One of his legs was missing below the knee, tied with a tourniquet so tight only a few drops of blood trickled into the shallow puddle on the floor. His fingernails had been ripped off, and both his arms were bent at terrible angles. A pile of engorged black leeches wriggled over the many shallow cuts on his chest and stomach.
“Fucking Four,” I breathed. The man had been here fordays, suffering like this.
I snatched the little bloodsuckers off his skin while he groaned, his eyes finally opening.
“You came,” he murmured.
I frowned. “Do you know who I am?”
“He said you would come.”
Was he delirious? “Who said that—Renwell? Korvin?”
Garyth’s bloodshot eyes finally focused on me. Confusion filled them. “Are you a dream? A lost soul come to haunt me?”
“No.” I cut the ropes binding him, but he didn’t move. “I’m Aiden, and?—”
“Aiden?” Garyth’s eyes shone with tears. “At last. Where is my family? Are they here? Does he have them?”
I shook my head vehemently. “No. He never did. They’re safe. Waiting for you.”
Tears trickled from his eyes to the bloody floor. “My sweet girls. I pray they don’t join me for a long, long time.” He refocused on me. “Thank you. I can die at peace now.”
“We can get you out of here,” I said, even as I gazed at his many injuries, my heart falling. “We have a ship and medicine?—”
He slowly shook his head. “No, Aiden. I’ve only held on this long for my family. And now that they’re safe...”
A shout resonated from somewhere in the caves.Gods damn it.
“Forgive my cowardice,” Garyth whispered. “I told him everything I knew. I thought they had my family.”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” I said sharply, edging toward the door and peering out of it.
Garyth continued to mumble. “. . . blinded by Weylin’s promises . . . didn’t know he murdered . . . too late . . .”
Another shout and the clash of weapons echoed toward me.
“Kill me, Aiden.”
I froze. His voice had become clear as glass. Clear as the nightmare that had haunted me for years.
Wide blue eyes pled with me. No, they were Garyth’s gray ones.
“Please.”
Please, Aiden.
“I can’t,” I whispered raggedly, my swords slipping in my sweaty grip. “Don’t ask this of me.”
Garyth groaned. “It would be a mercy.”
Mercy, please.
“Shut up,” I snarled. Black spots danced over my vision.
Boots pounded up to the room, and Nikella flew inside, her cheek and her spear bloodied.
“Ambush!” she gasped. “I thought you were—” Her eyes fell to Garyth, and understanding flashed through her eyes.
