from his severed limbs. “I’m your husband! Your husband! You can’t kill me! It’s a sin!”

Aella scoffed. “You don’t get to talk to me about sins, bastard. And you are nothing to me. Nothing.” She lifted her sword. “Enjoy your visit to the Lake of the Damned.”

He wailed like a banshee.

Aella brought her blade down, cutting off his head along with his cries.

She breathed hard. Euphoria, relief, and disgust churned inside her.

Zeydan wrapped his arm around her waist and turned her away from the ghastly display.

Aella let his warmth envelop her and together, they went back up the steps. She placed her arm around Aiko’s shoulders and steered her away from the sight of Micah’s dead body. Although there was little to look at that weren’t dead bodies.

Decapitated gargoyles were scattered all over the stone floor. Their blood turned the beige stone crimson.

Aella’s friends and family were mostly, thank the goddesses, in one piece.

Zeydan, Aella, and Aiko approached Kamilla, Aylana, Mari, and Andreas. And so did the rest.

Andreas was surprisingly awake. His shifted eyes widened as Aiko entered his line of vision.

“Aiko!” Evan exclaimed.

Mari lifted her tearful eyes from Andreas to look at the child. She sniffed and wiped her face with the back of her hand. “Aiko.”

“Hello,” Aiko said, kneeling beside Mari.

The fey placed an arm around Aiko at once. Aiko leaned against her and sighed.

“Aella!” Diana called.

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